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In this article we will discuss why you should choose organic cotton for your bath towels, and how to know you are buying quality fabric that does not ultimately cause environmental damage or treat workers unfairly.
Why Buy Organic Cotton Bath Towels?
Fabric wraps us in our everyday lives in many ways. We sleep, sit and dry off with fabrics. We completely submerge ourselves into them. We love soft and cozy fabrics. We tend not to even think twice about what fabric is made of, or what impact it may have on a large scale.
It may surprise you that our lovely, soft fabrics are usually made of non-sustainable means, unfair work conditions and contain toxic synthetic materials. Getting that softness out of raw materials takes some measure of chemical manipulation. Chemicals are used to make fibers suitable for spinning and weaving.
One of those chemicals found in bath towels is formaldehyde. Why? What could formaldehyde possibly do for our fabrics?
- Permanent press / durable press
- Anti-cling, anti-static, anti-wrinkle, and anti-shrink
- Waterproofing and stain resistance
- Perspiration proof
- Moth proof
- Mildew resistant
- Color-fast
Fabrics to avoid in your bath towels:
- Acrylic
- Polyester
- Rayon
- Acetate
- Triacetate
- Nylon
- Anything labeled static-resistant, wrinkle-resistant, permanent-press, no-iron, stain-proof or moth-repellant
The Truth about Cotton production
It is a bit surprising. We may not realize the impact of growing and harvesting cotton in such mass production. We have changed and damaged the land. There is an environmental crisis from the pesticides used in growing cotton. We have made a large impact on people and their health.
- Cotton is grown on large sections of land: It takes a lot of land to produce cotton, depleting and damaging huge portions of the once healthy ground. Changing water content, and causing drought in some areas.
- Cotton is heavily sprayed with chemical pesticides: These chemicals are very dangerous when they go into our water and spread onto grazing land.
- Workers are treated unfairly: Many workers are not compensated fairly for their work and are forced to work without standers.
- Farmers have high expectations based on crop production: Some farmers can not meet a quota or are forced into debt to maintain production standards, new equipment, and crop expectations.
How is Organic Cotton Different?
Organic cotton has to come from a source that is following and maintaining high standards that prevent and do not participate in any of the above issues. Organic cotton is different because they support:
- Strict environmental standards
- Follow USDA guidelines
- Global organic textile standards
- Labor standards
Stay away from cheap organic products.
Yes, there is one more step in finding organic cotton towels, but I am here to help make it easier. There are a lot of products that call themselves organic but have obvious differences. Cheap is going to mean that the product was able to be produced in large scale production, most likely in sweatshops. Check what your product is made of, you might notice that it is mixed with other synthetic fibers.
Who makes the best organic cotton bath towels?
What makes us choose a more expensive towel simply because it is made with organic cotton? The fact is, that towel is not simple at all. A lot of effort and care has been put into making sure we are creating products that do not harm our earth or farmers.
We choose organic cotton bath towels because we want to make a vote with our dollar, and we want to purchase products that are sustainably made without compromising on quality and luxury.
My choice in organic cotton bath towels is Holy Lamb Organics. I can trust that their products are made sustainably and ethically. They are leading the way with strict standards and bringing us closer to a clean future.
Holy Lamb Organics is a company that has been a pioneer in the organic cotton movement. They are a company that is dedicated to producing the highest quality products with the strictest environmental standards. They follow the guidelines set out by the USDA National Organic Program, Global Organic Textile Standards, and the International Labor Organization.
All their cotton is handpicked by fairly compensated farmers. They work closely with them making sure that they are working in humane conditions.
Their contemporary and modern textiles are minimally processed, using only organic fabrics. They provide beautiful quality and products you can feel happy supporting.
Click here to see the organic cotton bath towel selection at Holy Lamb Organics, another company that is doing its part to create beautiful, sustainably handcrafted products using all natural and organic materials for a healthy, eco-friendly life.
A Healthy Choice for your Family
Choosing to buy organic cotton bath towels you will make a difference in your life. You will know you have provided safe and sustainable comfort to your loved ones.
A good point to make is, we use our towels daily, and they last a long time. It is worth the investment to make a big change for our future. Every little bit helps.
Thinking about changing other fabrics in your home? You can read our article on The Best Organic Bedding for a green home.
I truly hope I was able to help shed some light and provide valuable information on why you should choose to buy organic cotton bath towels. Our textile industry does not need to keep producing toxic and environmentally harmful products. If you are anything like me, I love a cozy, comforting bath towel, without all the unnecessary harm.
This post was originally published on February 1, 2016.
Christian says
Who would have known that formaldehyde was in cotton? wow, thats just crazy. I’ve been on the organic bandwagon for years and have never heard of this?! One thing I am aware of is that cotton is extremely pesticide intensive, just another reason to not use it. I personally prefer and advocate hemp. Keep the great posts coming 🙂
Best Organic Lifestyle says
Yes, you are right, cotton is heavily sprayed with pesticides. It is a dirty industry that needs to change. Hemp is a great fabric alternative. I own some hemp/cotton clothing and I love it.
DrSarahBrewer says
I have a thing about big, fluffy, soft cotton towels – especially bathsheets – especially when they are warmed. I can’t stand thin, rough, towels and once ordered some on line which had to be used as floor cloths they were so disappointing. Thanks for the tip – I hadn’t heard about this brand. Out of interest, what washing agent do you recommend to help keep them soft and white after laundering?
Best Organic Lifestyle says
You are so right, big, fluffy, soft towels are a dream to use. These towels are just that.
For laundering your towels:
– you will want to avoid fabric softeners (seems counter-intuitive, but these will stop being effective after several washes and actually damage your towels by building up in the fibers).
– Use 1 cup of vinegar in your wash to reduce chemical and hard water buildup and restore absorbancy.
– throw a few clean tennis balls in the dryer with your towels to fluff them up.
– half a cup of baking soda mixed with your detergent will help soften towels.
– Don’t use too much detergent, cut back on what you would normally use because soap residue will make your towels stiff.
– Only wash a small load of towels at a time, this way the washer and dryer can do their job properly.
– You can use bleach as needed to keep your white towels white.
– wash your towels separately from your clothes, and separate your colored and white towels.
Thanks for your comment and question, let me know if you have any others! 😀
Abe Dublevey says
Hey gals, I really like your site. Very important issues you bring up regarding our personal health and global environmental concerns that we all need to be aware of. The work you’re doing on this site is much appreciated. It’s good to see that so many aspects of our lives are now being addressed by those with our best interests in mind. They way you’ve organized the diiferent areas of concern and portray them throughout the site shows the depth of your desire to make a difference and change the status quo. So many people blindly purchase what appears to be good deals on the surface without really knowing what went on behind the scenes to get the product into their hands. Here they will find out … and some will be shocked and appalled. So be it. Isn’t it time that they wake up?
I started out learning about the reason we should choose organic cotton bath towels and who was the leader, in your opinion (which I value as you are more expert in this area than I) in providing them for our use. From there, I simply transversed the site and was pleasantly surprised by the amount of work you put into getting this information out to the public’s attention. I sincerely hope that this site makes it to the top of the search engines so that many more people will learn from what you have presented here with love and passion. Thanks for the education.
Best Organic Lifestyle says
Thanks so much for your comment Abe. We are proud of the work that we do, and we think it is very important for people to know where their products are coming from. Big companies are not going to change unless we consumers demand change. We can vote with our dollar, what we choose to buy has an effect on the world. It is time for us to wake up and make better choices.
Thanks for stopping in!
Evie says
You raise some really important issues in this article that really got me thinking. Whilst I always try and eat organic I have never thought about the makeup and production of towels. Yes I like big fluffy towels too. I’m currently looking to buy new sets as when I moved house last year I just picked up some cheaper ones to match the decor – and they are already feeling old and tired. Will look into these organic cotton ones.
Thanks for making me think
Best Organic Lifestyle says
Thanks for your comment Evie, cotton production is such an enormous polluter in our world. Using organic cotton really helps make the world a cleaner place.