New Jersey weather is crazy. This morning it was upper 40s and chilly and I bundled up the baby before we headed out for a quick errand. By the time we were done, I was pulling off one of her layers and we were driving home with the car windows open. Which state is it that has that motto … “If you don’t like the weather, wait a minute, it will change?” Kansas? Should totally become New Jersey’s motto too; it certainly fits.
So now with the colder weather starting to move in, I’ve got my eye out on clothing to keep the baby warm – once the wind starts whipping around, the chill can cut right to your bones. Enter the Hatley Baby Bundler.
The GOOD: The bundler can either have a rounded bottom (see picture), or the middle between the legs unzips to separate the legs, which I love, love, love. That makes it much easier when using the bundler in conjunction with car seats. After the zipper is undone, it reveals rows of snaps on the side of both legs, so if you really wanted to (and were more adventurous than I!), you could probably handle a diaper change without taking the baby out of the bundler, and that certainly has its advantages.
The BAD: Although most of the bundler is lined with a soft, grey lining, the arms of the bundler are not and I do wish they were. After all, this is something you’d use in the wintertime when it is the coldest of cold, and I’d worry about enough lining on her arms with this. Once the weather turns cold, I will just add an extra layer on her before putting her in the bundler, so it is definitely workable, but thought it deserved a mention nonetheless.
The ECO-METER: The folks at Hatley keep a keen eye on being environmentally friendly with their entire product line. To wit, all their products are PVC-free and they use only azo-free dyes and non-chlorinated bleach in their clothing items. To keep their community water clean, they use closed loop dyers, which makes sure that the waste water from the dyeing process does not contaminate the local water table that they work so hard to protect. They use organic cotton, natural fibers and alternative sustainable fibers at every turn possible. The plastic garment shipping bags that they used in India have been swapped out in favor of Mater-Bi bags, which are 100% compostable and biodegradable, made out of starch and cotton seeds and are completely non-toxic. Since they began that initiative, they have replaced approximately 1 million bags a year so far. They’re now starting the swap-out phase with their shipping bags from China. And lastly, their catalogs use paper that comes from FSC managed forests and all their hang tags and packaging are printed using vegetable ink on unbleached, uncoated, recycled paper as available. Although some of their product line seems a bit pricey, given their commitment to the community (particularly the water table) and environment as a whole, this is the type of company I want to support.
MONEY MATTERS: The Hatley Baby Bundler retails for $84.00 and can be purchased online at www.hatleystore.com. Free shipping is being offered on their website now, with orders $65 and over. Their product line can also be found on Amazon as well.
THINK PINK: 20% off all of online sales for every product this month will go to the John Wayne Cancer Institute’s Breast Center in California.
The MOM VERDICT
Cate Says: Until Hatley contacted us, I had actually never heard of them, but now I see their items all over the place (and I love the rain boots!, which will be reviewed this weekend also). Their products have been featured in InStyle magazine, and the company has an ongoing commitment to social responsibility and protecting their local community’s water resources, which I love. The bundler is cute, easy to clean and, most importantly, does its job. Hear, hear!
