Approximately 27% of the Dutch population suffers from a skin allergy. This is a major problem: it causes a great deal of discomfort and never goes away. Many of these allergies are caused during childhood. This happens upon contact with allergens in everyday products such as diapers, skincare, and cleaning agents.
To address this challenge, the Danish certification mark AllergyCertified and the Dutch childcare supplier IBD (Ik Ben Duurzaam) have launched a project: Skin Heroes. The goal? An allergy-friendly offering for every childcare center.
Last week, this campaign kicked off at the Villa Bloom childcare center in The Hague. With a completely AllergyCertified range, the childcare center now provides a safe environment for children, allowing them to develop without worries.
Why are allergy-friendly products important in childcare?
More and more children are developing chronic skin allergies at a young age. This occurs because they have frequent contact with certain substances known as allergens. These substances are mainly found in everyday products, such as diapers, baby wipes, skincare, and even cleaning agents. In children, this leads to redness, itching, or eczema: for example, about 20% of children suffer from eczema.
Yet, in many cases, this is easy to prevent. Prevention through the Skin Heroes project is crucial in this regard; an allergy-friendly offering at childcare contributes to this. As AllergyCertified puts it: “Easy to prevent, impossible to get rid of.” A protective environment contributes to the child's health and gives parents the assurance that their child is being well cared for.
What does hypoallergenic mean and what is AllergyCertified?
You see the word hypoallergenic more and more often with children's products. It means that a product contains as few allergens as possible and has been specially developed for sensitive skin. Thus, these products prevent the risk of skin irritation and allergic reactions.
The Danish certification mark AllergyCertified goes a step further. This label guarantees that a product has been carefully tested and is safe for people with allergies. For parents, this offers extra security: they can use products that are truly proven to be skin-friendly without having to worry about potential risks.
Villa Bloom: the first allergy-friendly childcare center in the world
Villa Bloom is the first participant in the Skin Heroes program, with two different locations. This makes it the first childcare center in the world to consciously commit to developing a skin-friendly environment for children.
Childcare supplier IBD has developed a completely allergy-friendly range that is also fully available at Grace is Green. This consists of skincare from Derma and Dermaknowlogy, cleaning agents from Ecogenic, and diapers from Moomin Baby.
AllergyCertified products at Grace is Green
Grace is Green has been working with AllergyCertified products for a long time. We do this because we believe that sustainable products should not only be good for the environment but also for the user. Because much of our range consists of a (nearly) completely natural composition, many of our products also carry the AllergyCertified mark. In addition to Derma, Dermaknowlogy, Ecogenic, and Moomin Baby, these are:
Byoms probiotic laundry detergent
Probiotics are ‘good bacteria’ that multiply faster than unpleasant odors and dirty stains. They take on your dirt and always win! Byoms offers probiotic laundry detergent for all kinds of uses.
Ginger Organic menstrual products
Ginger Organic is known for its sustainability and quality certificates. These menstrual products are reliable, comfortable, and very skin-friendly. And not unimportantly: they are 100% biodegradable.
AllMatters natural soap
Soap is one of those things with which your skin has intensive contact multiple times. Unfortunately, many types of soap contain microplastics or chemical allergens. Not AllMatters soap: it is formulated with mild ingredients for an effective wash.
The benefits of an allergy-friendly routine
An allergy-friendly routine lets children in childcare grow up carefree, with significantly less chance of a contact allergy. But at home, too, it is important to pay attention to the amount of allergens a child is exposed to daily. Contact allergy is no fun, and that is why we prefer to prevent it.
By consciously choosing hypoallergenic products with an AllergyCertified mark, daily exposure is significantly reduced. This can help prevent skin irritation, redness, and itching, especially for (young) sensitive skin.
As a parent, such an allergy-friendly routine provides peace of mind: you know that the products you use are mild by nature and support the skin rather than stress it. Whether it concerns changing, washing, or cleaning the house; small, conscious choices together make a big difference for well-being.
FAQ: frequently asked questions about allergy-friendly childcare
What is the difference between hypoallergenic and allergy-free?
Hypoallergenic means that a product has been formulated and developed with the lowest possible risk of allergic reactions. It contains no, or as few as possible, known allergens. Allergy-free suggests that it contains no allergens at all. However, that claim is difficult to substantiate. Therefore, hypoallergenic in combination with a reliable certification mark like AllergyCertified is a good choice for sensitive skin.
Which products are suitable for children with sensitive skin?
Products suitable for sensitive skin are mild, fragrance-free, and free of irritating substances. These include, for example, hypoallergenic diapers, gentle skincare, and cleaning agents developed with an eye for young children. AllergyCertified offers extra security here.
Does an allergy-friendly childcare center also help children who already have allergies?
Certainly, an allergy-friendly approach reduces the exposure of sensitive or allergic skin to allergens. In this way, the skin can settle down and new reactions are prevented.
Why is skin protection important from a young age?
The skin of babies and young children is thinner and more sensitive than that of adults. Repeated contact with irritating substances can therefore more quickly lead to an allergy or other skin problems. That is why it is important to choose gentle, skin-friendly products from a young age.