Author Archives: Jenny and Andrew Argington

About Jenny and Andrew Argington

Jenny and Andrew, the founders and designers of Argington, began their company with their children in mind. Launching from backgrounds in architecture, mathematics and fine art, the two set out to create designs in which children alike could discover a world of simplicity, beauty, and magic.

Ahead of their time and keeping true to their altruistic approach, the designers made it their core mission to create and manufacture sustainable and green designs that are affordable, convertible, and mobile. Since their inception in 2003, Jenny and Andrew have been leaders in their industry to bring innovative, contemporary, green products to the market. Along with their nursery, toddler, and youth furniture lines, they have also introduced a full line of organic bedding and play mats.

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In keeping with this month’s theme of healthy, green ways to go back to school, this week’s blog will focus on going green in the classroom. With so many available options for recycled school supplies, there is no reason why you can’t send your kids to school with some cool recycled gear this upcoming year and help the environment at the same time.

After all, sustainability is all about preserving the planet for future generations. If you start the cycle when they’re young, chances are that they’ll continue it on their own as they get older. We are going to highlight a few of our favorite items that are out there. We hope that you check out some of our favorites and maybe find a few new favorites of your own!

  1. Notebooks made from recycled paper have been around for at least 15 years. Ampad, a subdivision of Pendaflex, has made some outstanding recycled products, such as pads, for many years, before it was a trendy, fashionable thing to do. The variety and quantity of items has vastly increased in the last decade and a half.
  2. Creatology offers 100% recycled construction paper that comes in a variety of bright colors for your little artist. Packs of 50 sheets of 9”x12” paper can be purchased from Michael’s or online.

    Image courtesy of njaj

  3. A company called TreeSmart takes recycling newspapers to a new level by transforming newspapers into pencils. These pencils are made by rolling newspapers and creating the pencil around a core of graphite. If you are not simply satisfied with plain pencils, TreeSmart pencils are also available in color and can even be custom printed.
  4. Many of us have seen pens whose barrels are made from recycled paper, but how many of you have seen Bottle2Pen from Pilot? They are 86% minimally made from recycled water bottles. They offer two different types of recycled pens, a ball point that is 86% recycled and a gel pen that is 89% recycled. The color and barrel shape resemble a bottle of water! As seen on Pilot’s website, less than 1 in 3 of the 2.5 million water bottles used by Americans every hour is recycled.

    Image courtesy of domdeen

  5. These crayons have lots of yummy ingredients – but don’t eat them! Made from organic ingredients including fruit and veggie extracts, plus assorted natural waxes, non-toxic crayons from eco-kids will make coloring not only safe but fun!
  6. If your little artist wants to get even more creative, there are eco-friendly paints available. Earth Paint makes their water color paints from natural, organic ingredients such as clay. Earth Paints boasts hand-crafted products and even includes biodegradable packaging.
  7. Do you have all of the kids’ school supplies but no way for the kids to carry them? Send the kids back to school in environmental style using these adorable backpacks from Ecogear. The zoo-themed Ecozoo series are animal themed and made from a combination of recycled and natural components.

A New School Year Invites a New Way for Kids to Eat Healthy

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

Last week, we provided 10 helpful tips on how to go green this school year. One of the major points that we made involved school lunches. Your kids’ school lunches are a very important factor in their day so we want to discuss a bit further about how to make sure that their lunches are as green and healthy as possible.

First, you should look for foods that are organic or natural. There are many healthy snack options out there other than sugary or salty ones like candy or potato chips. Aside from the obvious ideas like whole fruit and cut up veggies, there are healthy dried fruit snacks, veggie chips, and organic granola bars. Even minor changes like using baked snacked foods instead of fried ones, like potato chips, will be better for them in terms of nutritional value. Baked snacks cut down on both calories and fat.

Image courtesy of digitalart

There are kitchen gadgets which can dry fruit out so you can make homemade fruit rolls. Send them to school with yogurt and some berries every day for breakfast, too. You can vary the fruit every day so that they don’t get bored with what they’re eating.

The second thing that you can do to ensure green lunches is to avoid using plastic bags of any kind. Use some organic plastic containers that are BPA free for their food so you can eliminate the extra waste. Use lunch boxes or lunch bags instead of sending them to school with plastic or paper bags every day. These reusable lunch bags come in a variety of designs and colors so your kids can find something that really appeals to them.

 

One other major thing that you can do is to encourage them to drink water. Try to avoid having them use plastic bottles. Instead, send them to school with a BPA-free plastic or metal water bottle.  Even though plastic water bottles can be recycled, you have to be able to count on having recycling facilities available at the school and for your child to actually throw the bottle into the proper receptacle. With a plastic or metal water bottle, you don’t have to worry. Plus, in the long run, you will save money on the bottles. You can buy a water bottle for a few dollars that should last for years.

If your kids do use recyclable water bottles, make sure that they bring them home. Every hour, almost a quarter of a million bottles are thrown away. Have recycling pails set up at home with marks on them indicating target points. Each of those target points could be some kind of reward. This way, they see that there is a tangible reward for recycling and may get their friends and classmates into the “competition” as well.

Image courtesy of digitalart

If you follow these easy steps, you can ensure that your children’s lunches are green and healthy this coming school year.

Top 10 Tips to Get Greener This School Year

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington


The new school year is fast approaching. Since school years are a time for new beginnings and a fresh start, why don’t you start the year off right and go green this year? It’s easier than you may think. Follow these ten tips to have a greener and healthier school year. These tips are meant for kids and parents, both at school and at home.

Tip #1 – Use paper book covers instead of plastic. Use paper shopping bags and cover your child’s books with them. They can draw or color on them, making them uniquely customizable. You can buy inexpensive stickers at any office supply or toy store if they’d like. “There are dozens of websites that have printable images of popular characters that children favor like cartoon characters.”

Tip #2 – Use backpacks made from recycled materials. There are many backpacks out there which are made from organic materials as well. If you cannot afford to buy a new backpack, reuse last year’s backpack and decorate it with patches of their favorite bands or sports teams.

Image courtesy of digitalart

Tip #3 – When it comes to your kids lunches, don’t use plastic bags. These are not biodegradable. Instead, a good green option is reusable Tupperware. Don’t use plastic bags to send lunches to school either. Use insulated bags instead of getting new plastic bags every time.Insulated bags also store food better until its lunchtime.

Tip #4– Another way to make your kids lunches a little greener is to get rid of potato chips and sugary snacks and give them healthy options for school. Eliminate the junk food and get them into some of the tasty organic snack options. Parents have increasing options as more major food manufacturers move towards organic and natural products.

Tip #5 – Drinking water is one of the healthiest things that you can do every day. Water is far better than soda or even sweetened fruit juices. Unfortunately plastic water bottles aren’t environmentally friendly. Even if you recycle them, there are better options. Get your kids a BPA-free water bottle. You can find water bottles branded with hundreds of cartoon characters, movie stars, and sports teams.

Tip #6 – Buy organically sourced or recyclable school supplies. You can find bamboo pencils and pens made from recycled paper. Use eco-friendly crayons. You can also use refillable pencils and pens in order to not create excess waste.

Tip #7 – Cut down on unnecessary fuel use and let your kids take the bus. Don’t drive them to school every day. For your older kids, if it’s safely feasible, let them ride their bikes or walk to school. If your kids are involved in after school activities like sports or clubs, you should start a carpool with other parents.

Image courtesy of Arvind Balaraman

Tip #8–Take the lead and reward your kids with outdoor activities instead of giving them material goods. Replace daily TV time with mom and dad outdoor time. Go walking or go to the beach. Show your kids how great the outdoors can be.

Tip #9– In the same area as Tip #8, encourage your kids to read more. Turn off the TV and save the electricity that you would use on TV, game consoles, and computers. If you have a porch or balcony, or even a really good tree on the property with low branches, encourage your kids to read outside every day. They’ll get fresh air and get some reading done at the same time.

Tip #10 – Donate last year’s clothes. Instead of just letting clothes pile up and unnecessarily fill up closets and storage space, donate them to local Goodwill stores or the Salvation Army. Unless you have younger kids who will wear them, there is no real need to keep old clothes around that no longer fit.

Follow these tips and have a green school year!

Organic Choices for Children Are Easier Than You May Think

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

Every day, more and more parents are choosing to make healthier lifestyle choices for their children and are embracing the organic movement. They are helping to support a sustainable ecosystem and greener planet for their children, presenting them with healthier options. The earlier children learn to live a healthier lifestyle, the better off they will be. As parents know, it is easier to teach a child something than to unteach them.

Image courtesy of kai4107.

As a responsible parent, you want to make sure that your baby is the healthiest that they can be. One way to ensure that is to use organic products. Finding organic products is no longer as difficult as it once was. Aside from chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, even regular supermarkets are featuring larger sections for organic foods and healthier options. This makes shopping for healthier options easier because you don’t have to go out of your way to find specialty foods.

Popular, mainstream brands are also making the move towards organic products. As NPR reports, “Staple brands like Campbell’s are now trying to embrace organic trends.” As bigger companies move towards healthier, more natural products, the organic movement will only grow to meet the demand of consumers who are clearly calling for such products.

Image courtesy of Suat Eman.

The move towards an organic and healthier lifestyle doesn’t end with dietary choices. Using organic soap, clothing, furniture and bedding are also options that can lead to a healthier life. There are many companies which manufacture household cleaners that are green and don’t use the harsh chemicals often found in other cleaners.

Even when your children go back to school, think organic and eco-friendly. Don’t buy book covers in stores that are made of plastic. Instead, use brown paper shopping bags (which they use at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s) to cover your children’s books. They can draw or color on the book covers, personalizing them in a way that store bought book covers could never imitate. If you pack your children’s lunches, use a recyclable lunchbox instead of paper or plastic bags. When you purchase school supplies that will end up being thrown away at the end of the year (folders, markers and crayons), look for green alternatives like eco-friendly crayons.

More and more people are embracing the organic lifestyle because that’s what it truly is – a lifestyle. Moving towards a greener earth and healthier options are life choices, not simply a temporary measure. The parents begin the process. Hopefully these choices will result in healthier, happier children while nurturing the earth for generations to come.

How to Throw a Green Baby Shower

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

Are you planning a baby shower for someone special and not sure where to begin? Begin with Green! An Eco Friendly Baby Shower not only will tell that special Mother to be that she is loved but that you love your environment too!

Courtesy of jannoon028

Here at Argington we promote a healthy and Green way of living. Sustainability and conformity is not only built into our products but into our way of life. Now, when we say “Go Green” we don’t simply mean to bring your own bags to the grocery store (which is a good idea by the way!). We believe that living a Green lifestyle can start at home with our children. Children’s products that promote a green way of living don’t have to start after the baby arrives or at the supermarket!

Going Green can not only save our planet, but it can save you money as well! To better your life and begin “Going Green,” we encourage that you incorporate simple changes into your lifestyle that are fun, easy and won’t bog you down like the summer heat.

Invites

The Internet is a wonderful thing! By sending out electronic invitations, you can save on time and money when asking your guests to celebrate this wonderful occasion. Evite.com has brilliant invitation templates for any occasion and is easy to use and deliver.

Décor

Instead of making a diaper cake out of environmentally unfriendly diapers, choose to design your diaper cake with cloth diapers instead! Sites like growinstyle.com can inspire you to create the fanciest diaper cakes that would make the Cake Boss Drool! To incorporate Green into your theme, try placing lush plants that your guests can take home with them after the festivities are over.

Party Favors and Gifts

Nothing says I love you to your Mother to be than a unique and memorable activity for mom to be as well as the baby. Provide guests with an organic white onesie or t-shirt and non-toxic paints or natural dyes (you can find a lot of great natural dye ideas, such as beet juice for red color, etc.) and decorate your personal onesie for the Mommy to be. Guests will have tons of fun decorating the shirts for baby and it makes for a personal gift.

If you are purchasing items from the registry, make sure to encourage guests to purchase products that are affordable and define the term Green. Argington offers a line of baby furniture that is Eco-friendly and convertible so that the Mother-to-be can reuse as her child grows older (or for baby number two!).

Menu

Healthy, nutritious meal options will be greatly appreciated by the mom to be (and baby of course) as well as the guests. Not to mention, another perfect opportunity to play off the green theme with color. Organic green salads, fruit salads, green apples, green grapes, kiwis are all good starters and can be made into an interesting salad appetizer.

RAW Vegan meals are scrumptious as well as super nutritious. Blend up some green smoothies to fit the ‘Go-Green’ theme and shock your guests with how green and delicious smoothies really are!

Games

Baby Shower Games are always fun and these game ideas are the perfect addition to your Mother to be’s special day:

Courtesy of Clare Bloomfield

Guess the Baby Game

Instruct your guests to bring a baby photo of them to the shower. Place all photos on a bulletin board or use magnets to put them on the fridge. Have guests try to match each baby photo to which it belongs to. In the end, have every guest share their favorite past time story of their childhood.

Decorate my bottle

Guests can use their creativity for Decorate-My-Bottle activity. Purchase BPA-Free, clear baby bottles and a variety of permanent colorful markers. Your guests can use their imagination and create unique, one of a kind decorated baby bottles. If you would like this to be prize oriented, everyone can anonymously vote for which is their favorite.

 

Tips on Organizing for Babies

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

Many new parents are puzzled by how such a tiny person can need so much “stuff”.  There are countless ways you can make your home work for you – from great functional furniture to having baby stations all over the home, you can spare the environment and your wallet by being well organized. You are far less likely to need many disposable items if you have a handle on where things are at all times.

We created this list of simple ways to keep yourself organized and make life with your newborn even easier! As always, keep in mind that we try to help you save both
your wallet and the planet; our tips are mommy and daddy friendly, baby
friendly, and earth friendly!

Tip 1: Open Baskets

Having everything your child owns in an easily accessible spot can help a tremendous amount. Baskets can go a long way, especially with the volume of clothes your newborn is bound to go through. Get open baskets and sort them on a bookshelf with labels. Open baskets are great for getting things with one hand. They are easy to clean up and labeling them can keep the search for your baby’s comfort minimal.

If you want to match the colors of the room, we recommend obtaining baskets that complement the room’s theme. All of your baby items will look neater and the room’s colors will not be compromised by tacky looking containers. You can maintain versatility and value while saving money and time. No matter if your home is traditional or modern, open baskets will fit in perfectly with your home’s style. Click here for some inspiration on how to organize your open baskets.

Tip 2: Space to Store for Future Use

“Recycling is cool” – whether it be bottles, boxes or baby clothes! When your baby grows out of those adorable little clothes, store them in bins and label them by size. Chances are you will have another child, you will have a friend that has a child, or you will decide to donate the clothes to a charity in the future. This is a small way to contribute to the greater good and/or reduce your expenses!

There are many great charities, such as Loved Twice and Donation Town, that collect and provide clothing for those in need. If you can’t salvage certain items of clothing, take a few special items of clothing and make them in to a memory quilt. Having a keepsake made from your favorite outfits is the perfect gift for future grandchildren!

Tip 3: Baby Stations

It can be easy to forget that your newborn will inhabit the entire household, not just the nursery. Other than the nursery, pick the room that your child will spend the most time in and store the following for easy accessibility:

• Diapers (there are many green diaper options on the market)
• Wipes (for an eco-friendly alternative to disposable wipes that may contain unsafe chemicals, try cloth wipes)
• Extra clothes or binkies
• Cookies or dry snacks
• Toys

When your little one has an accident or needs to be changed, you will have an arsenal of diapers, wipes or binkies at your disposal so you’re not constantly making trips upstairs.

Tip 4: Make Your Tools Work for You!

Bottles and nipples are so little and can easily get lost or mixed up in all your other baby supplies. Keep your child’s bottle accessories in a separate location by using clear, BPA-free bins to store everything from bottles and nipples to utensils. Having them stored in clear containers will make finding what you need easier and more efficient.

Not only can you organize your child’s utensils, but you can also manage those cluttered clothing drawers. Utilizing drawer separators within your baby furniture will help separate the little items from the clothes. Try to organize your newborn’s apparel by time of day and clothing type so that it will be less challenging and more fun to dress your child.

Getting organized can be challenging, so try to make it fun! By maintaining a versatile and modern look using contemporary storage tools, your baby’s living space can boost your design confidence and make your life easier. Don’t be afraid to mix in baby items around the house – it’s a great way to begin merging more a contemporary design with your traditional style. Little changes here and there can eventually create a dynamic transitional home that not only changes in style – but also in spirit – with a new baby adding the greatest new element of all!

Have some great tips for how to merge green and contemporary baby designs with traditional home décor? What are some ways that you stay organized? Share some of your ideas in the comment section below!

CATEGORIES       Design

A Healthy Beginning is a Beautiful Start

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

To all our viewers: welcome to our new site and blog. We are so pleased to have this opportunity to introduce ourselves to you!

We are a husband and wife team with three children, two older boys who are nine and six, and a younger daughter who is just turning 4.

We were both born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, and we have lived and worked in Brooklyn, NY for the last ten years and counting.

It is our privilege and insight into our creative process in this blog; every two weeks we will present our current ‘state of design’.  We welcome and encourage your comments and participation in our discourse and discussions.

Thanks so much for visiting our site and we welcome you to the Argington family.

Warm regards,

Jenny and Andrew

CATEGORIES       Design
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