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So most of us have been using cotton all our lives – cotton sheets, towels, clothes... It’s supposed to be a natural product, isn’t it? So what’s the difference with organic cotton? I thought organic was just related to those tomatoes?
Food and clothing are two major product groups which have direct contact with our bodies. So shouldn’t we care what kind of processes and ingredients go into making these products? An easy example is organic fruit and vegetables, and the general knowledge that they are grown without the use of pesticides. Who wants to eat pesticides?
The same principle applies for other organic products, in this case, organic cotton towels. Conventional cotton is grown using lots of toxic chemicals, like pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Organic cotton is not.
The term organic describes a method of farming without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides or fertilisers, sewage sludge, irradiation or genetic engineering, and are certified by an accredited independent organization. It is a system of farming that strives for a balance with nature, using methods and materials that are of low impact to the environment. (Courtesy of Organic Exchange)
The differences between organic cotton and conventional can be seen through farming processes, such as seed preparation, soil preparation, water, weed control, pest control, and harvesting. The basic premise of organic cotton at the farming level is facilitating what the earth does naturally.
Conventional cotton growing creates a dependent cycle of chemical use which hinders nature from doing its job, and therefore creates the need for more chemicals to compensate. With conventional cotton, the pesticides and herbicides used to keep pests and weeds at bay takes all the good nutrients out of the soil in which the cotton is growing. Then in order for the cotton to grow, the soil needs more chemicals in the form of synthetic fertiliser in order to boost its nutrients. The methods used with organic farming including crop rotation and hand hoeing mean that weeds and pests are kept at bay naturally, and the soil is nutrient rich with organic matter. A staggering statistic is that conventional cotton growing accounts for approximately 25% of the world’s insecticide use – that takes a fair chunk of responsibility for spraying all those chemicals into the air.
The certifications OE 100 and OE blended which ensure our products are organic, extend beyond the farming level, right through to production and finishing of the organic cotton towel product. After farming, the production of the raw cotton into towels requires yarn production, whitening, finishing and dyeing. The Oeko-Tex Standard 100 ensures the final product is suitable for human use, and sets strict limits on the amount of harmful substances contained in textiles.
In particular it includes:
• legally banned substances such as carcinogenic dyes
• legally controlled substances such as formaldehyde, softeners, heavy metals or pentachlorophenol
• substances which can be harmful to health such as pesticides, allergenic dyes or organic tin compounds
• parameters such as colour-fastness and a skin-friendly pH value, intended to prevent health problems
Eureco's Bio Organic Cotton range uses cotton sourced from Europe, India and Turkey. The products are certified organic by the Organic Exchange standard OE 100 and OE Blended. It is certified safe for human use by Oeko Tex. It has been manufactured in accordance with the environmental standard ISO14001.
References
Kooistra, K.J., Pyburn, R., Termorshuizen, A.J. 2006. The sustainability of cotton. Consequences for man and environment, Science Shop Wageningen University & Research Centre. Report 223. ISBN: 90-6754-90-8585-000-2.
Really Long Link
Oekotex Standard 100
Organic exchange standards OE100 and OE Blended
The lovely people at World Environment Day 2010 have passed on these daily changes you can make to your life which will help the environment. Don't forget to use your bamboo towel!
WED is about taking action to be a part of the solution. And the Daily do something Tips are a great start.
We can all do our part to protect the planet by using less and acting more. Going green is not as difficult as you might think. Here we walk you through 30 easy ways to green your daily routine, from the moment you hit snooze on your solar-powered alarm clock to the point when you crawl into your eco-washed, organic cotton sheets.
Make your WED commitment today. But don’t stop at today and don’t stop here. Try to incorporate all of these into your life as a matter of routine. Get others to do so the same. And get involved!
IN GENERAL:
* Plant a tree! Help achieve UNEP’s Billion Tree Campaign target of planting seven billion trees – one for every person on the planet – by the end of this year! Three billion are planted. Five billion are pledged. On every continent in the world trees can be planted in June, so start your efforts on WED.
* Find needy homes or charitable organizations for things that you no longer need or want rather than throwing it away.
DAILY ROUTINE:
AT HOME…
* It would seem to go without saying, but many of us forget that we can save water in simple ways like not letting the tap run while shaving, washing your face, or brushing your teeth.
* Insulating your water heater will help save valuable energy, and you can go the extra mile by installing showerheads with a low flow in your bathrooms for bathing purposes to help save water. You can also put a timer on your heaters to save power.
* Using an electric razor or hand razor with replaceable blades instead of disposable razors goes a long way to cutting back on waste. And plant a tree.
* Use towels for drying your face and hands instead of tissues that are used and thrown away. Also, hang your towels to dry so that they can be reused several times. You are after all clean when you use them! [Eureco reckons bamboo towels are even better, check them out here!]
* Juice or yoghurt lovers can do their bit by buying juice in concentrates and yoghurt in reusable containers instead of single serving packages.
* Many of us like to leaf through the paper as we munch on breakfast, but consider reading the dailies in communal spaces like the office or coffee shops. However, if you prefer to have your own copy, make sure you recycle!
* When packing your lunch, opt for reusable containers for food storage instead of wrapping the food with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
* When deciding what you're going to eat for the day, go vegan once a week. Many people may not know this, but raising animals for food generates a considerable amount of greenhouse gases!
* As you leave the house, don’t forget to switch off all the lights and appliances at the wall unit (if you have this feature) and unplug chargers as they continue to consume even if they are not charging; saving energy helps reduce air pollution.
GETTING TO WORK:
* Don’t go anywhere without your cloth bag so you can just say no to plastic whenever you shop.
* Radical as it may seem, in today’s “the easier the better” society, the easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint is by avoiding driving altogether. Power down and Instead try biking, walking, carpooling, public transport or an occasional telecommute.
* If you have no other choice than to drive to work, look for the most fuel- efficient car model for your next purchase and keep your tyres inflated to the correct pressure.
* If you’re one of the lucky few blessed with clear stretches of road on your way to work, use cruise control, as it saves fuel and also helps you maintain a constant speed.
* If you’re among the majority of drivers who spend their mornings stuck in traffic, consider turning your engine off if you will be idling for long periods of time. And plant a tree.
* For those who suffer from road rage, remember that aggressive driving lowers your mileage, so if you want to save on fuel and save the planet while you’re at it, accelerate gradually-- something to keep that in mind the next time that bad driver cuts you off! Just count to 10 and say the planet needs me!
AT WORK:
* Do you have a morning hot drink routine? Using a washable mug is an environmentally-friendly alternative to non-biodegradable styrofoam or plastic cups.
* Leave a cup and reusable bottle for water at work to eliminate buying drinks, which get served in plastic cups, or bottled water. 80% of plastic bottles are recyclable but only 20% are actually recycled.
* When you need a pad for lists and messages, turn over an old document and write on the back of that instead.
* If there isn’t an office recycling system, start one yourself! Recycling our trash actually contributes to reducing global warming emissions. And it is estimated that 75% of what is thrown in the trash could actually be recycled, though currently only 25% is.
* When you must have a paper copy, make sure you default your printer option to use both sides. This is an easy tree-saver!
* Most computer accessories like ink cartridges and CDs and DVDs are made of materials that could be reused. Computer cords and speakers are fairly standardized, meaning they can be used for a variety of computer models and makes.
* Lower your office’s carbon footprint by seeing computers, monitors, printers, copiers, speakers and other business equipment to their energy saving feature and turning them off at the end of the day. And plant a tree!
* Turning off all unnecessary lights, especially in unused offices and conference rooms is an easy way to save energy.
* If you’re in search of something to personalize your workspace, look no further than the humble houseplant. Houseplants are good for the environment because they remove quantities of pollutants present in the air.
AFTER A LONG DAY:
* In the summer/warmer months, consider using an interior fan in conjunction with your window air-conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your home. While you’re at it, in winter, lower your thermostat and put on a jumper. In summer, increase it and wear lighter clothes, you will also save money!
* Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat as it senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air-conditioner to run longer than necessary.
* When cooking dinner, match the size of the pan to the size of the heating element to lower energy wastage.
* When you are feeling at your laziest, don’t throw clean clothes in the hamper to avoid hanging them up! Wear jeans more than once…
* When you wash, use only eco-friendly products in your home. It’s best for you and the environment! And did we mention plant a tree!
Info courtesy of WED
-Life Cycle of Bamboo Series-
The environmental sustainability of bamboo fibre originates at the farming level, as this is where bamboo's self-sustainable characteristics best exemplify its' limited effect on the environment.
Bamboo as a commercial crop doesn’t need much help – it thrives and regenerates naturally without the use of pesticides, and with few farming inputs. A natural bio agent found in the bamboo plant is known as ‘bamboo kun’ and acts as a kind of self protecting barrier, which is what keeps the plant healthy without needing any polluting agricultural chemicals. Bamboo kun is bound to the plant at the molecular level and is the same substance which gives finished bamboo products their antibacterial properties. Bamboo also grows incredibly rapidly, and as a commercial crop will start to yield within 3-5 years of planting. Bamboo will also grow on slopes where nothing else is viable.
Unlike cotton, Bamboo does not require much water to grow, and can be grown in dry conditions thus making it a more sustainable crop. It needs about one quarter of the amount of water that cotton does.
As bamboo regenerates naturally, it doesn’t need replanting after it has been harvested, making it an easily renewable resource. This also saves heavy replanting machinery from over working the soil.
The structure of bamboo itself is also good for maintaining the soil it grows in, due to its large and deep root system being thickly clumped balls, which helps keep soil together and prevent erosion. Bamboo’s self sufficiency continues as any debris that falls from a growing clump of bamboo also fertilises the ground at the base of the bamboo culms and feeds it, eventually fertilising the soil as well.
Bamboo is a grass, not a tree. The significance of this is seen in its harvesting, as it is cut, not uprooted, further preventing soil erosion. Also, as a grass it absorbs far more carbon dioxide and emits more oxygen than a tree does, limiting the commercial affects on climate change.
Currently bamboo is not grown commercially in Australia, except as a food product. As there are no commercial plantations outside of China, there are inevitably carbon emissions associated with the shipping and transport. Temporarily we unfortunately need to take this environmental impact into account, and of course we would love to source locally if we could.
Bamboo fibre that makes Eureco’s towels originates from a company in China called Bambrotex. The raw material is grown in non-polluted regions in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces. Bambrotex produces bamboo fibre strictly in adherence with international standards ISO9000 and ISO 14000.
Eureco's manufacturing partner Santens is committed to ensuring their supply partners, including Bambrotex employ their staff in ethical and fair labour conditions, including farmers working in the bamboo crops.
This is the first in a series of Eureco blogs about the life cycle of a bamboo towel, from cradle to grave... okay that’s a horrible expression, more like how does a plant like bamboo end up as a soft absorbent towel, and what is the real impact on the environment?
The point of all this is to draw attention to the real issues behind the sustainability of our towels. We don't want you to just take our word for it, we are going to show you so you can decide for yourself
[ Click here to read more ]
To keep bamboo towels soft, absorbent and looking great here are a few tips when it comes to looking after them.
Wash towels three times separately in plain warm water before use. This may seem excessive and a waste of water, but will eliminate the pesky problem of towel fluff sticking to you when you get out of the shower. After three washes, the fibres will stay put
[ Click here to read more ]
Archicentre, the building advisory service of the Australian Institute of Architects, has said that home buyers should check the insulation status of properties they are purchasing as a safety issue to protect their families.
Angus Kell, ACT & NSW State Manager of Archicentre said it was important for all home owners with properties for sale who have had insulation installed to have their homes checked before the sale to limit any legal liability if people were injured or the home was subject to a fire
[ Click here to read more ]
Bamboo fibre has many exciting properties that make it ideal for processing into bath towels, other home textiles and items of apparel.
Bamboo towels are irresistibly soft and smooth to the touch and will pamper you while caring for our environment. Bamboo has a natural sheen that feels more like silk or cashmere yet has the advantage of being tough and durable. Bamboo’s strength and softness is maintained over time
[ Click here to read more ]
The Queensland Government has proposed a plan to get people to help with climate change by changing their diet!
"The Low Carbon Diet helps you reduce your carbon footprint at home. It is all about making simple and low-cost changes to your everyday actions to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions you and your home produce
[ Click here to read more ]
Bamboo is an environmentally sustainable resource for many reasons. The most obvious reason to most is that bamboo grows incredibly rapidly. As a commercial crop, bamboo requires few farming inputs and starts to yield within just 4-5 years of planting.
Unlike cotton, bamboo plants thrive naturally without the use of harmful chemical pesticides that pollute the environment. The same ‘bamboo kun’ substance that gives finished bamboo products their antibacterial properties is what helps to keep bamboo plants healthy and strong without the use of pesticides
[ Click here to read more ]
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