Gentle on Skin & the Planet
Here at Black Cats & Butterflies we are dedicated to making children's clothing from natural fibers, that are organic where possible and always OEKO TEX certified, to ensure the dyes and chemicals used in the fabric production aren't toxic or harmful to your skin, the environment or the people involved in its production. Furthermore, we want to make sure all children have access to clothes that don't act as an irritant, which is why we don't include labels in our clothing but make sure you have all the information you need on a removable swing tag, and offer clothing with flat seams around the neck, that have been top-stitched to help keep them gentle on your child's skin.
Please see sections below for more information about each of these issues.
Organic Fabric
Our long-term aim is to be able to offer Organic fabric clothing for children across our site, recognising the huge benefits to using fibres that have been naturally, organically grown and are therefore free of any harsh chemicals and toxins used in farming and production processes, both for the environment and for our skin. We do already have a range of clothing made from Organic fabrics that are GOTS certified and we will always state this in the description where it is relevant. However, this is an area we will continue to work on until our whole range is made from Organic fabrics.
No Labels, only Swing Tags
At Black Cats & Butterflies we are aware of the growing number of children (and adults) who experience sensory processing difficulties and find labels in clothing to be an irritant to their skin and general wellbeing. Therefore, we have committed to not using any labels within the clothing. Legally we have to ensure you have certain information about the product, such as the material composition and any fire risks, however this can be in the form of a Swing Tag, which is our chosen method. This information will always be available, alongside our Care Instructions, but please keep a record of the fabric make-up so that when you are done with the item you know how best to dispose of it (i.e. whether it is biodegradable or recyclable).
Small Batch - Made to Order
At Black Cats & Butterflies we are passionate about reducing the amount of waste going to landfill, recognising that fast fashion and the clothing industry has a huge part to play in this issue. As such we are dedicated to only producing small batches of any one item of clothing (1-5) and making clothing to order instead. The items you see for sale on our website are often singular items and so ordering from us means we will then go about making the item specifically for you. This means you can be sure we are not contributing to the ever growing clothing waste if things do not sell.
OEKO TEX Certified
Our long-term aim is to only use fabrics that have been OEKO TEX certified, from our jersey and sweatshirt fabrics, to our ribbing and threads. WE currently provide a range of options that are OEKO TEX Certified and are working to increase this across our range.
This will mean that they will have all been tested against a list of harmful chemicals to ensure they are harmless to humans. There has been growing research into the affects of exposure to some of the chemicals used in fabric dyeing, which has led to companies like OEKO TEX carrying out the necessary safety checks.
For more information about this issue, please check out the following:
Book: To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion is Making us Sick, Wicker, Alden.
Soft Seams
As with the labels, we know that many children (and adults) find seams to be a bit scratchy and rough on their skin. So in an attempt to try and combat this, we at Black Cats & Butterflies are committed to trying to make some of the more noticeable seams (such as the neckline) flat by top-stitching seams down where possible, however, there may be some that are a bit tricky, or earlier items that do not have this yet.
What Our Customers Say
Lucy, Mum of Sol
'Lovely jumper, material feels soft to the touch, and looks great on...has become one of our favourite jumpers!'