I don’t know about you, but one of the first things that went on my baby registry was car seats and strollers, the moment we knew we were expecting. We did an awful lot of research in choosing the right travel system for our son.
If you are in the market for a non-toxic car seat, then you have come to the right spot. I have done all the leg work for you, so you can simply pick and choose a trust-worthy brand.
But, Safety First:
If you are a regular reader of my blog, you would know that I try my best to limit the exposure of chemicals to my babies. At the same time, I value physical safety a step higher than chemical exposure.
While choosing a chemical-free car seat, please keep in mind about the safety features of the seat.It is vital that your car seat is rightly installed and is apt for your car make and model.
Now that’s out of the way; let’s discuss some non-toxic car seat options.
Non – Toxic Infant Seats:
Infant car seats also called as bucket seats are meant for newborn babies until they reach 35 to 40 pounds of weight. Infant seats are specially designed to fit over a stroller making them a travel system.
A reason why parents prefer the infant car seats is that they can easily lift them off the base and carry it themselves or push it with a stroller without waking a sleeping baby ( which newborns do a lot).Infant seats are only for rear-facing after which you will have to switch to a convertible seat discussed below.
UPPA BABY MESA:
UPPA Mesa (Wool version) Henry and Jordan are the first car seats which pass the federal car seats flame tests without using chemical fire retardants. Great job UPPA!
Henry and Jordan are made of Merino Wool which is naturally a fire resistant material.
Mesa has an adjustable headrest with side impact protection which absorbs shocks from a collision. Smart Secure System and auto retracting latch provide smooth and accurate installation.
Mesa car seats are designed to fit babies as small as 4 pounds with an infant insert to keep smaller babies snug and can accommodate babies till 35 pounds.Mesa Infant seat attaches to Cruz and Vista to make a perfect travel system.
Nuna Pipa Lite lx:
Nuna Pipa Lite is another flame retardant free option in the market. But please keep in mind that only the Pipa Lite lx is non-toxic. Surprisingly other Nuna car seats that were tested by eco-center.org came out to contain flame retardants.
Pipa Lite Lx also uses Merino Wool and TENCEL fiber blend that contains no flame retardants.Their infant insert, harness cover and crotch cover are all organic and GOTcertified.
As the name goes, Pipa Lite is one of the lightest car seats available in the market today. With Side Impact protection, aerospace aluminum built, Steel reinforced True lock base installation system, Nuna Pipa Lite lx is not only a non-toxic car seat but also one of the safest car seat option.
Convertible Seat:
Once your baby goes over the infant car seat limits, they graduate to a convertible car seat. Convertible car seats are heavier than infant seats and cannot be carried around like the bucket seats. Here are some of the non-toxic options in the market.
Maxi Cozi Pria 70 :
Maxi Cosi is one of the highest recommended car seats that performed well in the toxic testing conducted by the ecocenter.org
Maxi Cosi Pria 70 is one of the top rated convertible seats that fits babies from 9 to 40 pounds ( while rear facing) and up to 70 pounds while front-facing. Pria 70 is also very comfortable with cushiony fabric that is also self-wicking, that wicks moisture away from the baby and keeps them dry.
It also comes with fantastic safety features like Flex Tech and Air Protection technologies that keep your baby safe during multidimensional crashes and offers side impact protection.
Britax Marathon Click Tight:
Britax is a brand that I highly recommend for strollers, the same holds with car seats as well. Britax also passes the eco center.org test with flying colors and is one of the tops recommend convertible seats.
Marathon Clik Tight installation system makes it easy to install the car seat correctly. Nearly 3 out of 4 car seats are installed incorrectly. That’s a profoundly concerning statistics. Britax takes the guesswork out of the installation game. With the Click Tight Installation system, Britax made it easier to get the car seats installed correctly.
Britax also makes one of the sturdiest and safest car seats in the market.Britax goes over and above the federal safety standards to protect your little one. The car seat frame itself is made of durable steel along with Britax’s “SafeCell Protection” ensures that your child is having the safest ride.
Let’s Wrap Up:
I know we all think about the safety features when we decide on buying a car seat, but it is also important to take a look at the chemicals ( flame retardants) the manufacturer uses to avoid unwanted chemical exposure. After all, our babies will be tied to the car seat every time we take them out for a ride.
Did you research about the non toxic car seat options? Which car seat did you buy and why?
Share your opinions below and help fellow parents make a non toxic choice for their baby.
Hello, when was your article written? I am curious because Nuna Pipa claims their 2019 and newer carseats are flame retardant free. Thank you
Hi Monica, thanks for reading the post. I wrote this article in 2018 when Nuna Pipa Lite was reported to contain flame retardants. But, you are right. The newer versions are free of flame retardant chemicals and are made from a blend of merino wool and Tencel material. I will update my post soon. Let me know if you have any questions.
Good to know thank you!!! So now, in 2020 which one would you go with for your babies ? 😉 also this is very very helpful thank you so much!!