What We Think About The Better Cotton Initiative

Isn’t it good that large retailers are now paying attention to what many customers have been wanting for so long … CLEANER, HEALTHIER, BETTER COTTON. In Australia recently, we’ve seen TV ads telling us about the Better Cotton Initiative … a step in the right direction. Or is it just another advertising gimmick being used by the major chain stores to combat the public demand for, and claim market growth of, Certified Organic Cotton?

Organature Australia

Misleading Marketing

Cotton by nature is an organic product. With Better Cotton Initiative, there is no control over what chemicals are used, how much is used and how frequent. No control over the purity. No control over transport methods. The cotton can also be GM, Genetically Modified. Once you’ve done some research it can be easier to decipher what any of the major retailers are actually claiming. Take the time to read what  sellers are saying, find and more and decide whether it makes sense to you.

For example: On EBay there is a cot mattress that the seller claims to be organic cotton. It also shows the Made in Australia logo. Both are false. It is not organic cotton, the fabric has an “organic cotton” print on it. We checked this mattress a long time ago and the filling is synthetic. They are NOT licenced to use the MiA (Made In Australia) logo. Peter has lodged a complaint with MiA.

UPDATE APRIL 8 2019: Made in Australia has managed to have their logo removed from the EBay mattress advertisement and have also provided us with the name of the deceitful manufacturer.

That is why we only use CERTIFIED ORGANIC COTTON fabrics and filling for every mattress, topper, futon, sheet, quilt, bed linen and bedroom item we manufacture and sell, and each one comes with it’s relevant certification number. That’s the only way to be assured of purity and that high production and transporting standards are carried out. Read: The Cleanest Production & Transporting Standards in Australia – safe for chemical sensitivity sufferers.

Misleading Prices

Some websites promoting Organic Cotton products, are showing an extremely high price for a sheet set with a line through the amount and a much lower price next to it. The high price is false and is there to induce you into thinking, you are getting a bargain.

For example: A king Single sheet set is shown as $259.00; on the side $103.60. Let’s presume that the cost is half of the selling price before 10% GST. = $47.10. This would be the maximum cost for this Sateen sheet set, imported from Asia. This makes the original advertised price; $259.00 (including GST), marked up 5 times on the $47.10 cost. Selling for that price would be robbery and shows how misleading advertised high prices are.

We DON’T mark up our products and then mark them down to make it look like you’re getting a bargain, like most retailers seem to be doing at the moment. WE GIVE YOU THE BEST POSSIBLE PRICE UPFRONT. Customers have been complimenting us on our high quality and reasonable prices more than ever just recently. (April 2019) Read: How We Keep Our Prices So Reasonable.

Misleading Descriptions

There are so many product descriptions that can also be misleading. Many claim to be organic or solid wood and while that may be true, there are other factors that need to be considered.

For example: Cot & Cot Mattress Made from sustainable New Zealand Pine – a solid wood. Yes, it might be a solid wood, but every timber product that’s imported into Australia must be fumigated with a harmful chemical to prevent the spreading of pests and disease. The website we looked at also claimed to use Non Toxic paints/stains but we were not able to see any more technical details —– insufficient information to make a sound decision. No specification details for the cot mattress contents either  —– insufficient information to make a sound decision. Read: Organic Baby Mattress Australia 100% Safety Record.

Another example from the Baby Online website: A cot mattress with polyurethane foam comfort layers over the top of the spring unit, air ventilation eyelets all round then upholstered in quilted 100% pure Organic cotton cover both sides. Polyurethane foam contains an extremely harmful chemical. Peter has always questioned the use of these mattresses made with foam. There is no point covering toxic materials with an organic cotton upholstery. Chemicals leech into the air especially when body heat is applied. They penetrate through the fabric and outgas through the ventilation holes. At Organature, we believe that they may also be the cause of SIDS/SUDI. Read: How to prevent the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Here’s a Wholesale Direct Advertisement: Product Description Key features. 15 mm natural latex layer for extra comfort and heat reduction with 100% Organic cotton cover for sensitive skin. These are made by the same company. One uses polyurethane foam, this one claims latex. Both use chemicals to whip the product into a foam so it isn’t just a sticky mess. Who do we trust??? Read: The Truth About Latex Mattresses to find out more. 

Misleading Advertising

Every business is doing their best to built the customers trust, and yes, we do that too. But if you get diagnosed with an illness, if someone in your family is hard to live with, if you’re lethargic, have headaches, just can’t do the things you once did and don’t know exactly why, chemical exposure is often the trigger. That’s why we care so much that we manufacture and deliver the purest, cleanest, healthiest bedding products we possibly can, especially for the youngest members of our families, our babies, children and grandchildren. Don’t get caught out by clever advertising such as this:

From the Catch.com.au website: Australian Made Spinal Support Organic Foam Cot Mattress. Keep your baby healthy and sound asleep on this Organic cotton high density foam cot mattress. Being organic it’s allergy free – the perfect choice for young ones with sensitive skin or allergies. With this cot mattress, you can provide your baby with the comfort and security that they need. Please be aware, foam mattresses, high density foam and even what they call natural latex, is not organic and all contain nasty chemicals. Also HIGHLY likely to be the cause of SIDS/SUDI. Peter has stopped looking for any more examples. We think it’s enough to show how people can be misled. Photos of these are on their websites and they all look the same. Even the print on the mattress is a chemical. Why do they need to use that —— it’s just misleading advertising. Read: Every Aussie Parent Should Read Before Buying Baby Products – CONSUMER AWARENESS GUIDE

The Good News

But if you have a family, a baby, young children, are chemically sensitive, have a weakened immune system, feel tired, get sick more than you’d like or you just prefer to buy the best you can get, you’ll still want to go CERTIFIED ORGANIC COTTON all the way. If it’s truly Certified Organic, it automatically has cleaner production standards and better control, with NO genetic modification, NO slave labour and absolutely NO chemicals.

I wouldn’t buy anything else.

Organature Australia
Shop 1, 8/10 Forrest Avenue,
Newhaven, Victoria 3925