NM Organics

We are all already familiar with the concept of organic food production, however the role of environmental materials in the manufacture of clothing is still at low levels. Fortunately, more and more celebrities choose clothes made from organic materials and it can be an encouragement for all of us. Along with the fight for rights of animals, there can be seen a growing popularity in cooperation of fashion and ecology. Hollywood also supports the trend of eco-clothing in the world. For example, Julia Roberts loves organic clothing. Moreover, the wife of famous actor Colin Firth, has opened a boutique which offers clothing made from organic and environmentally-friendly fabric, and also there are collections inspired by ecological motives. British designer Stella McCartney, proponent of ethical approach to fashion, even designs organic underwear.

On the other hand, studies have shown that only 7% of the population has a developed awareness of ecological clothing. But he difference are significant: organic cotton cultivation protects the lives of workers in farming and manufacturing.

There are many people who want to wear organic clothing because of various reasons. For someone heath can be the main reason, for somebody else maybe environmentally concerns or some other ethical issues. For those looking to find truly organic clothes, there are certificates that guarantee that. To get a certificate, a company which produces organic textile has to meet some requirements and standards. GOTS-  The Global Organic Textile Standard  is the international leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, including ecological and social criteria.

The intention of this standard is to determine  the requirements that guarantee organic status of textiles through many phases of processing, such as harvesting of the raw materials, environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing or labelling. Getting a certification is necessary because with accepted certification manufacturers are enabled to export their organic garments in all major markets.

There are a lot of criteria that must be met. Through all the stages of processing organic fibre products have to be excluded from conventional ways of  process and conventional fibre products. Many of the chemical inputs are prohibited, such as aromatic solvents; chlorophenols; all APEOs (i.e. nonylphenol, octylphenol, APEOs terminated with functional groups, APEO-polymers), EDTA, DTPA, NTA, LAS, a-MES;  fluorocarbons; formaldehyde and other short-chain aldehydes; genetically modified organisms and their derivates; halogenated solvents; heavy metals; inputs that contain functional nanoparticles; organotin compounds; plasticizers;  quaternary ammonium compounds: DTDMAC, DSDMAC and DHTMAC; substances and preparations that are prohibited for application in textiles with a recognised internationally or a nationally valid legal character.

Now it is already certain: the poisons are everywhere around us! In many cases, it is a matter with which we are in contact every day, since they are hidden in cosmetics, toys, dishes, cleaning, clothing, floors, walls, ironing boards, furniture, and so on. Sometimes, these chemical substances are needed in manufacturing processes. They are released gradually and harm the environment in long term. There are chemicals whose toxicity has not been adequately tested and they are, unfortunately found in the food chain.

Therefore, it is the time to find out how chemical elements affect health and the environment.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) – The essential ingredient of Teflon is so carcinogen that the U.S. government has demanded that all Teflon products (pottery, carpets, clothing, food packaging …) must be withdrawn from use!
• Recent studies have shown that the PTFE, which has caused cancer and organic disorders in laboratory animals, found in the blood of nearly all Americans, including pregnant women! Highly resistant to heat, and therefore “non-adhesive” Teflon pan was the dream of every housewife.

Even though silk is a natural fiber that has been woven into fabric to dress China’s Empresses since 2900 BC, silk is just starting to be proclaimed as a “natural” fabric, but how organic, sustainable, ethical and healthy is silk?

The finest, most desirable silk comes from the mulberry silkworm, which is actually a caterpillar and not a worm. Raised by professional keepers in China in the past, the mulberry silkworm has been totally domesticated and now it can not live without humans for their feeding and care. There are no any wild silkworm moth that roam and feed in the wild. Across several thousand years of captive breeding, the silkworm, known also as Bombyx mori, evolved into a blind moth that cannot fly. It lives only a few days and lays about 500 eggs and then dies within four or five days. The silkworm moth has even lost the ability to eat because of undeveloped structures of their mouth.

Clothing made from environmentally friendly materials has become more and more popular. Awareness of the importance of eco-food, cosmetics and environmentally friendly cars is already present in most people, so it is now time to change old habits of clothing and dress in a healthier way.

Ecological underwear is made of cotton which is not genetically modified. It is grown on land that is not sprayed with pesticides, herbicides and other cytological poisons at least three years. Cotton is treated with special natural fertilizers and weeds are removed only manually. Processing is separate from the rest of the production, and the fibers are treated exclusively with organic substances.

The use of clothing made of organic cotton is an example of how each of us can make a significant contribution to environmental protection. Organic cotton is healthier and softer, it is pleasant to the skin and has hypoallergenic effect.