Anastasia Vasilieva is a sustainable fashion researcher and founder of Treehouse, a certified organic kidswear brand. Her work on non-toxic clothing has been featured in podcasts, press, and guest lectures at FIT and Georgetown.
22 May 2025
22 May 2025
CONTENTS
Best Gender Neutral Baby Clothes: A Parentās Guide
āDo I really need gender-neutral baby clothes?ā
Not necessarily. But if you like things that make sense:Ā clothes that last longer, pair easily, and donāt go out of style by next month:Ā then yes, you probably do.
Parents arrive at this topic for different reasons. Maybe youāre choosing not to reveal your babyās gender and want to avoid pre-determining your kidsā preferences before theyāve had a chance to figure it out. Or maybe youāre simply tired of clutter and want a wardrobe that actually works hard. Whether youāre here out of principle or practicality, youāre in the right place.
To be very honest, for us at Treehouse, gender-neutral clothing wasnāt a political choice. It was a sustainable one. Creating timeless, unisex pieces meant more wear for every item. It also meant something deeper: giving children freedom to grow into their own identity, without ruffles, roars, or rigid labels.
Why Gender Neutral Baby Clothes Just Make Sense
Theyāre sustainable. Every item that can move between siblings or families saves resources. Studies show extending a garmentās life by just nine months reduces its environmental footprint by up to 30%. A neutral palette makes that possible:Ā no one hesitates to pass down a soft oat-colored sleeper to the next baby.
They take pressure off parents. The baby clothing market loves categories. āFor boys.ā āFor girls.ā āFor special occasions.ā Gender-neutral dressing cuts through that noise. You buy less, match more, and spend less time thinking about outfits:Ā which, in those early months, is a gift.
They support healthier development. I talked about this on theĀ Sustainable Minimalists podcast: research shows early labeling (āboys wear blue,ā āgirls wear pinkā) can subtly shape how children see themselves and what they think theyāre allowed to enjoy. Dressing neutrally gives them room to explore personality before social labels kick in, which, in practice, means both boys and girls get a little more freedom to just be.
What to Look For in Gender Neutral Baby Clothes
Start with color. Nature-inspired shades like olive, oat, sand, clay, sage, and charcoal mix with everything and never look dated. They photograph beautifully and hide the inevitable stains better than youād expect.
Then look at prints:Ā subtle ones like stripes, stars, animals, or abstract textures. Avoid anything that boxes your baby into ācute princessā or ātiny tough guy.ā
Fabrics and finishes matter most. Babies spend 90% of their early life in direct contact with fabric, and their skin is still building its protective barrier. Choose breathable, hypoallergenic materials like 100% organic cotton, ideally certified GOTS or OEKO-TEX. Skip āperformanceā fabrics that promise stain resistance or water repellence:Ā most are treated with PFAS, a group of chemicals increasingly linked to health risks.
Finally, prioritize comfort: flat seams, tagless labels, nickel-free snaps, and soft waistbands. These arenāt marketing details; theyāre what make the difference between ācuteā and āwe actually reach for it every day.ā
The Gender Neutral Baby Wardrobe Essentials
Bodysuits The base layer every outfit starts with. Choose short- and long-sleeve organic cotton styles:Ā youāll need about 5ā7 per size.
Sleepers & Pajamas Where babies spend most of their time. Look for snug-fit organic cotton options (compliant with CPSC flammability rules) without chemical flame retardants. Two or three per size is plenty.
Pants & Leggings Soft elastic waistbands, no embellishments, and breathable stretch. Three to four pairs are ideal.
Hats & Mittens For warmth and scratch protection, one or two lightweight cotton sets will do.
Swaddles & Blankets The multitaskers of early parenthood: swaddles, stroller covers, burp cloths, and play mats. Choose two or three in breathable cotton or muslin.
Youāll find all of these in our organic cotton baby clothesĀ collection:Ā timeless, unisex, and safe for the most sensitive skin.
Multipacks of bodysuits, soft sleepers, and swaddles are always useful, never awkward. Buy across sizes :Ā 0ā3M, 3ā6M, and 6ā12M:Ā so your gift lasts longer than a few weeks.
And because neutral pieces fit any nursery theme and every baby, they actually get used:Ā the real mark of a good gift.
Gender Neutral vs. Traditional Baby Clothes
Thereās nothing wrong with pinks, blues, or bows. But gendered designs rarely survive more than one child. They limit how long clothes can circulate, how easily they can be passed on, and often, how much kids wear them.
Neutral clothes, on the other hand, grow with your family and your baby. Theyāre easier to reuse, easier to gift, and infinitely easier to mix. And thatās what sustainability looks like in real life: not perfection, just thoughtful practicality.
Our Favorite Gender Neutral Picks
At Treehouse, we design every piece around three things: safety, softness, and sustainability. That means certified organic cotton, hypoallergenic finishes, and zero unnecessary chemicals.
A few of our favorites:
Organic Sleepers ā snug fit, nickel-free snaps, no chemical coatings.
Cotton Bodysuits ā flat seams, soft stretch, made for layering.
Gender-neutral baby clothes arenāt about politics. Theyāre about practicality, sustainability, and letting kids define who they are, not what color they wear.
They last longer, mix better, gift easier, and make dressing your baby simpler. And theyāre better for our kids:Ā psychologically, developmentally, and environmentally.
Explore our organic cotton baby clothes to build a wardrobe thatās timeless, safe, and ready for whoever comes next.
Our commitment to you extends beyond just the our clothing - we prioritize the well-being of your children, the environment, and the workers who craft our pieces.