Pure Pod - The Story by Pure Pod

Our Story So Far -‐ First up, we’re real people. We even have names, Kelli and Sean. We’re not chemically induced or synthetically fertilised. We’re old enough to remember people wearing natural, easy to care for, real fashion, but young enough to be fully-‐fledged and paid up members of the synthetic wearing, take away, brand loyal, fast food, plastic fantastic, canned food and now “i.e.” world, where everything is available instantly at the tips of our fingers.

What does that mean? It means we’ve seen the world change a heartbeat. We watched telephones go from communication devices on the wall in the kitchen, to super smart, “must have” fashion accessories, that fit in your pocket. Hormone & hydroponically, induced foods become home grown and organic. Animal furs go from chic status symbols to something to throw paint at. All in a heartbeat!

And, just for the record, while giving tags to people, eras or fashion styles is really not our thing, we’ve watched the fashion industry change from being size 6 immorally obsessed and ethically challenged to, doesn’t she look good as a size 12 and, morally aware. Amazing.

Indeed the “rag trade” has come a long way in a couple of decades, pushing “some” multi-‐national; multi-‐million dollar companies (you know who they are), to become core members of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

Enough said, here’s the thing. Style and sustainability doesn’t start with big fancy brands. It starts with you and us and an idea. It starts with passion. It starts from the heart. It starts with a dream and it’s not all about green.

We believe that sustainability is a journey to be undertaken as opposed to a destination to be reached. Over the past fifty years, our collective understanding about the planet, and how we have influenced it has grown exponentially. It is often said that ‘today’s heresy is tomorrow’s orthodoxy’ and yet the opposite is equally true.

Our approach, on a collection-‐by-‐collection basis, is to try and integrate the latest innovations and understandings regarding sustainable fabrics, in a concept we refer to as “field to frock”, and by doing so continuing to learn, grow and develop our sustainable business ethos.

Whilst we are sure that in the future we will look back and recognise that our “do good” actions would have been very different given the information we acquire on a daily basis, we remain deeply concerned that we do not ever presume that we are perfect and become complacent. We only have one Earth and we need to take care of it, not only for us, but also for future generations and indeed all inhabitants that inhabit the earth -‐ human, animal s and plants.

At Pure Pod we take responsibility for our environmental footprint and support environmentally sustainable initiatives. We are a passionate, eco pioneer, bold, embodied and vocal supporters of a sustainable future, we’re all for a greener world. Who isn’t? But here’s our promise.

We’re not going to bash you senseless about sustainability or give you a complete “green wash”. It’s boring and more importantly we can’t. Why? It’s simple really, none of us, from the biggest to the smallest sustainable clothing company, has developed the “perfect, pollution free process”. That’s a fact.

“THERE IS NO PERFECT PROCESS”

Our theory is each day we should try to get a little closer to that “Perfect Process”. Each day we do a small, baby step closer, and the closer we will eventually get. It’s all about keeping it real and taking that first step. Think of David and Goliath, and picture Pure Pod ………

So what are we going to do?

We’re going to give you what you want, high quality, cool looking, nice feeling, stylish, sexy, functional, contemporary clothing made from sustainable fabrics including organic cotton, pure merino wool, bamboo, lyocel, hemp, soy, silk, linen and whatever we can find NEW on the market that helps our planet, is ethically produced and is kinda to our bodies.

You could say we’re keeping it pure and simple, after all -‐ “you are what you wear”.

Meet the Podie’s -‐

Hi, I’m Kelli Donovan. Originally from Canberra, I then exported myself to Melbourne, so wearing black was my thing. Not anymore, well hardly! I have worked in the fashion and rag trade for 20 years, that’s a long time, I know, but I love it. I became disillusioned with the unreal reality of commercial fashion, after discovering that “my industry” is one of the world’s biggest polluters. Brace yourself -‐ “Cotton accounts for only 3% of the world’s crops, but uses approximately 25% of the world’s insecticides and more than 10% of the world’s pesticides”. Now, that is scary, really scary!

Today, I am the passionate, bold, embodied and occasionally, vocal founder and senior designer for Pure Pod, some would say that I am a eco pioneer, I just say I am doing my bit for the planet. To say I am a “true believer” is an understatement. My dream is to, with every little step, make my chosen industry, as real and pure as commercially possible. Every designer and product maker needs to work with the planet and not against it. It’s no secret that we’re all living on time borrowed from “Mother” earth. Every little fragment we steal for our own, instant hit, of self-‐satisfaction makes it harder for the next generation. Our philosophy should be to leave it as we found it. I have tried and I’m not alone. Why do I say that? In the years that Pure Pod has been alive it has become one of Australia’s more successful sustainable fashion labels, and others have begun to follow. Thankyou all for your support of our little Aussie label and please keep at it up, as we have a long way to go yet.

Hi, I’m Sean Watson.

“Take nothing but photo’s, leave nothing but footprints” -‐ A photographer by trade, and still shooting for a myriad of advertising & marketing clients around this beautiful nation of ours, business is my passion and the environment has become my focus. Over the last couple of years my “Visual Creativity” (apart from Pure Pod images) has slowed down, as Pure Pod has continued to blossom. From shooting fashion to selling fashion, it has been a wonderful and exciting transition. Today my main focus is running the business side of Pure Pod. Ensuring our technology is kept up to date, our deadlines are met and Pure Pod is branded and marketed in a fashion that is as eco friendly as Kelli’s amazing designs and in keeping with our sustainable ethos.

Right now we have clients throughout Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA and Asia. We’re involved in “pop up stores”, all over the place. You’ll see us at trade shows here in Australia and internationally, and of course right here, on the “World Wide Web”. It’s a buzz and it’s only just begun. Pure Pod comes from our heart and soul. It’s our gift to you, so enjoy, and most importantly -‐

“Be aware of what you wear” -‐ Sean Watson 2007

Our “Ethos” and what we do -‐ Australian Made

If you think it’s difficult enough just attempting to be as green as possible, try making 100% Australian 100% of the time. Like many small Australian businesses, our first, second and third thought, is manufacturing and purchasing locally as often as possible. Using local makers works for us across the board. It allows us to closely watch our garments being made ensuring quality and fit, and in doing so limiting our carbon footprint. It also, and importantly, ensures the Australian fashion industry, we are so passionate about thrives.

Pure Pod is an “Ethically Australian Made” product and we only contract to professional machinists and garment makers (all based in Australia) who do not use, in any way, shape or form ‘Sweat Shop’ labour. Some of the professional machinists we use are self-‐employed and work the hours they want, for the fees they ask for. Many of them go for morning walks on the beach and live a relaxing life style and have offices that anyone of us would love to live in. We pay all our professionals fair wages and class our business as an “Ethical” business with a transparent and open supply chain. We are more than happy to discuss this chain in detail, with any person or body, as we have nothing to hide.

Tragically, and we mean that with a capital T, we may, in the future be forced, to make our clothing offshore. Unfortunately the support is no longer in Australia for the industry, not every consumer what to pay for a garment that is Australian Made, we have all become to used to “Cheap, imported garments”. While this sounds all bad, it’s not all that bad. You see if our clothes are made where the fabric starts its life (is grown etc.) it will actually make less of an impact on the environment. Talk about a contradiction, but let’s be honest, less transport means fewer emissions; you get the picture. In the meantime, where feasible, we will always attempt to utilise local businesses for all our production needs, such as screen-‐printing, pattern making, pattern cutting, sample making, admin services and mentoring.

Over the years, we have established personal relationships with all of our makers, crafts people, cutters, printers etc. We see it as the circle of life scenario. You see, when you buy locally you are supporting a whole network of people and their families. Like you, they pay bills and in doing so spend their money locally, which in turn supports other businesses, and their families. Even if we had to make our products overseas, many of the local creative people would stay in our circle.

Dying Process

Most of our fabrics are dyed using a low impact dyeing process, that is restricted to the use of dyes and dye mixtures that are free of heavy metals. The only additional chemicals used on some of our fabrics are salt and soda ash. Each supplier has different methods, but we try to only source from suppliers whose practices are environmentally sustainable and who are always looking at new ways to reduce the impact of their textile production. Many of our fabrics are acquired from GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) accredited companies. The aim of the standard is to define requirements to ensure organic status of textiles. These requirements commence at the harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing, up to labeling, in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer. The standards are part of the ongoing work to help the organic supply chain and in doing so further developing global organic fiber and textile infrastructures. We are also experimenting with vegetable and herb dyed textiles. Hate the old cliché thing, but the fact is they are almost pure enough to eat and possibly once the life cycle of the garment has finished you can simply throw them in your compost bin?

Trims

At Pure Pod, we design our products with minimal trims, most of which are made from natural sources such as wood, shell, bamboo and coconut. We minimise the use of any other trims that cannot support our sustainable ethos. As sustainability and eco concepts are still gaining legal footing we are limited to how we can be assured the quality of all products, how they are made and where they come from. Over the years of producing Pure Pod, we have found this area slowly growing and more trims suppliers developing more eco trims. Until uniformed regulations are put in place we will always err on the side of caution and suppliers who have certification.

Printers

Pure Pod’s printers are concerned about their impact on the environment. As printing processes and inks (we only use water-‐based inks) continue to become more eco-‐friendly, Pure Pod will continue to source printers that have the most sustainable processes.

Carbon Neutral

At Pure Pod, we believe that it is up to each individual business to understand, change, and put in place effective measures to minimise their “Carbon Footprint”. We believe that the first step toward a sustainable business is sustainable business practice. Makes sense to us. Paying for carbon credits should be the last resort for minimizing the environmental footprint. In other words -‐ go your own way. We don’t just believe in thinking about making a healthy planet; instead, we believe in active, positive solutions! We recommend you find a free carbon calculator online. This will help you estimate the size of your carbon footprint.

Green Energy

We run our studio on “100% Green Energy”, which is generated from solar, wind and hydro sources. We would never dictate to all our lovely makers and contractors to do the same, rather encourage, after all it’s all a personal choice. Just the sort of girls (guys) we are.

We Recycle & Use Eco-‐Products

In the day-‐to-‐day running of our office and production studio, we generate small amounts office and studio waste, It’s just how it works. So wherever we are and whenever we can, we recycle most of our paper products, fabrics, trims, plastic & glass. Most importantly, we re-‐use whatever we can. It just feels good.

Here’s how it works for us. For starters we definitely use a combination of 100% post-‐consumer recycled paper and partially post-‐consumer recycled paper for our office printing. Our swing tags use a combination of vegetable and non-‐digital print ink with waterless printing. We are conscious to use minimal packing supplies and whenever possible we will reuse supplier boxes for freight. We recycle packaging boxes from the local supermarket and shops, in fact most our material scraps are saved and made into “One Off” designs, used for mattress stuffing or given to local schools for craft projects. The 3 R’s -‐ Reuse, Recycle & Restore.

Plastic fantastic. Not us, unless we are sending stuff offshore and feel the need to protest! “Ban the Plastic Bottle” we say, use a re-‐fillable water container. We hate plastic and only use minimal amount when we absolutely have no other choice.

In terms of general consumables, we use recycled toilet paper, compact fluorescent light bulbs, re-‐manufactured printer cartridges (when appropriate to our needs) and eco-‐friendly cleaning products. We also use human powered transportation as much as possible -‐ walking or riding our bikes.

To lock down our eco footprint to an even smaller area, our studio is now based at our new cosy home, which we live with our beautiful little daughter. More often than not lunchtime is spent in our garden dreaming and planning our new veggie patch and we have chickens!!

Fabric Certifications & Fabrics -‐

Ok, here comes the real heavy stuff. It’s important to us, and to a lot of people, so grab your self a nice warm drink (Fair Trade coffee is our choice), get comfortable and enjoy the read. We have included a brief outline of Fabric Certifications from around the globe and some info on each of the fabrics we use.

Firstly, we are not textile experts, and do not promote ourselves as. We are merley designers with a passion for fashion, the environment and safe, fair and ethical manufacturing. We strive to find the best green & fair trade products available, but this is not always possible. In any case, we offer a product that we feel is fair and more sustainable for all concerned.

What has to be realized is that the certifications of most “Organic, sustainable & Fair Trade products”, may only cover a segment of each process or production. It’s literally a Mine Field, and what may be certified at the growing stage, may not be certified at the processing stage, what may be certified organic, may not be fair trade accredited. Its very frustrating and confusing, but as the consumer demand grows, so does the clarity of the processes.

Often fibers are only certified in the form they come in, and not in the finished fabric. In saying that, we try our best to source companies that are Fair Trade certified, only use low impact dyes and greener techniques for manufacturing the textiles and manufacture the fabrics ethically. Whilst not yet perfect these processes are changing daily with new technologies and strategies being put in place to make the fabrics cleaner and greener.

Pure Pod’s ethics and policies are to only work with fabric suppliers who are striving to change their production processes to have less impact on our planet. The industry is so new and ever changing, that many of the processes are developing literally on a weekly basis. Everyday we see changes and certifications that provide the manufacturers, growers and consumer with confidence, that more sustainable, environmentally friendlier techniques are becoming the norm, rather than a rarity. Pure Pod tries its best to find out as much about each fabric/trim we use, as possible, we will never “Green Wash”. If we don’t know, we will tell you. We are always on the look out for cleaner and greener fabric and processes to use.

Fabrics we use include but are not limited to, and below is a list of the main bodies that certify them -‐

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Organic Cotton Bamboo Soy Merino Wool

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Silk Organic Cotton Denim Linen Hemp

GOTS

The aim of the GOTS standard is to define sustainable requirements to ensure organic status of textiles. The target is to begin the clean process with the harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing (including labeling) in order to provide a credible guarantee to the end consumer. This standard for organic textiles covers the production, processing, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, exportation, importation and distribution of all natural fibers. The final products may include, but are not limited to fiber products, yarns, fabrics and clothes. Most of our off shore fabrics are GOTS certified. If they’re not, the company uses a low impact dying method and low impact chemicals. http://www.global-‐standard.org/

Control Union

Control Union Certifications (part of the Control Union World group) is an independent, internationally operating organisation that carries out inspections and issues certificates for sustainable production methods. CU promotes the proper designation of products, which have been cultivated according to sustainable production methods by means of supervising, testing, inspecting, assessing and certifying them. To co-‐ordinate its operations as closely as possible with the local situation, CU has offices worldwide. It is the policy of Control Union Certifications to delegate inspection and certification activities to local CU offices with a view to reducing the costs and to improve the service. For the textile industry we offer two certifications: The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and Organic Exchange certification. http://www.controlunion.com/pcu/fs3_site.nsf/htmlViewDocuments/52EB51CD3F041B0BC12575D100238DDA

ZQUE (Pure Merino Wool)

Social responsibility requires more than just lip service. Zque™ is about acting responsibly and respectfully to promote stability and sustainability throughout the value chain. The Zque program encourages these attributes as well as the health and safety of those living, working and visiting Zque accredited farms through the Health and Safety Employment Act (1992) and Employment Relations Act (2000). Zque Certification provides a transparent traceability scheme that allows you to identify and track Zque fibre, from the brand to the farm. This ensures the desired fibre quality is maintained, and that product and system integrity is not compromised.

http://www.discoverzque.com/

IMO

Some of our fabric suppliers use IMO. The Institute for Marketecology (IMO) is one of the first and most renowned international agencies for inspection, certification and quality assurance of eco-‐friendly products. IMO creates confidence. It is our task to establish truthfulness between both sides, one producing sustainable high-‐ quality products and the other buying them. The major aim is not just the product and its quality alone but above all the people involved in the projects. It is important to support their work by respect and cultural understanding. http://www.imo.ch/logicio/pmws/indexDOM.php?client_id=imo&page_id=home&lang_iso639=en

Fair Trade Association

Fair Trade promotes trade equality and justice. From producer through to consumer. It is about ensuring the choices we make have a positive impact on our lives, the lives of others and the environment. The Fair Trade movement involves supporting several expressions of Fair Trade, focusing on two forms: Fair Trade such as gifts and craft products and Fair Trade Certified products such as coffee, tea etc. -‐ labeled by the Fair Trade Association. The Fair Trade Association provides fair trade advocacy support/networking for its members, key programs around the world. Pure Pod uses, where possible Fair Trade accredited products from overseas, and if we eventually move to manufacturing “off-‐shore”, any manufacture we use will have to be Fair Trade Accredited. Please don’t get confused though between ethical manufacturing and organic certifications, they are totally seperate, and most of the time not linked at all.

http://www.fta.org.au/ Ethical Clothing Australia

Ethical Clothing Australia’s accreditation and labeling system (an Australian Government/TCF Union backed scheme) helps consumers make an informed choice for ethical shopping. When you see the Ethical Clothing Australia trademark on a garment, it means everyone involved in its production have received fair wages and worked in decent conditions in Australia. Pure Pod’s current organic cotton supplier OCC Apparel is accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia. Pure Pod is not accredited by Ethical Clothing Australia. Currently, within our supply chain, we use “professional” machinists that choose to work from the comfort of their own homes. The government & unions class these professionals as Outworkers or Homeworkers. Due to the legislation backed by the TCF Union & Ethical Clothing Australia, these professional women/men are not recognised to negotiate fair wages for themselves, nor able to run their own business from home or operate as contractors (even if they have an ABN). Which means small business’s like Pure Pod and other small designers, have to treat them as employees and guarantee them a certain amount of hours work per week. As a small business we see these professionals no different to Book Keepers, Graphic Designers, Cleaners or Mechanics, which we all only use when required and pay for services rendered. Pure Pod sees this legislation as discrimitory and against and individuals right to operate a business from their own homes. Pure Pod believes in Fair Wages and Fair Conditions, we have an open and transparent supply chain and will always pay professionals what they are worth. We back the idea and concept, but feel that it needs more thought and planning to protect all concerned. http://www.ethicalclothingaustralia.org.au

Organic Cotton

Organic cotton is an ecologically responsible fiber. Unlike conventional cotton, which uses more chemicals than, wait for it, any other crop, organic cotton is never genetically modified. Organic cotton is grown without the use of toxic pesticides or fertilizers. Methods such as beneficial insect releases, strip cutting of alfalfa and new weeding machinery help reduce the environmental impact of cotton crops. This means it’s seriously clean cotton. Seriously.

Integrated soil and pest management techniques -‐ such as crop rotation and introducing natural predators of cotton pests -‐ are also practiced in organic cotton cultivation. All organic cotton producers must meet GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) standards in their cultivation and production practices. Both the land and crops must be inspected and certified each year.

Now, here is the somewhat confusing part for a lot of people. Natural fibres are not the same as organic fibres. Natural fibres are made from either a plant or an animal source. Cotton for instance is from a plant along with linen, hemp, jute, ramie, banana, pineapple, sisal and natural bamboo. Silk, cashmere, mohair and wool are made from animal sources. There are also manufactured fibres such as polyester, nylon and rayon.

Cotton is a natural fibre and is grown in over 100 countries around the world, it is very popular and makes up 40% of all the fibre sold in the world. The way in which cotton is grown is what determines if is conventional cotton or organic cotton. Conventional cotton is grown with the use of chemicals such as pesticides, where as organic cotton is grown without the use of harmful chemicals.

Conventional Cotton v’s Organic Cotton -‐

Conventional: Millions of people around the globe are poisoned each year by pesticides used in growing conventional cotton.

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Organic: Through the process of growing the cotton organically it prevents chemicals, which are harmful from entering our waterways, the air we breathe and the soil in which it’s grown.

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Conventional: ‘Conventional cotton occupies 3% of the world’s farmland, but uses 25% of the world’s chemical pesticides and fertilisers (pesticide action network www.panna.org).

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Organic: ‘International production of organic cotton was 6,368 metric tonnes, or in excess of 14million pounds. All grown without harmful chemicals.’ (www.gecoz.net.au).

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Conventional: Through the use of harmful chemicals it puts people, livestock and the environment at risk. When these chemicals affect livestock it can also affect other industries such as exports of meat. This occurred in Australia 1994 when beef was found to be contaminated by the cotton insecticide(R) (Clorfuazuron). In this instance both meat and milk were both found to be contaminated, which resulted in the importing of beef from Australia to be suspended by various countries. Beef exporters in Australia have since lost millions of dollars due to other countries concerns over chemical contamination. Organic: When cotton is grown organically it eliminates some of the most toxic chemicals used in cotton which in-‐turn protects our livestock, people and the environment.

Conventional cotton -‐ ‘In California, five of the top nine pesticides used on cotton are cancer-‐causing chemicals (cyanazine, dicofol, naled, propargite and trifluralin). In Egypt, more than 50% of cotton workers in the 1990s suffered symptoms of chronic pesticide poisoning, including neurological and vision disorders.

In India, 91% of male cotton workers exposed to pesticides eight hours or more per day experienced some type of health disorder, including chromosomal aberrations, cell death and cell cycle delay. In the US, a 1987 National Cancer Institute Study found a nearly seven-‐fold higher risk of leukemia for children whose parents used pesticides in their homes or gardens. The World Health Organization estimates that pesticides poison at least three million people every year and 20-‐40,000 more are killed. Over 1 million Americans will learn they have some form of cancer and 10,400 people in the U.S. die each year from cancer related to pesticides:’

Organic Cotton -‐ In Peru, cotton farmers have saved over $100 per acre in pesticide and fertilizer costs by switching over to organic production. In Tanzania, organic cotton farmers plant sunflowers to encourage beneficial ants that feed on the larvae of the bollworm, and fertilize the soil with manure from their cattle.

In India, organic farmers intercrop cotton with pigeon peas and make insecticidal sprays from garlic, chili and the neem tree. In California, organic cotton farmers plant habitat strips of vegetation such as alfalfa near their fields as a refuge for beneficial insects.

It is interesting to read the above information because most people would not realise what they are contributing to when they purchase one cotton shirt. In fact the effects of purchasing, one conventional cotton t-‐shirt has an enormous effect on people working and living in cotton growing areas.

Can you make a difference?

Of course you can, even the smallest changes can make a difference to the environment. Australians however are in an even better position to make a difference, as we are one of the highest consumers of cotton worldwide. Due to our climate and lifestyle cotton is ideal for Australians and we consume lots of it. This in-‐turn means we are definitely in a position of power to make a difference and a positive change in the industry. If the majority of people demand organic cotton then organic cotton will be supplied as apposed to conventional cotton. It’s our choice, so please, if you are buying cotton, ask for ORGANIC, it just makes sense.

How does organic cotton become certified?

Organic cotton becomes certified by independent, state or private organisations depending on where in the world it is being produced. "Certified Organic" means the item has been grown according to strict uniform standards that are verified by independent state or private organizations. Certification includes inspections of farm fields and processing facilities, detailed record keeping, and periodic testing of soil and water to ensure that growers and handlers are meeting the standards which have been set.’ (Organic trade association www.ota.com) ‘Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-‐farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony -‐ (Organic trade Association www.ota.com). At Pure Pod we know, yes we’ve said it before, the process is not perfect but we’re all getting there, and the bigger the consumer demand is, the more common place organic will become.

Local organic cotton products –

This fabric is produced in Australia from certified organic cotton imported from India and Turkey. Each cotton bale is tested and classed by an independent body for its quality by the Australian Classing Services based in Narrabri, and the yarn is spun and certified by the Control Union (formerly SKAL) based in Victoria.

Further reading – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_cotton http://www.aboutorganiccotton.org/ http://www.ota.com http://greencotton.wordpress.com/about/ http://www.australianscience.com.au/biology/organic-‐cotton/

Wool

Wool is a favorite of knitters, because it is so satisfying to work with. It takes dyes well, and so many beautiful yarns can be made with fine wool or wool blends. Wool is ideal for winter garments because it repels water, and of course, it keeps us warm even in the coldest climates. Wool is wrinkle-‐resistant, annually renewable & natural. It’s durable and stain-‐resistant. Wool maintains its shape, and doesn’t need to be re-‐blocked. It is recyclable and biodegradable at the end of its life cycle. Wool felts easily in hot water (except bleached light colors, and any superwash wools). The natural crimp in the fibers make it easier to spin, since the fibers stick together naturally. Pure Pod’s wool currently comes from New Zealand and is ZQUE certified. There are a number of reasons we are using New Zealand Merino wool instead of Australian. The suppliers philosophy reflects their dedication to environmentally fabric manufacturing and finishing processes and most importantly the animals welfare. In New Zealand, Merino sheep graze on pasture in ‘free range’ condition throughout the year; this farming style is both ideal for the physical environment and the Merino breed. Farmers have developed systems that result in the production of high quality Merino fibre without damage to the environment. New Zealand’s Animal Welfare Act (1999) defines minimum standards that specify the obligations (including the physical health and behavioral needs of livestock) on people who own or are in charge of animals. No mulesing, or history of mulesing sheep, supply Zque Merino fibre. Further reading -‐ About Zque Organic Trade Association’s Organic Wool Fact Sheet Taos Center for Southwest Wool Traditions Vermont Organic Fiber Company Keep the Fleece

Bamboo

It's strong, grows up to a metre a day, needs little water and can isolate more carbon than trees. It looks amazing, it drapes perfectly, anti-‐bacterial and it's incredibly soft against the skin. It might come as a surprise for many, but we’re talking about Bamboo. Bamboo is an amazingly fine fabric. It has an almost breathable quality. In many respects it’s unique. Because bamboo is so malleable it’s ideal for baby clothes, snuggly fleece bathrobes, and knits worn right next to the skin. The finished fabric is silky and drapes beautifully. It doesn’t stick to the skin in hot weather or hold odours. The fabric launders well in the washer . It’s naturally more wrinkle-‐resistant than cotton or hemp, and also warmer. Bamboo fibers do not need to be mercerized. Bamboo is good for all seasons: it’s breathable in warm weather and keeps the wearer warm in cool weather.

Bamboo and sustainability

The bamboo plant (technically a grass) is an excellent example of sustainability – bamboo grows tall and fast, requiring little water and no pesticides. Bamboo is also partly deciduous with a lot of leaf and culm sheath drop and subsequent rejuvenation. Therefore the bamboo forest floor is constantly covered with a thick cover of leaf mulch, which, in turn, breaks down and naturally composts the soil.

Anyone who has ever tried to get rid of bamboo from their yard knows how resilient it can be! The plant doesn’t deplete the soil where it is grown, and it even absorbs more carbon dioxide than a tree of similar size. Bamboo is a real alternative to wood, and many producers now use bamboo for flooring, furniture, dishware, and other products as well as textiles.

In order to make bamboo into yarn, the stalks are liquefied and then extruded by machine through spinnerets into threads, which are then spun into yarn. The process is similar to how rayon is made, so sometimes bamboo textiles are referred to as “bamboo rayon” or “bamboo viscose”. Other cellulosic (fibers derived from cellulose) such as lyocell (made from wood pulp) and modal (made from beech wood) are processed this way also. Some people are concerned about the production of bamboo textiles because the process uses caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), which is dangerous in large quantities.

Our fabric suppliers work closely with manufacturers to ensure that the fabrics are made using more bio enzymes to help minimize environmental impact. They use advanced wastewater treatment systems and have strict controls on exhaust emissions.

It is possible to make bamboo fibers from the plant’s stalk, rather than from pulp (the way hemp and linen are made), but currently few manufacturers are doing this, and true bamboo linen (as it would be called) is rare.

Despite this many people agree that right now, bamboo viscose is clearly a more sustainable choice than conventional cotton; we hope that market demand will lead to further research on cost-‐effective ways to process bamboo without chemicals, to fully harness the promise of this fast-‐growing crop.

Further reading – Growing the Future of Bamboo (GreenBiz) Bamboo: The Facts behind the Fiber Bamboo Fiber: Greenwash or Treasure?

Hemp

The beneficial qualities and uses of hemp have been widely documented: it’s a hardy and fast-‐growing plant, inexpensive to grow and beneficial for the land. Hemp is naturally one of the most ecologically friendly fabrics and also the oldest. The Columbia History of the World states that the oldest relics of human industry are bits of hemp fabric discovered in tombs dating back to approximately 8,000 BC. Hemp fibers and seeds have thousands of uses, from textiles to building materials, bath and body products to nutritional supplements.

In fact, thanks to its combination of ruggedness and comfort hemp was utilised by Levi Strauss as a lightweight duck canvas for the very first pair of jeans made in California 1873 from “Duck Canvas”. Unfortunately, because hemp is a variety of Cannabis sativa L., and a relative of marijuana, it is currently illegal to grow hemp in many parts of the world, but this is changing.

Hemp has a long and important role in the history of textiles. Because of its strength and durability, the fiber was primarily used for heavy-‐duty fabrics such as sails (the word “canvas” is derived from “cannabis”). Today, hemp fabrics are as diverse as the people who wear them. Hemp fans love the fabric for many reasons:

Hemp fabrics soften with washing and wearing, becoming even more comfortable over time.

Hemp fiber is naturally mildew-‐resistant, antimicrobial, UV protecting and even fireproof !

Hemp fibers have exceptional durability and strength, so they won’t tear or abrade even with frequent use.

Modern hemp and hemp blend fabrics include linen, silk, jersey, denim, fleece, french terry, and canvas. Hemp blends make the fabric softer to wear & gives the other fibres strength and durability.

Hemp launders beautifully, with no special care required (go ahead, put it in the washer )

Hemp is less prone to wrinkling than linen.

Hemp is a renewable resource, which grows more quickly and easily than trees making hemp more cost effective than waiting decades for trees to grow to be used in man-‐made fiber production such as lyocell and rayon from wood pulps. Hemp plants grow extremely fast, and do well in almost any climate. The same components that make hemp fabrics anti-‐bacterial and mildew-‐resistant also make the crop naturally resistant to pests. Hemp requires no or very little use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or even fertilizer. It’s also resistant to weeds because it grows so fast and tall, blocking out sunlight to smaller plants. Hemp's low lignin content reduces the need for acids used in pulping, and its creamy color lends itself to environmentally friendly bleaching instead of harsh chlorine compounds. Less bleaching results in less dioxin and fewer chemical by-‐products.

Unlike more delicate fibers such as flax, hemp can be grown in the same field year after year with no negative impact on the land (flax crops must be rotated in order to prevent soil nutrient depletion). Its long root system aerates the soil and helps control topsoil erosion. Industrial hemp is grown in over 30 countries, and the United States is the largest consumer market for its products.