Organic and Eco-Friendly Products

Sustainable Living

Sustainable living is a lifestyle that attempts to reduce an individual’s use of the Earth’s natural resources. The idea is to live in a manner that is sustainable long-term in relation to the planet’s cycles and resources. Sustainability is a concept concerned with meeting present ecological, societal and economical needs without compromising these factors for future generations.

Sustainable living has been described for this century as ’shifting to a renewable energy-based, reuse/recycle economy with a diversified transport system’. Two factors related to achieving sustainable living include sustainable design and sustainable development. Sustainable design refers to the development of appropriate technology for creating sustainable living practices. Appropriate technologies could include the development of carbon sequestration, wind power, solar power, non-fossil fuel cars and so on. Sustainable development is the use of these green technologies in infrastructure.

One way to increase the sustainability of one’s lifestyle is to use eco-friendly, non-toxic and organic products and clothing.

Eco-Friendly Products

Ettitude produces a range of eco-friendly, affordable and unique products ranging from baby and children’s organic clothing to luxury towels. Their collection of baby clothing redesigns the basics in 100% organic cotton to be modern, practical, stylish, low-maintenance, durable and often multi-functional: from T-shirts to rompers, pants, sleepsuits, beanies and blankets.

Ettitude also offers a range of bamboo fibre bed and bath products that are highly absorbent, anti-static, hypo allergenic, incredibly soft and silky, and 100% biodegradable. These include hand towels, face towels, kitchen towels, bath towels, quilt cover sets and sheet sets.

Then there is their range of eco laundry products that are tough on dirt but gentle on your clothes and the planet. They remove stains, thoroughly wash and soften clothes, but contain no chemicals. Their laundry balls not only last for 1000 washes (approximately 3 years if you wash every day), but are refillable so you don’t need to throw them away. Their laundry balls, dryer balls and stain sticks are toxin free so the washing water can be used as grey water.

Textile Production

Cotton is one of the world’s largest textile industries. Textile manufacturing involves the conversion of fibre into yarn, then fabric, then textiles which are then made into clothing or other products. There are five stages in the manufacturing of cotton: cultivating and harvesting, preparatory processes, spinning, weaving, and finishing. Cotton requires intensive farming, so involves large amounts of fertilisers and pesticides, and up to a quarter of the world’s insecticide use. It also has a very high water and energy consumption as a result of going through processes such as bleaching, washing, rinsing, dyeing, printing and finishing.

Eco-friendly textiles, such as organic cotton, wool, yak down, bamboo fibre, hemp, flax, silk and jute, are different to conventionally processed textiles because they are:

a) Renewable resources

b) Grown without pesticides, antibacterials, synthetic fertilisers, fungicides, or genetic modification

c) Cultivated on chemical-free land

d) Processed without being dyed, bleached or treated with other toxic chemicals

e) Biodegradable.

Apart from being eco-friendly, organic textiles are also child and baby friendly. Children are more sensitive and vulnerable to toxins whether ingested as a result of pesticide drift or contaminated water, or absorbed through their skin. Children having thinner and more porous skin, and less melanin to protect it from external irritants. So it is important to expose your child to as little harmful substances as possible, so their development is not affected.

Ettitude

Ettitude provides original, stylish and practical baby and kids’ clothing. All their clothing is organic and eco-friendly, sourced from socially responsible manufacturers and craftspeople. Affordably priced, low allergenic and of premium quality, all their products can be delivered straight to your door.

They also offer eco-friendly bed, bath and kitchen products including bamboo bath towels, dish towels, sheets and quilt sets. A range of eco laundry products are also available, including laundry and dryer balls. Gentle on clothes and free from harsh chemicals, these refillable products save you money and are great for the planet.

Organic Textiles

Toxin-free. Eco-friendly. Biodegradable. Efficient. Renewable. Why wouldn’t you prefer to use organic textiles for your children’s clothing needs? Good for the environment and good for your kids, organic clothing really doesn’t have a downside.

Organic textiles include materials such as organic cotton, bamboo fibre, yak down, silk, corn fibre, soy silk, jute, kenaf, hemp and wool. They are all cultivated without pesticides or herbicides, and turned into clothing without toxic bleaches and dyes. Organic clothing is produced to be eco-friendly, with a reduced ecological footprint- biodegradable, sourced from renewable resources, using resources (e.g. land, water) efficiently. Conventional cultivation and production of textiles have contributed to the disappearance of the planet’s rainforests

Bamboo is one of the best organic textiles as the plant is fast-growing therefore renewable, requires no additional irrigation or replanting (which saves water), produces 35% more oxygen than equivalent stands of trees, takes in 5 times the amount of greenhouse gases, improves soil quality and prevents erosion. Furthermore, it is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, meaning that it doesn’t require pesticides or herbicides. It is biodegradable, meaning it will contribute to landfill waste, and if processed organically it will not introduce toxins into the land or water, or expose workers and animals to them either.

Organic Kids Clothing

So it is clear that organic textiles are great for the environment. But what about the benefits to your children? Organic materials come with many special characteristics not found in conventionally grown and manufactured textiles. For example, yak down is incredibly soft, silky and breathable. Bamboo fibre is naturally anti-bacterial so it reduces odors, as well as being incredibly absorbent.

Organic kids clothing also lasts longer because the fibres are not weakened and broken down through chemical processing. Of course, being toxin-free the clothing will reduce the amount of chemicals ingested. As kids are more vulnerable to harmful substances and developing rapidly, it is important to prevent unnecessary exposure to chemicals.