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Live Green: Clothing for a sustainable world

Posted by KK on September 1, 2010 at 1:57 PM under

Longing for clothing reflecting the concerns about sustainability, Natural Clothing Company introduced their own basic clothing line. The fabric used is organic cotton, sustainably grown in Texas. Th line is inspired by people comments of what they need and like. Simplicity.

“I like the message ‘Live Green’ and the symbols of simple life. These garments are stating a wish, not a demand and are usually met with a smile,” the owner says — at least in places like her local Farmers Market in Snohomish, Washington.

Natural Clothing Company commitment to sustainability shows in its vegan, natural and organic clothing store where you may search clothing choices by fiber – hemp, organic cotton, bamboo and even soy fiber reclaimed from making tofu.

“Live Green” selection consists of natural, mostly unbleached certified organic cotton. Nothing is printed with PVC containing plastisol – so garments are a great choice for people with sensitive skin. While every manufacturing step involves some compromise, “I try to navigate the best possible choices, there is always more room to keep raising the standards higher” owner explains. organic cotton grocery bag

“There are so many people with skin problems, having hard time with chemically laden clothing. Also, since I am a gardener, the bottom line for me is: after the years of use, if I can throw the clothes into my compost, because they don’t have toxins, metals , PVCs and so on, they will decompose and improve the soil, help grow vegetables. You can feel really good about it.”

You can find out more about Live Green clothing at NnaturalClothingCompany.com/live-green-cotton-organic-clothing

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Natural or un-Natural: anti-electromagnetic and anti-bacterial clothing

Posted by KK on August 19, 2009 at 2:18 PM under

organic fashion, organic style, sustainability

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In our not-so-natural anymore world I ask myself this question a lot: how much technology do we really need and want in our life to live better?

It is a very interesting question. Nano-technology fascinates many by binding particles like silver, with its anti-bacterial properties, with common materials presumably for our benefit. But there are also serious opponents of that technology with valid concerns about possible health dangers. As the owner of Natural Clothing Company, I come across much of different and often very interesting information, which does not have a clear cut answers.

Take for example the Chinese Hebei Metals & Minerals Corp, a producer of fiberglass insulation, mineral wool and calcium silicate insulation. These products make an organic person like me shiver… But let’s look. The company is exploring other hi-tech applications as production and sale of the anti-electromagnetic radiation fabric, anti-static fabric and apparel. Their anti radiation material was used by for astronauts. Hebei_22

As many holistic people confirm, there is a growing concern about the effects of electromagnetic wave (microwave) and increased by it cell temperature on human organisms. Hence the concept of anti-electromagnetic radiation fabric was born, shielding 99.99 percent of harmful electromagnetic waves.

Hebei other path of research involves two naturally occurring materials like bamboo fiber & silver, then spinning and weaving together. The result is an anti-bacterial fiber, which retains its properties with washing, sun etc. On a surface, sounds like natural product. Is it?

OK, my actual question is: can we really protect ourselves from ill effects of technology by increasing our use of the technology itself? Are we playing catch-22 with ourselves?

Hemp, bamboo, even soy have inherent anti-bacterial properties serving us, as in case of hemp for thousands of years. Well, does it protect from electromagnetic waves? Who knows… I know the vibrations of natural fibers do increase our well-being, consciously or subconsciously. When you put on natural fiber clothing, your body registers something, a vibe of goodness, a breath of relief. Maybe a solution is a “middle path”: we limit the offensive forces in environment, while we work like crazy to grow and process natural fibers organically. If we fast enough we might repair some of the damage to our earthly home and ourselves. What do you think?

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The World Without Us

Posted by KK on July 31, 2009 at 2:35 PM under

Environment, nature, recycling, sustainability

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I finally got to read “The World Without Us” by Alan Weisman. What a book! I heard a lot about it, so I expected somewhat of a dry preaching about the state of planet, how messed up we are and what exactly will happen to each species. What a surprise! The book is not like that at all.

Puszcza_sm It is wonderfully easy to read, elegant prose that taught me many things that I have never heard about. I learned about the ancient 18 stories deep underground dwellings in Turkey, provided shelter through thousands years of conflicts since 700 BC. I read with interests about place close to my heart – a 600 bison preserve in my native Poland. Alan Weisman writes about hundreds of small colorful details but paints them so lightly that you don’t feel overwhelmed but opposite – intrigued. Alan weaves gently like a painted landscape of watercolors. As a reader you see different parts and eventually very slowly a bigger view reveals itself. Somewhere within the book, casually, a deeper understanding grows. It is about our role as species in regards to this planet called home. What was here before and what might be after… The nagging question starts to arise – what value did we really bring? What about all art, music, architecture? What did we really contribute here? What is the legacy we would leave? And who will be left to even theoretically benefit from our time limited presence?

It occurred to me that this question is a large scale of the true question that we try as parents to instill in our son’s and daughter’s hearts. “More ice cream” seems fun now. “Play now, work later” seems fun for a while. ”I’ll try it just once…”, well, we know what happens… It is only if we look at things in magnified terms of long period of time or larger magnitude than ourselves, “what happens if we do all the time?”, “what if all others do the same?” that gives insight and correct judgment on the direction worth taking.

Alan Wiseman presented us that large scale very skillfully, showing gently by facts where we are heading, without the drama or nagging. It is very probable that each of us will take completely different lesson from that book. One thing is sure, we will never will look at the world the same.

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Why can't we grow hemp?

Posted by KK on May 26, 2009 at 2:43 PM under

hemp, natural fibers, organic fashion, organic style, sustainability

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hemp_plant Hemp has served mankind for thousands of years, discovered in ancient civilizations at least 8000 B.C. Was grown widely in U.S. by colonial farmers including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. With such a long history, why is it illegal to grow it here? Is it a relation to the marijuana family? Hemp fiber is harvested from the large annual plant Cannabis Sativa. This industrial hemp has negligible alkaloid content and cannot be used for any drug. Canada, China, most of the European countries like France, England and many more allow growing and processing hemp - they don't have problem with distinguishing the difference. What is different about US?

You can eat it, wear it, us it but not grow it. But hemp is the fastest growing agricultural crop, gentle on the land, requiring no chemicals in its cultivation. It produces more fiber yield per acre than any other source. It leaves the soil in excellent condition for any succeeding crop. It adds rich organic matter to the topsoil and helps retain moisture. Studies done in Poland show evidence that hemp is excellent plant to remove metals and toxins from the soil, multiplying its environmental benefits. Is it possible that we simply don't want (or care) about environment as much as we claim?

In any way, it is one of the strongest and most durable of all natural textile fibers. It will outlast the competition. In the mid 1980's, researchers developed an enzymatic process to successfully remove lignin from the hemp fiber without compromising its strength for multitude of uses: including textiles, energy generation, paper, construction, bio-plastics, food, cosmetics, and more. It is its comfortable and the more is used, the softer it gets. Hemp fabrics are great for people with sensitive skin because of the lack of bleaching agents used in the processing. Some of its amazing qualities is the resistance to mold and ultraviolet light. The porous nature allows hemp to "breathe," so that it is cool in warm weather and the air trapped in the fibers makes it naturally warm in cooler weather. Due to the porous nature of the fiber, hemp will retain its color better than other fabrics.

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