Back-to-school fashion, 2009-2010

You’ve purchased all the school supplies, but as your children head off to school, there are still more items on the list: the components of the back-to-school wardrobe.

New shoes, new T-shirts, and even a new fall coat are likely in your kids’ future. By making greener choices for their wardrobes, you can protect the health of your kids and the planet. Many natural materials are hypo-allergenic. And organic cotton is a healthier choice because it’s free of potentially dangerous pesticides.

To help your family start thinking and wearing green, here are some companies that make fashionable children’s clothing from sustainable materials. With these pieces and others from these earth-friendly retailers, your child will be the sleekest, greenest fashionista around.

Jackets and coats:

Bubble coat from Kate Quinn: This 100% organic looped sweat coat for girls features a Peter Pan collar, a fashion-forward empire waist, and bubble sleeves. The coat is fully lined with super-soft organic jersey.

LAPSAKY hooded jacket: Made with thick and warm organic cotton fleece on the inside and heavyweight organic cotton twill on the outside, this zip-front jacket with kangaroo pockets is suitable for a boy or a girl. The company pre-washes the organic cotton to prevent shrinkage.

Patagonia kid's snow patrol jacket: Seam-sealed, lined, and insulated, this recycled polyester jacket is snow-, wind-, and water-proof and will keep kids warm in the coldest environments.

Shoes and boots:

Aigle boots: Many styles of wellies are made out of PVC — which can be laden with chemicals like mercury, dioxin, and phthalates — that you wouldn’t want your child to dip his or her little toe into. Aigle boots are made of natural rubber, which is a renewable resource tapped from rubber trees.

Back-to-school almost always means a new pair of kicks. Check out the Macaroon shoe for girls or the Satire sneaker for girls or boys, both from Simple Shoes.

For older kids, I love Simple’s Retire line, which features your teen’s favorite college logo on a slip-on sneaker.

For an eco spin on a classic look, dress your teen or little one in the Ethletic sneaker from Automomie Project. Available in six fun colors just for kids, the little Ethletics are made with 100% fair trade-certified organic cotton and FSC-certified all-natural rubber.

Back-to-school basics:

Since kids go through clothing faster than I go through mini-Snickers bars, it’s important to get more bang for your buck.

Recycle-a-Tee has a solution: Buy one of the company’s T-shirts, dress your child in it for as long as it’s wearable, and then send it back or donate it to a local charity. You’ll receive 25% off your next purchase, and the materials will either go to a child in need, or if it’s unwearable, it will be recycled to make new T-shirts.

The perfect basic organic cotton tees from Hanna Andersson are $20 each, but buy two and the price drops to $14. They come in six colors for boys and girls.

For teen girls, check out Banana Republic’s line of organic cotton denim. The jeans feature the company’s classic fit in an eco-friendly material.

For younger boys and girls, pick up a pair of SKAL-certified organic cotton jeans from Tatty Bumpkin. The jeans, designed for kids ages 3-11, are priced under $55.