Assessing how an item or a product is made is another key element to determining its environmental effects. We work with companies that make the commitment to manufacturing without chemicals that end up in the final product, or that get released into the environment. The mission to make things that perform better or feel softer, or that can be sold more cheaply can lead to the use of highly toxic and harmful processes. We choose products and fibres that avoid taking these shortcuts.
Textiles, for example, are transformed using many processes. Many naturally sourced fibres need to be broken down from hard, solid or rugged materials to make them fit for spinning into wearable fabrics. Examples of this are Bamboo, Hemp, Cellulose and Linen. When looking at fabrics made from these materials, we choose items that use either a mechanical or natural enzyme process rather than one that uses harsh chemicals. There are many third party certification bodies that help us with this research and selection such as Oeco Tex.
Textiles are also ofen bleached and dyed. We avoid bleached fibres and when items are dyed we find companies that use non-radioactive, heavy metal free earth pigments, vegetable dyes or fiber-reactive dyes in a closed-loop system, preventing any toxic substances from being released into the external environment. We also select companies based on their greater environmental concerns. We endorse efficient manufacturing that uses minimal energy and water and otherwise hold itself to high standards regarding environmental impact.