Bagging It: The Eco-Chic Diaper Bag Line-up

By Martine de Luna

An aunt of mine once remarked to me, “It seems so fun to be a mom today!” I remember I was around six months pregnant at the time, and wearing a new, bare shouldered jumpsuit that was totally “baby bump-friendly.” It’s true: These days, we have so many options for chic, quality baby and mum products. From modern nursery furniture and baby clothes, to stylish maternity and nursing wear, we mums have it lucky these days!

 

Even today’s diaper bags are in a renaissance of their own, thanks to baby gear brands becoming more discerning and proactive about the preferences of today’s young but discriminating generation of parents. In addition to keeping up with fashion trends, manufacturers are also more conscious about caring for the planet when producing these bags. Here are 4 of our top diaper bag picks for today’s progressive mums (and dads!).

 

Lässig

The perfect nappy bag for the green-minded, fashion forward mom! Lässig diaper bags use 100% organic cotton canvas, meaning that they are made from pesticide-free, sustainably-grown, natural fibers. Though they have a water-resistant finish, they are completely PVC-free, paraben-free and phthalate-free.

Lässig perfectly marries style and function. For instance, its zippers, clips and zipper tags are made from antique nickel hardware, while the bags also come in a variety of stylish prints. They are also amazingly organized, fitted to suit the needs of today’s busy mum or dad.

Each style comes with ample inner compartments, as well as universal buggy clips, zippered compartments and insulated bottle holders, foldable diaper pads and wet bags.

 

Lassig Bags are available in Rustan’s and in Babyland stores.

Skip Hop

I’ve been using Skip Hop diaper bags since we first found out about the brand (which was while I was pregnant with my son). Actually, it was my husband who picked out the bag, since he knew he’d be toting it most of the time. His only requirement was that we got a bag that didn’t look frumpy. And frumpy, the Skip Hop is not.

I recommend the trusty VIA Messenger Bag, which we’ve been using ever since. It’s got over 18 inner and outer compartments, making it the perfect bag for a compulsive organizer such as myself!

All Skip Hop bags follow the strictest safety regulations, and are PVC-free, paraben-free and phthalate-free. They also have some unique features, such as the patented Agion® antimicrobial pocket lining, which is available in most of the medium to large sizes in the product line. This helps control odor, especially when you need to bag your baby’s soiled clothes or wet cloth nappies.

I love the “shuttle clips” that come with the larger Skip Hop bags, which enable you to latch it on to any stroller or push chair. (For older kids — such as my son, who’s now 2 and a half years old — Skip Hop has their preschool Zoo Packs.)

Skip Hop Bags are available in Mothercare branches in Manila, as well as in Rustan’s Makati and Shangri-La Mall.

 

Okiedog

I first learned about Okeidog bags when I visited the Youji & Me baby boutique in Greenbelt 5. Okiedog is a German brand known for its innovative and functional diaper bags and luggage systems. The brand takes pride in having a “user-focused” design philosophy, which reflects in their line of modern, PVC-, Phthalate-, AZO- and BPA- free diaper bags.

Okiedog bags all come with a fold out diaper pad, a wet bag, and attachment loops on the bottom of each bag. These can be used with the included key clips, if ever you need to latch on a water bottle or shoe bag.

Okiedog’s larger bags, such as the best-selling Urban 2-in-1 Shopper, have built-in features like the insulated bottle holder, wet bags and changing mats. One of the nice things that I like about this bag is that it’s got a messenger bag handle, as well as straps at the back so that you can wear it as a backpack. (The backpack straps can be detached and packed away if you don’t want to use the bag that way.)

Best of all, Okiego bags are actually quite light in themselves, so you can fill them up really well without worrying about the weight.

 

Okiedog Bags are available in Youji & Me stores in Greenbelt 5 and TriNoMa Mall.

Earth Pockets by Indigo Baby

Dubbed “the yummy mummy’s eco diaper bag,” Indigo Baby’s Earth Pockets bag is the most versatile, spacious, and multi-use bag you’ll ever use. With 8 inside pockets, it can be a diaper bag, gym bag, or even a shopping tote. Yummy Mummy Denise Gonzales-Bernardo of Indigo Baby says that it makes a great yoga bag, too: it perfectly stores your yoga mat, water bottle, towel and a change of clothes.

The Earth Pockets bag is not just functional and pretty. When you buy an Earth Pockets tote, you help preserve the environment and provide jobs for the poor. That’s because the materials used for the Earth Pockets bags are made from factory-excess materials. The bags themselves are handmade, produced as part of the livelihood projects of Indigo Baby and Luntian Bags in Anilao, Batangas.

Earth Pockets are available at indigomanila.multiply.com