Everyone I know is having babies at the moment. With lots of babies comes lots of baby showers, but I always struggle to find gifts that are both ethical and cute (because as unfortunate as it is, not everyone wants cloth diapers). Needless to say, I was excited to stumble across The Plaid Peach. This Etsy shop sells toys and children’s clothing tha
t are hand crafted in the United States. Ruth, the owner of The Plaid Peach, originally created her first tiny baby vest from from a cherished plaid shirt that had belonged to her grandfather. An idea was born and today she specializes in creating lovable new items from sentimental pieces of clothing for her customers. She also searches out other off-casts from local sources, which she turns into squishable stuffed toys and irresistible vests.
After browsing The Plaid Peach shop I ordered the cutest little gingham giraffe that I have ever seen. I was sorely tempted by the llama or the dinosaur (who wouldn’t be?), but the giraffe was the least gender specific, and I wasn’t sure if I would end up sharing it with a little girl or boy.
Why shop Plaid Peach?
North America has an addiction to fabric and, as with most addictions, it’s causing problems. According to the Council for Textile Recycling, the U.S. generates 82 pounds of textiles per resident per year. Of this only 15% is ever donated or recycled, which means 70 pounds is destined for landfills. This accounts for 5.2% of American landfill waste and about 4% in Canada. These are significant numbers. Essentially, we are buying more clothes and fabric items than we should be, and we’re sending them to landfills where they are particularly impactful in terms of methane gas and chemical leaching.
By using upcycled fabric, The Plaid Peach is also able to use high-quality materials and by purchasing from the shop I know that care was spent on each stitch. These toys and clothes aren’t cheaply made at a factory in Asia—they’re the opposite. Incredibly, these stuffed toys are actually comparable in price (and so much cuter, amiright?).
I eagerly opened my package from The Plaid Peach as soon as I found it in my mailbox. The little giraffe is even cuter in person. While it as not as soft and and fuzzy as some other stuffies it is still huggable, especially for little arms. I have to keep the gingham giraffe hidden away so BamBam doesn’t steal it (we’re saving it for one of her little friends on the way).
This is one gift I can feel great about giving. I don’t think there’s any way to lose by supporting a small domestic business with a focus on reusing just a little bit of the the stuff that is out there already. I am keeping The Plaid Peach in mind should I ever have a piece of clothing that means a lot to me, but that also needs to find a new lease on life. Ruth will also custom make items with colour requests to match a nursery, and she charges the same price as she does for her pre-made items.
Plaid Peach Giveaway
I purc
hased this stuffed gingham giraffe in full and decided to review The Plaid Peach simply because I love the concept of the business and wanted to share. However, the shop owner has generously offered to sponsor a giveaway. One of my readers will win a custom stuffed animal. Visit The Plaid Peach Upcycled Clothing and Toys Etsy shop to browse the other cute patterns that Ruth uses for her creations. The winner will receive their choice of stuffed animal in their choice of colours!
Giveaway open to residents of Canada and the United States who are 18+
Oh my goodness, I love the little blue gingham elephant with brown ears!
I would have a hard time deciding myself. Love the shapes and colors. Have to agree the long neck of the giraffe makes it very portable for little hands.
I like the Plushie Baby Llama in Denim with Pink & Teal Accents
I love the Stuffed Animal Baby Elephant in Pinks! This would be perfect for my baby girl. 🙂
I’d choose an elephant with Blue and yellow plaids!
llama in Pink Gingham and Pink/Green Plaid would be sweet!
The giraffe in yellow.
I would love the green stripe llama for my little one
That’s awesome! Thank you for the information about the issues and what is a possible solution for them. It’s hard to find ethical and eco-friendly baby products sometimes and this is a great idea!
I really look for ethical gift choices and this was right on the button for me because I am always overwhelmed by the amount of textile waste in North America! Thanks for the comment.
That little vest is so cute! It reminds me of the little gingham dresses my cousins and I used to wear. I favorited the Etsy shop for future reference! The Pink Paperdoll
They are so cute, though! Thanks for favouriting the shop! It’s really a great little business and it’s always fantastic to have such an ethical resource on hand.
I would choose the elephant in blue and yellow! adorable!
I love the baby elephant!! Not sure what pattern I’d choose
I love the Stuffed Animal Baby Elephant in Blue gingham with Brown plaid accents!
I would choose the baby dinosaur
I would love a giraffe or dinosaur in blue and orange for my little one!
i would love a dinosaur in blue and green for my son
I would love the Stuffed Animal Baby Elephant in Pinks for my granddaughter!