Journal — Conscious Consumption

With Father’s Day around the corner, I wanted to share some brands I’ve come across for men that mix sustainability and style in a way I love. Maybe this will spark some ideas for the fathers in your life. What are some of your favorite menswear brands for the Jackalo dads in your life?

• Patagonia Worn Wear. Patagonia remains an inspiration for Jackalo in how we do business. They are one of the most thoughtful and conscientious businesses out there and their Worn Wear program was one of the inspirations for our own TradeUp program. Jackalo recommends: If you are looking for new gear for your weekend adventures, shop their packs.
• Portuguese Flannel. This Portugal-based company clothes that fit the laid-back, beachy aesthetic of Portugal. Jackalo recommends: Another way to twin — their chore coat with our Billie Jacket so that dad and kid look dapper together.
  
• Outerknown. Started by surfer Kelly Slater, Outerknown has a really strong focus on sustainability and transparency. Jackalo recommends: Their Nomadic Volley swim trunks are the perfect balance of vintage feel and timeless classic.
• Nudie Jeans. This Swedish company makes great jeans (that the Jackalo dad in our family loves). They offer lifetime repairs and a discount your next purchase when you turn in your used Nudie jeans. They then repair and resell the jeans (just like us!) Jackalo recommends: Steady Eddie Dry Selvage Jeans
• United By Blue. This Certified B-Corp and Philly company was just getting their start when we were there, but they’ve grown by leaps and bounds. They pick up a pound of trash for every garment sold and focus on using sustainable materials. Jackalo recommends: Another way to twin — their Spence Shorts are the perfect complement to our Nickie Shorts.

Low waste living in a world that promotes excess isn't a simple thing. Adding kids into the mix can make it seem even more impossible. Luckily, if there's one thing that this "against the grain" lifestyle has taught me, it's that kids don't have to slow you down on your eco-friendly mission. In fact, with a little planning and foresight, they can even make it easier on you.

Whether you're a frequent traveler or prefer the comfort of your own home, traveling with kids in tow can mean a lot more waste than you typically would at home. Between snack stops, keeping kids preoccupied during long commutes, and the inevitable unforeseen hiccups that happen along the way, travel with kids can be filled with single-use plastics and disposables that you never planned on using.

Although you shouldn't beat yourself up when things don't go as planned, it's completely possible to prevent waste while on the road, even with your kids along for the ride. For my family, it seems the vast amount of our waste occurs when we fail to plan ahead. Although a day trip is short, there are countless circumstances throughout the day that you'll need to think through if you're hoping to prevent waste along the way. It’s not always easy, but don't worry, soon you'll get into a routine and these steps will become second nature. Next time you have a day-trip planned, try these tips for a zero-waste day trip with kids!

1. Pack snacks and plan ahead for meals

Kids eat. A lot. To save yourself from stopping at the most convenient (but wasteful and often unhealthy) fast food restaurant or takeaway store, pack enough snacks for everyone before you leave your house. To further decrease waste, pack them in reusable containers that you can simply toss back in your bag and wash when you get home. Things like cut up fruit/veggies, easy sandwiches (wrapped in a cloth napkin for easy clean up), crackers and hummus...etc. all make amazing on-the-go snacks that will keep your children's bellies happy and your eco-conscious clean.

When snacks won't cut it, you may need to pack a full meal or two. If packing that much food isn't realistic, do some research on where you're traveling and look up restaurants ahead of time. When you have a plan for where/what to eat, you'll be less tempted to opt for the most convenient (and usually wasteful) place. Try to dine in if you can and order just enough for everyone so you don't have leftovers to deal with.

2. Keep boredom at bay

Aside from hunger, boredom is probably the other leading cause of creating waste on trips. Save yourself unnecessary and wasteful purchases of games/toys/entertainment by planning ahead with some games you can all enjoy together.

Check our Pinterest board for easy road trip games for kids (and feel free to add to it!) or keep it simple with an alphabet game or eye-spy. These things will typically occupy kids for longer than you expect. You can bring a backpack with coloring supplies for the car or train ride, pack a few activity books or books for your kids of reading age, or if you’d prefer, bring an iPad with books or games preloaded to keep them happy. When your kids have something to do you’ll hear less “are we there yet??” and require fewer snack breaks and unplanned stops.

3. Check the weather

This may seem obvious, but it bears mentioning: make sure to be aware of the day’s forecast before you leave. There’s nothing worse than planning for a warm and relaxing day away and being met with rain and clouds. A simple weather-check will tell you what extras you need to bring. Be sure everyone has a raincoat/jacket just in case and bring an umbrella or two to save you from buying something you won’t need at home while you’re out. If it’s set to be sunny, pack sunscreen and hats. This small step of planning ahead can save you money and unnecessary waste while you’re gone.

4. Give everyone a "job" to do

To save yourself from overwhelm (and an increased likelihood of creating unnecessary trash), plan the “jobs” for the trip with your family and assign roles to each family member. You can ensure everyone has their own backpack or tote to lighten the load —  packing snacks/books/clothes can get bulky! For example, have one kiddo in charge of carrying the snacks, another in charge of games, and keep the extras in your bag. You can let older kids handle researching restaurants and even parks for picnics or other activities.

5. Pack water bottles and clean-up supplies

One of the easiest things to overlook is one of the most important. Make sure everyone has their own water bottle (that can go in their respective backpack) to prevent the need for buying plastic ones. Additionally, plan ahead for sticky fingers and messes with a few cloth napkins or DIY wet wipes. These small steps will save you from needing single-use alternatives.

Have you had a successful low-waste day-trip with your kids? What zero-waste essentials did you bring along?

We’ve all skimmed blogs and perused Pinterest for inspiration on creating the perfect capsule wardrobe for ourselves, but what about when it comes to our littles? As parents, shopping sustainably for our kids while maintaining a “fewer but better” mindset can be easier said than done. Kids outgrow their clothes quickly, wear holes in them after a few trips and skirmishes, and honestly, the temptation to buy cheaply made alternatives for them in an effort to keep up is real.

But at Jackalo, we’re big believers in buying fewer-but-better-made pieces for your kids that will last them through several growth spurts, keep up with their rambunctious play without tearing, and won’t hurt the planet on top of it all. In fact, that just about sums up our mission as a company.

We believe it’s possible for parents to “curate” their kids’ wardrobes in a practical and sustainable way that has less to do with fashion and more to do with practicality. With this mindset, ultimately you’ll spend less on your kids’ clothes and ensure they’re getting the most wear out of what they have. A streamlined wardrobe will allow your child to take control of choosing their own outfits (while you relax knowing that everything more or less “flows” together). It teaches them the value of minimizing and keeps your shopping trips much more mission focused.  

A quick note on colors: you may find it helpful to shop within a few color families so that when your kids pick out their own outfits, you don’t have to worry too much about things clashing. This also allows you to plan ahead and buy a size up so that your kids can grow into things and you can still be sure that they’ll work within their wardrobe. You don’t have to stick to only neutrals, or avoid bright and fun colors, but we suggest sticking to 5 or fewer colors. We love this post from Anuschka Rees about choosing a color palette for an adult wardrobe and think the same concepts can be used as inspiration for building one for a child.

Our sustainable capsule wardrobe download will give you the outline of a well-crafted, simplified wardrobe for your kids. From here, you can buy the essentials and then step back and let them be kids (in clothes that are up for the job). You may have to do a bit of shopping around to find the right brands and sizes to fill each “section”, but once you do, your kiddo will have a cohesive, easy wardrobe that will work for everything from school days, mud puddle jumping, and dinner with the grandparents.  

Depending on where you live, you may need a “warm season” capsule and a “cold season” capsule and can make tweaks as needed for things like dresses, skirts, and other pieces your kiddo may love, but with this checklist  and info as a guide, we hope the process will be much more simplified!

These are the basics of any wardrobe, regardless of age. This download will allow you to shop for pieces that fit your child’s personality and style, AND your budget and ethics much more easily.

Have you ever created a capsule wardrobe for your kids? Tell us how it went!

By Olivia Youngs

Let’s preface this post by saying there’s no “magic formula” for raising children of any sort. Parenthood isn’t a one-size-fits-all task, not by a long shot.  You may find that one method that worked for someone else failed for you. That’s ok. But since you clicked on this article, chances are you’re in the throes of modern, conscious parenting and are hoping to raise your own children to be full of awareness of the big issues facing the planet.

Raising socially and environmentally conscious children, as complex as it seems, is actually simpler than we may think. I know what you’re thinking, so bear with me. How can approaching issues of environmental justice, sustainable living, and social impact be a simple task? How can a child understand these complex issues most adults can barely tackle?

First of all, the fact that you’re already thinking of ways to integrate conscious living into your children’s lives puts them ahead of the pack. They won’t have to unlearn years of harmful habits like most of us did. Luckily, children are pros at mastering the things we underestimate them for. You’ll be amazed at how much your kids understand, how deeply compassionate they can be, and how easily they can take initiative on their own. All you have to do is foster an at-home atmosphere encouraging their budding environmental and social passions.

1. Lead by example

First and foremost, the best way to effect lasting change in your children is to lead by example. Show them what it looks like to care for the planet in real day-to-day life. When your children see you bringing your own water bottle and coffee mug, reducing waste, and recycling, it will be more impactful than simply having a conversation about it. Be honest about your mistakes and celebrate your successes with them.

2. Have conversations about responsible living early on

In addition to leading with your actions, having intentional conversations with your kids, no matter their age, about how their actions can make an impact is important. When they see you bringing your own bags to the market, using cloth napkins and towels, air drying your clothes, and acting with the environment in mind, and ask you why, you can explain, in terms they’ll easily understand, how we have the power to care for our earth instead of harming it. You can talk to them about littering, caring for our oceans, choosing to bike or walk over driving -- the possibilities are endless and each conversation will have a lasting impact.

3. Attend events, marches, and classes with your children

Although some may assume that public marches and demonstrations and classes about environmentalism aren’t suitable for children, we beg to differ. Our founder Marianna recently attended the Students Strike for Climate march with her son (pictured in Jackalo pants, of course) and his friend. They were so excited to use their voice to create positive change and joined right in with the teens (who loved seeing two kids leading the chants!)

4. Let them take the lead

Once you’ve had a few conversations and have led by example, give your kids the opportunity to choose environmentalism for themselves. You’ll be surprised at how observant your kids are as they pick up trash off the ground, ask to walk instead of drive, or ask if they can join you for the next march or trip to the recycling center.

5. Immerse your kids in nature

Perhaps most importantly, letting your kids experience nature firsthand and often is paramount to raising children who care about the planet’s future. If you live in an urban area, take them to botanical gardens, conservation areas, or on quick out-of-city trips to experience nature. If nature is in your backyard, even better! Encourage your children to play outside often and, as they do, teach them that they have the power to care for their playground for years to come. Looking for a way to get kids excited about the nature around them? Try our free Noticing Walk download.  

Raising environmentally conscious kids seems complicated, but we hope these simple steps will give you inspiration on where to start.

How are you helping your kids learn to care for the planet?

Jackalo contributor, Olivia Youngs doesn't just share her best sustainability and parenting tips here, but on her own well-loved blog Simply Liv & Co. There she writes about living more simply and sustainably. Liv's family lives in a converted school bus in Colorado, so she knows a thing or two about living with less stuff. Recently she published a blog post featuring Jackalo and how finding a sustainable and practical clothing brand for your children is possible. She says:

"...they’re truly doing their part to create conscious and practical clothes for kids who play hard."

Thanks Liv for supporting Jackalo! 

Read the full post>>

Olivia's girls wearing the Ash lined pants in Engineer's Stripe and the Jax pants in Berry

Raising environmentally conscious children in a world where plastic, “grab and go,” and convenience is the norm is no easy feat. As parents, our biggest tool for instilling positive morals in our children is modeling by behavior, but a few “supplemental materials” to reinforce what you model at home can go a long way. Kids, like sponges, soak up information like it’s their job, so if you’re wanting to instill a love for nature and caring for our environment in your children early on, these kid appropriate books and movies about Environmentalism will help any socially conscious parent do just that.

Each of these books and movies have a slightly different focus - some center around protecting animals, others on being responsible stewards of nature, others have a more general “love for all” theme - but each of them will tug at your heartstrings and stir up a desire in your children to care for our planet.

We suggest reading these books and watching these films with your child and then having a discussion afterward to hear their thoughts and help them process what they’ve seen. This discussion guide from the Australian Psychological Society is an incredible resource for parents on how and when to discuss climate change with your children.

Have you and your children chatted about protecting our environment? These books and movies are the perfect place to start!

Books

1. The Lorax by Dr. Suess 

Both a classic book and a newly made film, The Lorax is about a creature who speaks for the trees long before environmentalism was mainstream. Both the book and the film are great for kids of all ages and introduce topics like deforestation, activism, and caring for our trees.

2. Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers

This #1 New York Times Best Seller combines wit, humor, and awe in this “guide for living on Earth”. It’s a picture book, but includes themes deep enough for older children as well.

3. The Last Polar Bear by Jean Craighead George

By the author of the beloved My Side of the Mountain, this story penned for younger children follows a boy desperate to save a polar bear cub whose mother has died as a result of climate change in the Arctic.

4. Pax by Sara Pennypacker

This story of a boy and his pet fox will pull at your heartstrings while teaching children about the relationship between animals and humans.

5. Leo and the Lion Learn of Love by Holly Rose

Written by one of our favorite eco-conscious bloggers, Leo and the Lion Learn of Love tells the story of the lion who teaches a young boy how to care for the world around him.

Movies

1. WALL-E

A beloved Disney film about a loveable robot who’s the last of his kind on the, now-uninhabitable, Earth. WALL-E sets out on a space voyage that will change the fate of humanity. It’s heartwarming and approachable without shying away from big issues.

2. Disneynature's Oceans

This stunning film dives deep into our oceans showing viewers a never before seen look into the depths of the ocean and what inhabits them. It’s the perfect jumping off point for a discussion on protecting our seas.

3. Ferngully: The Last Rainforest

A 90s film with a focus on protecting the rainforest, Ferngully: The Last Rainforest tells the story of a bat and his mythical friends who set out to save their habitat from destruction, with the help of Zak, an empathetic human who aids them along the way.

4. Happy Feet

Although the film’s main focus is love for self and those around you, Happy Feet, about a penguin who feels out of place, has environmental undertones perfect for starting a discussion.

5. Over the Hedge

A humorous kid’s movie with sobering flashes of reality, Over the Hedge teaches kids about human over-consumption and its negative impact on animals.

Got any favorite books or movies to add to the list? Please add them in the comments below!

In my early years of motherhood, I didn’t give much thought to the clothes I purchased for my kids (or myself!). After simplifying my kids’ wardrobe, and bagging up the excess, I knew I needed to make some changes. I wanted my kids’ wardrobe to be more sustainable and ethical.

At Jackalo, they focus on durable design that strikes a balance between strong and comfortable. My boys would wear their pants every. Single. Day. if I let them.

And her kiddos, clearly do enjoy their Jackalo pants. I love this moment between her boys. This is what it's about: chilling with your brother and just having fun. 

Read the full post>>

Raising children in a way that is easy on the planet and on their health is no easy feat. New parents are continually bombarded with the newest  “must-have” products they need to buy to keep their children happy and healthy. However, the vast majority of these products are made with cheap synthetics which are ultimately unhealthy for families and the planet as a whole. Everything from disposable diapers, to the fabric of children’s clothes, to BPA lined plastic products are common household staples that, unfortunately, are as hard on the environment as they are on our children’s skin and health.

When we set out to purchase eco-friendly essentials for their family, overwhelm can set in quickly and make many of us feel that living an eco-friendly lifestyle at home is impractical at best or impossible at worst. Between conflicting information, budget constraints, and knowing what to prioritize first, many parents feel they’re at a standstill between conventional products and finding better options.

Although there are many ways to live an eco-friendly lifestyle with your children, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite products that simplify parenthood and won’t harm the planet or your children’s health. Which step will you take first?

1. Mason Bottle and Reusable Waterbottles

Whether you have a baby or an older child, investing in some drink bottles made from sustainable, durable materials is a double win: you’ll be protecting your child from the chemicals in most baby bottles and water bottles AND you’re reducing single-use disposables.

We love: Mason Bottle ($19.99), Field Guide Stainless Steel Water Bottle ($31.99)

2. Beeswax Food Wraps 

When you have kids, leftovers are inevitable. Reducing food waste and avoiding single-use plastic bags is tricky enough as it is, but we love Beeswax Food Wraps as an alternative to plastic wrap. Silicone reusable bags are also a great alternative to plastic disposable bags. For families with bigger kids, making your own wraps can be a fun DIY activity if you’ve got some spare cotton cloth and beeswax around. Here’s a fun tutorial.

We love: Beeswax Wraps (3-pack, $18)

3. Wooden Sewing Tool

Buying sustainable toys for your kids is easier said than done. When shopping, try second-hand first, and if you can’t find something that works from your local thrift store, try to look for products made from natural materials, instead of cheap synthetics. They’re easier on the earth to produce and easier on your kiddo’s health too. These lovely sewing tools are from Aleta Kids, a small company that makes wooden toys that are sustainably produced in Spain.

We love: Wooden Lacing Fishing Boat ($28.57)

4. Jackalo Children's Pants

There’s nothing more frustrating than spending money on clothes for your kids only to have them disintegrate through heavy wear and kids “being kids”. We may be biased, but we think there’s a better way to shop for kids’ clothes. Our pants are designed to last and grow with your child, so you’ll get more for your money and your child will have more freedom to play.

Jax Pant ($75)

5. Bamboo Silverware

Cutting down on waste when you’re out and about with your kids is tricky, but it’s do-able with a little bit of preparation. We love carrying reusable bamboo cutlery with us, or throwing a set in a child’s school lunch, to reduce the waste caused by on the go meals.

We love: Bamboo 3-piece silverware ($6.05)

6. Organic Cotton Sheets

Even though your child probably fights bedtime, the reality is that they spend 10 or more hours each day sleeping in their bed and what they sleep in matters. More and more brands are realizing the benefits of switching to organic cotton, but among the benefits are no pesticides or chemicals sprayed on the cotton, a more durable, softer sheet, and less worry for you.

We love:  Naturpedic Organic Twinsize Sheet Set ($139)

7. Wooden Creative Thinking Toys

For older kids, blocks can get old quickly. We love toys that stretch our children’s minds and encourage creativity. Although you don’t need to buy expensive toys for that, they make wonderful gifts.

We love: TinkerTotter Robot Set ($30)

8. Bamboo Toothbrushes

Most conventional toothbrushes aren’t recyclable, but making the simple swap to bamboo toothbrushes leaves you with a healthier alternative that will compost and biodegrade on its own.

We love: The Humble Brush bamboo toothbrushes (€3.99)

9. Organic Cotton Backpack

Every child needs a backpack for school, but unfortunately, most of them are made with PVC and BPA laden plastics, lead, and phthalate which aren’t ideal for the environment or your child. This one, however, is made with durable and organic waxed cotton, has a lifetime guarantee and is handmade in Minnesota by an amazing woman and mama. A great business to support!

We love: Viska Little Forager ($150)

What eco-friendly essentials do you love for your children?