Author: Organature Australia

How Is Organic Cotton Grown?

 

Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture.

Third-party certification organizations verify that organic producers use only methods and materials allowed in organic production.

 

Using Certified Organic Cotton Helps Create A Chemical-Free Environment

 

Besides the NOTICEABLE HEALTH BENEFITS most people experience, there are many other advantages from sleeping with organic cotton bedding.

Read about our personal EXPERIENCE WITH MULTIPLE CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY and why we decided to produce our own fabric products using Certified Organic Cotton.

Read the short list of benefits below…

• If you have allergies or are sensitive to chemicals, purchasing an organic cotton mattress or futon will help you get a good nights rest, away fron the chemicals that make you feel sick .

 

• Organic cotton absorbs moisture from our bodies more efficiently than synthetic products, helping eliminate excessive sweating experienced by some people when using synthetic and synthetic blends in bedding and bedlinen.

 

• Organic cotton mattresses and futons ‘breathe’ which helps eliminate moisture retention and allows the mattress to remain dry or to dry quickly thus avoiding mould or mildew.

 

This ‘breathing’, together with the soft Suede Flannel fabric sorrounding the organic mattress or futon also reduces dust mite problems (these annoying and allergy causing little creatures prefer warm, moist conditions).

 

 

• The mattress retains its clean natural state, allowing skin to breathe which encourages a deeper and more restful nights sleep.

 

 

 

• Besides the health benefits that you will enjoy from your organic cotton sheets, quilts and pillows there are other environmental advantages to organic cotton bedding.

 

 

 

• When you purchase organic cotton bedding and bedlinen, you support the organic farming industry. This encourages agricultural methods that do not harm the environment. You also help to reduce the amount of potentially harmful chemical compounds in the air.

 

 

 

• Buying ertified organic products help contribute to a recycling strategy. Organic materials decompose naturally back into the soil without leaving behind harmful toxins.

 

Buying certified and genuine organic cotton products are one more step towards living in an eco friendly world.

The production of every certified organic product is strictly monitored during each phase, and the processes used are much more environmentally friendly than any other production method currently employed on the planet today.

Buying organic ensures a better chance for the long term health of our world by utilising sustainable farming practises, WITHOUT the use of unnecessary and allergy causing chemicals.

Your children will thank you for it!

The following is a useful excerpt from the Australian Government JobAccess Network

Many workplaces have chemicals and odours that are a necessary part of the industry or work situation. Chemicals and odours can be found in cleaning products, flooring, manufacturing equipment, and as a byproduct or result of industrial, mechanical or construction works.

People sensitive to chemicals and odours may develop conditions affecting the central nervous system symptoms, respiratory or gastrointestinal systems. Symptoms commonly reported following exposure to chemicals include (not limited to); fatigue, headaches, poor memory, impaired concentration, dizziness, temperature sensitivity.

Learning to manage sensitivity to chemicals and odours can ensure people are able to focus fully on their job or task and participate fully in their role within the workplace.
(WorkSafe Smart Move 2001)

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

 

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is an illness of our modern times. However the medical profession is at a loss to explain the exact cause and mechanism and the subject is highly controversial. What chance do patients have when they explain to their medical practitioners that they are always tired, suffer from muscle aches and can’t sleep properly? The good news is that the increasing numbers of patients forces the authorities to research the syndrome, and this is happening right now.

MCS is NOT inherited it is not an inflammation, allergy, or infection, it is a multi-system illness, which doesn’t affect only one organ but several body systems. It is caused by low levels of chemicals, in particular those in the indoor air. Scientists can prove the existence of the chemicals in the environment; but as yet no medical tests can substantiate the existence of MCS, Diagnosis relies on the symptoms a patient displays and describes during a consultation. The symptoms vary with every person and can be mild or may be so severe that they interfere with daily life.

Unfortunately, because the cause can’t be accurately established, no specific treatment exists for MCS. Some medical practitioners suggest strengthening the immune system, while others prefer to detoxify a patient’s body. Many so-called alternative methods have also been tried. There are, however, a few measures that appear to have some success.

A person may suspect that certain chemicals are the reason for their symptoms. Avoiding these chemicals at home and at work is an obvious conclusion. Improving indoor air quality helps to rid a room of certain chemicals, or at least may dilute it below a person’s sensitivity threshold.

Help your body by reducing the total chemical load and strengthening the immune system. Eat organically grown food and drink purified water. Don’t use commercial household cleaners; Bi-carb Soda and Vinegar are all the cleaning products you will ever really need.

GOOD COTTON = ORGANIC COTTON!

 

Organic cotton processing uses no harsh chemicals during cultivation or during the manufacture into yarn, fabrics, garments, bedlinen etc. Defoliants are NOT used to reduce the plant matter before, during and after picking of the cotton and are not used to clean the cotton. All processing means are biodegradable and free from harmful heavy metals, AZO dye, and other harmful substances.

Organature CERTIFIED ORGANIC COTTON products do not contain hidden harsh materials and are not fumigated.

The fabric is treated with means to preserve the natural characteristics of the cotton, and is kind to the environment.

After the cotton boll has been picked it is ‘ginned’; a process to remove seeds. This process also removes some of the plant matter. Further processing removes more of the plant particles; it is impossible to remove all. The result is that you may find the occasional dark spots in light colour fabrics and irregular dye marks in dyed fabrics.

The organic cotton filling in the Organature mattresses, quilts and pillows have only gone through early stage processes of ‘ginning’ and ‘carding’; carding being the process of teasing out the baled cotton into ‘fluffed up’ blanket.

It is impossible to remove all plant residue and this results in the dark markings which appear, particularly, in the quilts and pillows. When purchasing our organic products, there must be understanding that the client is fully aware of this ‘natural’ characteristic and accepts that these are not flaws and adds to the uniqueness of the product.

The TRUTH about CONVENTIONAL COTTON!

 

BAD COTTON = CONVENTIONAL COTTON!

 

You think that cotton is NATURAL! Don’t be misled!!!!

Cotton is a natural fibre, but…….just because it states “cotton” it is not always totally natural .There are more chemicals used on conventional cotton then on any other crop!

Chemicals are used to grow, harvest and process conventional cotton, they are used to make the fabric ‘easy care’,’ wrinkle free’,’ down proof’, etc.

THIS IS BAD COTTON!

The environmental effects of the CONVENTIONAL cotton industry are very destructive. The cultivation of CONVENTIONAL cotton is known for its intense application of powerful chemical pesticides and sometimes chemical defoliants.

Before being made into fabrics, garments, bed linen, towels etc. CONVENTIONAL cotton is usually treated with an array of chemicals, which are also used before and after picking the cotton to clean plant residue out of the cotton.

Chemicals are used to treat CONVENTIONAL COTTON fabrics for closing the weave, so that feather down and wool do not ‘creep’ through the outer covering material for quilts, also to make fabrics fire resistant and to enable the fabric to take heavy metal and AZO dye.
Furthermore conventional cotton clothing and bedlinen is treated with chemicals to make them easy care, non iron, wrinkle free.

Descriptions such as ‘handpicked’, ‘green’, and ‘unbleached’ and lately the use of the words “best practice” are often misleading and give no guarantee of an environmentally sound growing of the cotton or the weaving, processing and production of conventional cotton fabrics and garments.

Most chemicals applied during growing, processing and ongoing production of conventional cotton are permanently in the fabrics and there is growing evidence that these chemicals are affecting our health.

Australian labelling laws permit the use of a percentage of synthetic material, such as polyesters, in a product and the label can state “100% cotton” or “all cotton”.

Most quilts and pillows labelled cotton contain polyester mixed with the cotton wadding; some manufacturers use this to hold the cotton together and perhaps also to keep the price low. Others use thin polyester lining to enable manufacture of their quilts.

Imported products containing cotton; Australian Quarantine regulations state that cotton filled products imported into Australia must be fumigated or irradiated; this may include toys, bedspreads, duvets, comforters, quilts and pillows.

Some chemicals and chlorine bleach in non-organic textiles cause the fabrics to stiffen, and then additional chemicals must be used to soften them. These chemicals are like the ultra-violet rays of the sun and can reduce the quality of the cotton fibre and shorten its’ life span.

Organature avoid as many additives as possible. We believe the bedroom should have a ‘CLEAN’ atmosphere and therefore provide you with organic, ‘SUSTAINABLE TEXTILE PRODUCTS’ for your bedroom, nursery, bathroom, sewing room and wardrobe.

Most of our bedroom, bathroom and nursery products are made from fabrics which have NOT been dyed or bleached. Organic Cotton Processing gives the fabrics the distinct ‘NATURAL’ colour. This natural colour can vary slightly from batch to batch and can even vary throughout a roll of fabric. This serves to add to its’ uniqueness. For those who like to have white or enjoy seeing a bit of colour in their bedroom, we have introduced oxygen bleached and SAFELY dyed bedlinen to our range.