Going organic -- slowly
I was 'in conversation' with another happy customer.
He tells me that "when things need replacing we try and replace them with an organic/fairtrade option". I think that is just such a sensible way to go.
Like him, we are slowly switching over to organic bedding. Although the definition for 'need replacing' is slightly modified in my case. My son and I both have sensitive skin and some things have been making us itch. I wonder if it is the cheap cotton sheets we've been using.
Up till now we've been buying bedding on the basis of whether they look good. For example, son was into anything to do with space/exploration, so we went and got him bedding with a 'space' theme on it. At that time I had no idea what harm conventional cotton was doing and the effect of conventional cotton on the skin.
Some places offer such 'cheap' options that we -- I, really -- had succumbed to the temptation and had bought what I thought would suit us and our son solely on the basis of design.
However when one starts itching as soon as one climbs under the covers, something is not right. It is hard to believe that chemicals from either cultivation or manufacture could still have unpleasant side-effects so long after a product has left the factory. The itch might have absolutely nothing to do with conventional cotton. The truth is: I don't know what causes it, and neither does the doctor.
Still, it does the world no harm if/when as soon as we can afford to make the change, or as soon as things need replacing, we are doing so "with an organic/fairtrade option". That is a good principle which I would recommend to any one.
No use throwing all our current clothes and sheets and tea towels away immediately. It is not going to undo the harm that the growing of conventional cotton, sweat-shop production or harmful manufacture methods (leading to pollution of waterways, etc).
However, choosing wisely what to buy, buying less (frequently) and therefore allowing us to afford fair trade and organic the next time around is the way to go.
Thanks, Ade, for your email.
Back to Organic-Ally.
He tells me that "when things need replacing we try and replace them with an organic/fairtrade option". I think that is just such a sensible way to go.
Like him, we are slowly switching over to organic bedding. Although the definition for 'need replacing' is slightly modified in my case. My son and I both have sensitive skin and some things have been making us itch. I wonder if it is the cheap cotton sheets we've been using.
Up till now we've been buying bedding on the basis of whether they look good. For example, son was into anything to do with space/exploration, so we went and got him bedding with a 'space' theme on it. At that time I had no idea what harm conventional cotton was doing and the effect of conventional cotton on the skin.
Some places offer such 'cheap' options that we -- I, really -- had succumbed to the temptation and had bought what I thought would suit us and our son solely on the basis of design.
However when one starts itching as soon as one climbs under the covers, something is not right. It is hard to believe that chemicals from either cultivation or manufacture could still have unpleasant side-effects so long after a product has left the factory. The itch might have absolutely nothing to do with conventional cotton. The truth is: I don't know what causes it, and neither does the doctor.
Still, it does the world no harm if/when as soon as we can afford to make the change, or as soon as things need replacing, we are doing so "with an organic/fairtrade option". That is a good principle which I would recommend to any one.
No use throwing all our current clothes and sheets and tea towels away immediately. It is not going to undo the harm that the growing of conventional cotton, sweat-shop production or harmful manufacture methods (leading to pollution of waterways, etc).
However, choosing wisely what to buy, buying less (frequently) and therefore allowing us to afford fair trade and organic the next time around is the way to go.
Thanks, Ade, for your email.
Back to Organic-Ally.
Comments
Just a thought about the itching - have you tried Bio D Laundry Liquid? No chemicals, smells good and no nasty itching. Lyds
Thanks for comment. I have steered clear of any washing liquid with 'biological' on the label. Is Bio D biological? Anything with enzymes seems to make me itch. I'll look it up, any way, and thanks again. LSP
Lyds
I've offered my cloth hankie twice to different mothers. Yes, they were shocked that I had a cloth hankie (obviously organic cotton). One could not remove the blood stains from a nose bleed: it was left stuffed in her son's pocket for too long and they probably put it in a hot wash which only coagulated the blood. The other ... I think she simply forgot. The first offered to buy me a replacement. I said: But I am the only person in the UK (in fact, in Europe) who sells these hankies. She gave me a surprised look. I couldn't bring myself to sell a hankie to this mother because I was the one who offered the hankie.
Two weeks ago I had a lady come to my house for Bible study. She had so much perfume on her I could not sit next to her. It was overpowering and irritated my nose no end. I don't use perfumes either and avoid these in the cleaning stuff we use.