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.

What does ‘Eco-friendly’ mean?

‘Eco-friendly’ can be defined as both not harming the environment or proactively preventing environmental damage. There is no international standard for the use of ‘eco-friendly’ as a label, and is really too vague a lot of the time to be really useful. However it does encompass a philosophy, that in combination with organic certification, that helps consumers choose their products more wisely.

Basically the eco-friendliness of a product will depend on the renewability of the resources used, its ecological footprint, its biodegradability and the amount of synthetic chemicals used throughout the product life cycle. These chemicals include fertilisers, pesticides, antibiotics, food additives, hormones, fungicides, and so on. Eco-friendly products are also free from genetically modified organisms.

Eco-friendly Children’s Clothing

What qualifies as eco-friendly children’s clothing? Organic textiles and clothing must be certified by an independent certifier to ensure the integrity of the product, who also sets the standards for the industry.  The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) sets basic standards upon which individual countries can base their standards. These standards apply to the growth, storage, processing, packaging and shipping aspects of the product.

Some of these standards include the avoidance of synthetic chemical inputs, use of farmland that has been chemical-free for a number of years, keeping a detailed written production and sales record, maintaining strict physical separation of organic products from non-certified products and undergoing periodic on-site inspections. In many countries the commercial use of the term ‘organic’ is legally restricted to those who conform to national standards. They are also subject to the agricultural and food safety regulations that apply to non-certified producers.

Examples of eco-friendly children’s clothing would include articles made from organic textiles such as bamboo fibre, yak down, hemp, jute, organic cotton, soy and milk silk.