From Pregnancy Through Birth: The Green Queen Guide To Expecting In Hong Kong

As Kermit the Frog will tell you, it’s not easy being green. Here’s our pick of the best brands and services in town for green-leaning families, enabling conscious parents to keep their eco-commitments on track.

All The (Green) Gear

Let’s take it from the… bottom. If you’re considering cloth diapering your little one, then Petit Tippi should be your very first port of call. Boasting one of Hong Kong’s most extensive selections of cloth diapers, change mats, eco-wipes and swim nappies; what the Petit Tippi team don’t know about keeping babies’ bums happy isn’t worth knowing.

Meanwhile, we think babywearing is the most efficient and hassle-free way to get around Hong Kong’s steep streets with your little one in tow (while keeping your hands free to chug a coffee on-the-go). The Sling Collection offers a wide selection of baby carriers, slings and wraps suitable from newborn to preschooler in its excellent online store. Prefer to try before you buy? They also offer a clever rental service that enables you to test-drive your preferred carrier from a library of styles before committing.

For the softest and snuggliest baby blankets, sleeping bags and swaddles, look no further than Malabar Baby. Using 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton muslin that is block-printed in Rajasthan, this dreamy range of kids’ bedding and towels makes for the perfect baby gift. Committed to transparency and ethical production, the brand also works with Hong Kong charity Mother’s Choice, serving the city’s children without families and pregnant teens.

Let’s be honest ­– nursing clothes can be pretty blah on the style front. Enter Milki Train, who have created a range of 100% premium organic cotton GOTS and Oeko-Tex-certified nursing tees and washable bamboo nursing pads for feeding that is functional and fashionable. Bonus points for the cute-as-a-button matching baby tees.

(Plant-Based) Snack Attack

If you’re a vegan mum-to-be, look no further than Green Common for all your plant-based grocery needs – we love the handcrafted vegan Earl Grey chocolate by Hong Kong bean-to-bar brand Conspiracy for a well-deserved treat.

Keep it plastic-free at Slowood’s Kennedy Town and Discovery Bay stores – you’ll find weaning-friendly options here, such as packaging-free sweet potato noodles, as well as natural toothpaste in fun flavours that will make brushing arguments a thing of the past.

Hong Kong’s original zero-waste store, Live Zero continues to expand its family range in both its Sai Ying Pun and Sai Kung stores, with adorable reusable snack bags, bamboo cutlery and clever silicone caps that turn any regular cup into a spill-free sippy. Their Sai Ying Pun beauty store is the ideal place to stock up on natural soaps, shampoos and laundry detergents that are safe for delicate baby skin.

Dress To Impress (Sans The Waste)

Yes, baby clothes are adorable, but have you seen how quickly those little guys grow?! Enter Retykle, who has long since pioneered closing the loop on children’s fashion with its easy-to-use designer resale site. Shop gently-used items from quality brands, then turn your kids’ outgrown togs back into pocket money using Retykle’s sale function. They’ll even arrange collection for the ultimate in closet-clearing convenience.

Another great option for those early days when your bub seems to double in size overnight comes from Coo Club, who offer a lending library of baby clothes. The concept is simple – a low monthly subscription allows you to borrow a set amount of clothing, which you swap out for bigger versions as your kid sizes up. And there’s no need to worry about the odd stain here and there – Coo Club work with Redress to donate and recycle those items that have seen one too many pasta-sauce dinners. 

Ask A (Wellness) Expert

Soothe pre-birth nerves and gain a deeper understanding of the birth and postnatal period with midwife Sofie Jacobs at Urban Hatch. Sofie offers a range of services for expectant parents, including online antenatal classes, Facebook Live events, face-to-face consultations and the opportunity to connect with other new mums and dads. Urban Hatch also donates 5% of their fees to Every Mother Counts, a charity that works to make childbirth safer worldwide.

Calm Hong Kong founder Lindsay Parfitt works with expectant parents to deliver hypnobirthing classes using the Calm Birth Method. Using relaxation and breathing techniques to reduce stress, mothers can feel more in control of their birth experience. With classes for beginners, refreshers for experienced parents and specific breathing and visualisation classes, there is a class here to suit every birth plan.

Offering fitness classes that focus on safe, effective techniques for new mums, ZigFitMama is run by certified pre- and postnatal coach and mum-of-two Ziggy Makant. Ziggy’s baby bootcamp is a fun outdoor group session where mums can work out together with their bubs, while her gym-based pre- and postnatal strength training focuses on keeping joints safe while staying strong.

Non-profit organisation Uplifters specialises in educational classes for domestic workers. Their online baby care course helps aunties and parents alike brush up their knowledge from the comfort of home, while also ensuring that all childcare expectations are understood. Covering key areas like hygiene, milestones and how to deal with emergencies, this invaluable course follows WHO and UNICEF recommendations and is a mine of useful information.

All Fun & (Preloved) Games

For DIY play inspo, check out Respectful Living, where mum-of-two Nathalie shares her ideas for fun arts and crafts at home. From play dough to paper glue, crayon recycling to lantern-making, Nathalie’s creative suggestions mean nobody has an excuse to be bored! 

We all know that kids love novelty, so why not ditch the clutter with an second-hand toy subscription by PEKES? Perfect for long school holidays or even (whisper it) future lockdowns, each PEKES bag contains 10-12 age-appropriate toys for your kids to enjoy for a month at a time. Delivered in a reusable cloth playmat, once your time is up, simply return and switch for a refreshed goodie bag to keep them happy for the next month. You can also trade your own pre-loved toys for PEKES dollars, which can then be redeemed against your next subscription.

Similarly, Happy Baton offer a monthly box subscription of educational toys, curated by child development professionals. With toys available to support specific play-based learning needs such as Montessori principles and sensory development, as well as a rigorous non-toxic sanitising regime for each and every item, this is a great way to support home learning in a fun and eco-friendly way.

When the kids are a bit older, why not try out crafting afternoons together? They are so much fun! But finding inspiration for different types of activities and sourcing the materials can take a lot of time for busy mums. Enter The Petit Pelican, an art and craft subscription box that come with art materials for 6 or more projects and a magazine with illustrations, stories and additional activities. Every month teaches a different art technique and has also a different nature theme so kids can learn more about their surroundings while having fun.

Lead image courtesy of @nikakaitravels + Malabar Baby.