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ECO-FRIENDLY BABY PRODUCTS ON LARCHMONT
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By Suzan Filipek
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When Soleil Moon Frye, Beth Birkett and Paige Tolmach became mothers, they saw the word in a different way. And it didn’t look good.
“For the first time we saw how toxic everything is,” said Paige.
The new moms spent hundreds of hours on the internet and searched stores for toxic-free skin care, clothing and bedding products. What they found was a need for a one-stop eco-friendly baby shop.
And, The Little Seed was born.
“Divine intervention” was at play since before the store’s opening last month, said Soleil, recently at the 2,200 square foot spacious Larchmont Blvd. site.
The actor/writer/director wasn’t deterred when told vacancies were hard to come by on the popular street. The Hancock Park resident was a frequent—“daily”—visitor to the boulevard. So when her friend and owner of Blue Windows told her she was moving out of state and closing the store, she scooped up the site.
Framed pictures of the store’s co-founders’ babies hang on white, lead-free painted walls. Hand-made toys and furniture crafted of sustainable woods and organic cotton are placed beside snuggly baby blankets, clothes and natural skin care products. There are also gift baskets and women’s jewelry.
Paige became something of an eco-activist after her baby suffered with allergies, and doctor visits left her frustrated.“I felt so betrayed,” she added of all the toys, sheets and other toxic products she bought on the market. “I spent so much money not knowing they sold me this stuff.”
She educated herself and, like her friends, found that Formaldehyde is laced in bedding (apparently for preservation reasons). Cotton, it turns out, is grown with “tremendous amounts of pesticides,” adds Soleil. But, luckily there are organic alternatives to everything.
While some organically made products are more expensive than their mass-produced counterparts, conscientious choices are available for every budget, the women entrepreneurs say. Cribs made of healthy materials, for instance, can cost from $400 to $1,400.
But, regardless of which option you pick, you can rest assured “it is safe,” says Paige—her one-year-old son is thriving with his non-toxic mattress and safe bottles and toys, she smiles.
Soleil, who is four months pregnant with her second child, shows a nursing-and-diaper changing area hidden in the back of the store. Children’s “green” art workshops and classes on animals and other kid-friendly topics will be offered. “It’s never too early to start” to care for the planet, says Soleil.
Aside from a wholesale candle business Paige oversees, the threesome is new to retail. “We didn’t know what we were getting into,” smiles Beth, a wardrobe stylist. But, they knew they wanted the best for their babies, and, to make a change for the better.
“We’ve created a safe haven,” smiles Soleil.
The Little Seed, 219 N. Larchmont Blvd., 323-462-4441, www.thelittleseed.com |
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