Narrowing the list of potential strollers to purchase was easy – I looked for companies that show they care about the materials they use. Hands down Bumbleride shown through to me as being ahead of the pack in its care for what materials they use, and the Bumbleride Indie in particular has a beautiful, smooth ride – the least bumpy compared to other eco-friendly brands I tested.
These are the two stroller brands that I have firsthand experience with, though there are other brands that look like they might meet my priority criteria around limiting toxins, though I wouldn’t be able to speak to the smoothness of the ride.
- Bumbleride – For my second stroller purchase, I test drove many brands, including UPPABaby’s, Nuna’s, Cybex, and Bumbleride, and it was the Bumbleride that was hands down the smoothest ride. They use tires with air and the stroller is light and easy to maneuver. Not only that, but I really value the commitment they show to the safety of their materials and to the environment. Here is what you can read on their website: “Materials Matter: The textiles, aluminum and plastics that make up Bumbleride products are carefully chosen for durability, safety and function, but also for their environmental impact. Manufacturing can be a dirty business so we seek out suppliers that are innovating to save energy, conserve water and reduce pollution in landfills. All of our fabrics are OEKO-TEX Standard 100, Class I certified free from harmful chemicals. Bumbleride fabrics are made from 100% RPET (which is made from post-consumer water bottles, polyethylene terephthalate). In addition, our black colorways use an innovative dye process that conserves approximately 25-40 gallons of water per stroller. This dye process not only reduces water use, but also pollution created from the dye process. Learn more about OEKO-TEX and our materials here.” Their strollers also use PFAs free durable water repellent. The Bumbleride Indie was the model that we purchased, and I have loved it!
UPPABaby – Our first stroller purchase was the Cruz. I really didn’t like the 2019 model, which didn’t have shock absorbers, making for a very bumpy ride on the bumpy sidewalks of Cambridge. Later models now include shock absorbers. When searching for a better alternative, I did closely consider the Vista, which is a very nice stroller and is better on bumps than the 2019 Cruz, but in the end chose a different brand (see below). What I like about UPPAbaby is the quality of their products and the fact that they are flame retardent-free.