Eco-Friendly Summer Fashion From Hatley

***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation has been provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

With summer in full swing, my kids are spending a ton of time playing outside and even swimming. My 4 year old, Sophie, loves summer the most. Her reason? Because she gets to wear pretty summer dresses and swimsuits. Yes, this gal loves clothing, and she will talk your ear off about all the dresses in her wardrobe if you'll let her! 

When shopping for children's clothing, I look for a lot of different things. First of all, I look for quality. My kids are very active, and I want their clothing to be able to stand up to constant running, jumping, and climbing. Next, I look for clothing that's stylish. My daughter is a little diva, and she has very particular tastes. She tends to love bold patterns, bright colors, and a little rock-n-roll attitude. Also, whenever possible, I prefer clothing that is made in an eco-friendly way. Natural fibers and chemical-free dyes are some of the things I look for, as well as how "green" the manufacturing facility is. Do they find ways to conserve energy? Do they donate to environmental causes? I love a company that gives back to preserve the world around them. 

Luckily, I recently discovered a brand that fits all of these requirements. Hatley is a Canadian company that offers gorgeous, fashion-forward apparel for families. They have a ton of absolutely adorable kids' designs, as well as some wonderful choices for men and women, too! 

About Hatley :

It started over twenty years ago with a sense of humour, a talented painter Alice Oldland, her restless husband John, and The Little Blue House gift store in the lakeside village of North Hatley, Canada.

Alice, inspired by the countryside around her, had just finished a series of paintings depicting farmyard animals. Needing a venue to show her work, Alice opened a gallery above her gift shop The Little Blue House. John watched the paintings sell and thought he could create a line of aprons based on Alice’s artwork. John was right, the aprons sold and kept on selling. They quickly turned this cottage business into the company Hatley, supplying retailers with the best cow and pig aprons the world had ever seen. Cows and pigs gave birth to moose and bears, aprons led to gifts and clothing. Hatley thrived, but it was all so much work and John and Alice were looking for a life less complicated.

When retirement beckoned, John and Alice happily handed the reins to their three sons, Chris, Nick and Jeremy. Chris – the eldest decided he should be president, Nick – the only one who could draw became the designer, and Jeremy – the youngest, desperate to boss somebody around took over production. Restless like their father, the three boys quickly transformed and grew the company. They developed an extensive children’s line, created comfy women’s sleepwear and expanded into the gift market with napkins, kitchen textiles, mugs and much, much more.

Hatley designs are now sold around the world, and the three boys continue to ensure that Hatley stands for the same principles on which it started: family, good design, quality and of course, loads of laughs.

My Top Picks For Summer :

When I first discovered Hatley, I quickly fell in love with so many of their designs. Here are just a few of my favorites.

Look at this adorable nautical romper! This is so fun and definitely perfect for the summer season. I love the red trim, too! 

Another whimsical pick for summer is this boy's polo-style shirt. This has vibrant blue stripes and a hungry looking shark on it. I know Xander would flip over this shirt! 

And of course, being a woman, I love clothing. I absolutely fell in love with this Black and Red Striped Maxi Dress! I love the fit, since it would definitely help to conceal the belly pooch that 3 cesareans have left me with! 

Our Hatley Review :

The generous folks at Hatley sent me a few items for Sophie and Xander to check out for myself. Sophie absolutely LOVES this Chevron Girls Slub Jersey Dress. It's got vibrant hues of blue and green and a very trendy chevron print. There's also a cute little bow at the strap for a fun, feminine touch. 

We also received swimwear! What is summer without swimming, after all? Sophie received the adorable Shore Birds Girls' Ruffle Trim Bikini and Xander received this fun Surfing Dogs Swim Trunks and Rash Guard. How stinkin' cute are they?! 

Hatley's swimwear is incredibly well-made from only the highest quality materials. Some of the swimwear like the girls' swimsuits and the rash guards, come with built-in SPF 50 protection! This of course isn't a substitute for proper sun-block, but it is an added layer of protection! 

Xander was equally impressed with his Hatley swimwear. We love the fun dog on a surf-board print and the bright, primary colors. I mean really, isn't that the cutest thing you've ever seen? 

Once I took a few photos of the kids in their new swimwear, it was time to have some fun in the water! We broke out our Little Tikes Slam 'N' Curve Slide and had a blast splashing, climbing, sliding, and shooting hoops. 

I was delighted to see that the kids both remained quite comfortable in their Hatley swimwear, even after playing for hours. There's nothing worse than straps that fall, or bottoms that bunch up with movement. Sophie's bikini stayed in place and she was "wedgie-free", and Xander loved having the rash guard to go with his swim trunks. 

Overall, we're absolutely delighted with our Hatley experience. Not only are these children's apparel items adorable, they're also incredibly well-constructed and made to last. Even after several washes, these items look brand new! So if you're looking for high quality apparel in the hottest prints and colors, definitely be sure to check out Hatley's amazing designs. 

How to Connect :

You can check out the awesomeness that is Hatley on their website.

You can also connect with them on Facebook, on twitter, and on Pinterest to stay on top of their latest products and promotions!