Organic Fabric Stores

Organic Choices for Consumers

Given how many items are now labeled as organic or natural, how can consumers make the best choices?

Food Choices

The USDA organic label provides some assurance when it comes to food and other agricultural products such as organic wool and organic cotton. Yet most conscious consumers have a sense that organic food standards are now lower than they used to be, even though we may not be able to track all the variables ourselves. Because there is increasing profit in the organic niche, big business is now much more involved. These market forces are influencing organic standards as well.

On top of shifting standards, it’s also evident that many “organic” labels are misleading, especially in bigger box stores.

Natural and organic mattresses are a little more complicated than food is, because there is no regulatory agency that oversees the labeling. As one manufacturer said, “You can say whatever you want until someone proves you wrong.” We think there’s simply too much room to mislead customers, and chemical industry lobbying is a potent and massive force that undermines the legitimacy of smaller companies that are trying to do the right thing.

Where does this leave the consumer? If there are 20 mattresses, all with the same descriptive terminology, how do you know which manufacturer is actually making an organic mattress and which is just hitching a ride on the words?

Here are a few principles for the consumer to follow:

1. Rather than try to choose your manufacturer from the start, start by eliminating companies who never had anything to do with organics and are newly pushing the concept, and then drill down to the relatively few reputable companies with a genuine interest in organics.
2. If a manufacturer is making all kinds of mattresses with memory foam, polyurethane foam, and “breathable” fabric, then they do not have a primary focus on organic or eco-friendly mattresses; and terming any of their products “organic” may be a misnomer.
3. There is no such thing as organic memory foam, although some companies call a hybrid foam that. Soy memory foams today are at most 30% natural, meaning that 70% of the foam is made from petroleum products.
4. As of today there is no large company manufacturing a certified organic mattress.
5. If a mattress is sold in a big box store, it’s very unlikely to be organic. There may be an organic cotton cover on it (if that), but that’s likely the only organic part.
6. If the cover fabric is stretchy, like a loose knit, it’s not organic fabric all the way through. Organic material does not include stretchy thread. Often organic fabric is layered on top of stretchy synthetic fabric because it creates a nice surface feel—so what you touch on top is organic, but underneath is not. (Because it will be covered by bedding anyway, the superficial feel of the cover should not be a deciding factor.)
7. If a mattress is labeled organic, the manufacturer or retailer should be able to produce authoritative, third-party certifications that verify the organic qualities of the materials used. If they can’t, the product is probably not organic.
8. The manufacturer’s website and mission statement should reflect genuine concern for personal and environmental health.

What are some stores that use organic fabric?

I’m trying to become more environmentally friendly and I want to which stores make at least some of their clothes out of organic fabric?

I think you should be looking more for brands, and then find what stores have them.

CozyPure Wool Moisture Pad Demonstration – Organic protection for mattresses

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Garden Botanika Dish Drying Mat, 16 X 18 Inches (Pack of 3) $17.97 Garden Botanika The Original Dish Drying Mat is an attractive waffle-weave microfiber mat that is super-absorbent, dries fast and resist stains. Padded to protect countertops and dishes, plus stores easily. Great for use under a dish rack. Also machine washable. Dimensions are16 inches x 18 inches….

Amazing Nut-Milk Bag from Elaina Love’s Pure Joy Planet $4.47 This is the original *AMAZING* NUT MILK BAG! In Increments of 100 bags for 4.25 each Ours is a one-gallon, oval-shaped, draw-string bag made, in the USA, of sturdy nylon so you can use it over and over again to make your own nut milk, juice, or sprouts. This works better than cheesecloth because it does not let pulp through and does not stretch out in the same way that organic materials do. Imag…

Organic Cotton Reusable Mesh Produce Bag (3 Pack) $13.95 A trip to the market can easily require 6 to 8 plastic produce bags. Our Reusable Mesh Produce Bags eliminate the need for these plastic bags. The 1/8 inch mesh fabric is highly stretchable and allows for easy identification of contents. It allows for excellent air circulation, perfect for pantry storage of large thick skinned produce like onions and potatoes, as well as refrigerator storage of ap…

Safer Brand 07270 Clothes Moth Alert Trap $6.49 Safer Brand Clothes Moth Alert TrapModel #: 07270Best Used For:Killing moths. Don’t let moths dine on your best dinner jacket! This trap alerts you to moth problems while it attracts and traps adult moths….

Owls Squirrels Tree – Loft 520 Kids Nursery Home Decor Vinyl Mural Art Wall Paper Stickers $15.99 …

Easy Gardener 1623 WeedBlock Natural Landscape Fabric – 40-Inch x 36-Foot $10.77 Landscape fabric made of polymer and PLA, an all natural polymer substitute made of corn. Stops weeds for years. Won’t harm plants and lets air and water penetrate. Roll is 40” x 36′….

Moom Nourishing Hair Remover With Moom, you are not ignoring your skin while removing unwanted hair. Moom is hair removal and skin care in one!Shaving and depilatory creams are not the answer for hair removal since they only cut the hair at the surface of the skin. The hair grows back quickly and coarsely. Although waxing removes the hair from the root, it damages the skin and is extremely painful. With waxing, you need pre/p…

Forever New Delicate Fabric Wash – 32 oz Accessory ( ) $17.00 Forever New is a pure, organic and biodegradable fabric care, formulated to gently clean, brighten and promote longer life in all fine washables. The natural base of citrus and sodas cleans then rinses completely from the fabric leaving no residue to damage fibers….

Snoozy Organic Flannel Cotton Waterproof Multi Use Pad – 2 Pack $14.99 A great option for moms looking to offer an organic product but still looking for waterproofing. Our quilted multi use pad is made with a surface layer of 100% organically-grow Cotton flannel with an allergy barrier that is a soft knit fabric backed with ultra-thin breathable, waterproof polyurethane membrane. It is sized to allow for shrinkage.  Multi Use pad for bassinet, carriage, diaper bag…

Equalizer Carpet Stain & Odor Eliminator 20 ounces aerosol $9.99 Removes organic stains & odors associated with pets: urine, feces, vomit, fresh blood, food, for cleaning stains associated with training, debilitated/sick animals, cat litter box aversion & elimination behavior problems. Use on carpets, floors, furniture, clothing, litter boxes, cages & pet sleeping area. Do not use on wood surfaces. No phosphates or CFCs….