Organic and Eco-Friendly Products

A range of technologies have recently developed that utilize bamboo as the main fiber in fabric and fashion accessories.

Bamboo yarn can be used in its own pure form or alternatively it can be blended with cotton depending on what final texture is desired. In recent times bamboo has also been blended with such fibers as spandex and hemp.

History

Bamboo was originally used by the Chinese to weave shoes and hats. Bamboo hats were particularly popular in rural areas to protect farmers from the sun. In western areas of China bamboo was adapted to use as structural components in corsets.

Benefits

There are a number of environmental and health benefits to choosing bamboo. Some of these include:

1. Echo-friendly: Bamboo absorbs 35% more carbon dioxide than other trees. Research shows that if more bamboo was grown as a substitute for other trees it would have a significant effect on the current global warming issues.
2. Naturally Organic-When Bamboo is grown there is no need for pesticides or fertilizers. This makes it 100% natural and organic.
3. Hypoallergenic –Bamboo is 100% organic and natural and therefore does not contain in of the trace elements that cause irritation to sensitive skin.
4. Absorbent and breathable-Fabric woven from bamboo is porous in nature and has proved to be much more absorbent and breathable than other fabrics. This makes it ideal from towels and sheets.

Where can I purchase items bamboo alternatives?

Ettitude is a clothing manufacturing company that produces a range of clothing (for both adults and children), towels, sheets etc that are made from eco-friendly sustainable bamboo fiber and premium cotton. Silky soft and beautiful to touch, with all the wonderful attributes of bamboo and cotton, your precious little poppet will love wearing this comfy fabric against their delicate and sensitive skin!

Most people who choose organic do so because they ‘just know that it is better for them’ but how much impact can you actually have on our environment by choosing organic?

What is the extent of the problem?

Over time, pests have built up a resistance to pesticides. For this reason more and more pesticides need to be used in higher and higher concentrations to effectively kill pests. In 2000 alone, 940 million pounds of pesticides were used.

Research has shown that pesticide related acute poisoning and cancer account for over $1.1 Billion dollars of the public health budget each year.

What affect is it acutely having on me?

Research has indicated that there are links between the exposure to pesticides and the following health conditions:

• Immune system suppression
• Nervous system disorders
• Reproductive damage
• Cancer
• Parkinson’s disease
• Respiratory problems
• Skin and eye irritation

Who is most at risk and why?

Children are at the highest risk of being affected by pesticides. This is due to the fact that they have a very high metabolism and low body weight.

Pregnant women also need to be very aware of their exposure to pesticides and the effect this will have on their unborn baby.  Over exposure to pesticides during pregnancy has been suggested to contribute to autism, obesity, asthma, brain cancer and other childhood cancers.

What can I do about it?

Choosing organic options will dramatically reduce your exposure to pesticides. Any product produced under organic conditions is strictly prohibited against the use of any pesticide or chemical. Organic farmers therefore use biological and cultural methods to remove pest.

Ettitude is a company that strongly believes that each person or organization can make a different by the choices they make. They manufacture a wide range of baby and kids clothing, bamboo bedding, lien, down products and luxury towels that are all 100% organic and echo friendly.

Defining Environmental Sustainbility

‘Environmental sustainability’ is a concept that is not easy to define, and in fact has over 300 definitions produced by academics, governments, and organisations. One of the more recognised definitions is produced by the World Commission on Environment and Development. This organisation was established by the United Nations in 1983 in recognition that environmental problems were global in nature and that it was in the interests of all to establish policies and practices for sustainable development. The concept of sustainable development was defined as “forms of progress that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” These needs are both social and economic, and will be affected by accelerating deterioration of the human environment and natural resources.

‘Sustainability‘ is about the capacity to endure and is inherently long-term in nature. The idea of sustainable development is that humanity has been concerned only with short-term benefits which have now been recognised to have significant long-term consequences. As a result, the Business Dictionary defines ‘environmental sustainability’ as “maintaining the factors and practices that contribute to the quality of environment on a long-term basis”. This definition is slightly different to the previous one, as it has more of a focus on continuity whereas the former focuses more on change, on developing policies, on forms of progress.

Unsustainable Living

Environmental sustainability has become an increasingly political issue since around the 1980s, rather than a purely ecological concept. As science has shown that humanity is increasingly functioning in unsustainable ways, demands for change have become louder and louder.

It is a concept that relates to a very diverse range of issues, from population growth, the consumption of non-renewable resources (such as fossil fuels), the disruption of natural ecosystems (including everything from species extinction to climate change), individual lifestyles (including cultures of consumerism and materialism), agricultural and business practices, social organisation (e.g. sustainable cities, preservation of local culture), waste disposal (recycling and reduction) and the development of technology to improve sustainable practices (green technology, renewable energy).