Frugi grownups is the adult range of Cornish company Frugi, which mostly produces organic cotton clothing for children. Everything is made ethically in India where the company supports an orphanage, and sent in biodegradable packaging. The range has won many awards for its unique features, that allows for easy and discreet breastfeeding using hidden panels, yet still shows that sustainable maternity clothing can be just as nice in design as any other. The range includes pretty dresses and breastfeeding tops, plus tunics and roomy shirts.
Try to find natural comfortable fabrics like cotton (organic or recycled if possible), hemp or linen. If you do find a little elastane, then launder in a microplastic catcher to help prevent microplastics leaching from the washing machine into the sea.
You don’t of course actually have to buy actual ‘maternity wear’ as you could just wear looser and bigger clothing instead during pregnancy. However, well-made nursing clothing is good as often it has special features for discreet breastfeeding.
Most maternity online shops also sell preloved or rental baby clothing. Due to allergies and sensitivity, it’s best to launder with unscented biodegradable laundry liquid (also for yourself!)
tips for comfortable maternity clothing
- Firstly, don’t worry about nursing wear until well into your second trimester, you can get away simply with wearing loose clothing.
- Go for natural fabrics. Organic (or recycled cotton), hemp and linen (from the flax plant) are all comfy sustainable fabrics, and also less likely to give you itchy skin than polyester, nylon or wool.
- Get creative on a budget. You could buy (or borrow) oversized shirts, smock dresses to open-front cardigans, over standard maternity wear, often found at local thrift stores that support small charities.
