Choosing the safest clothing and textiles means knowing something about the life cycle of how they were grown, processed, and made… and the only way to know anything about the life cycle of anything, is for it to have some serious certifications. Here, OECOTEXTILES explains textile certifications
https://oecotextiles.wordpress.com/2016/03/14/textile-certifications
Don’t forget to take a look at our new retail website (Two Sisters Ecotextiles) and let us know what you think. We’re still working out some kinks so your input is really appreciated.
In the textile industry, there are two third party certifications which are transparent and to which we certify our fabrics: the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and Oeko-Tex. Another logo you see on our site is the GreenSpec logo. To be listed by GreenSpec means that the products are best of class as determined by Environmental Building News.
What does it mean for a fabric to be GOTS certified?
The Global Organic Textile Standard, GOTS, was published in 2006. It was brought about through the combined efforts of organic trade associations of the United States, Great Britain, Japan, and Germany. GOTS aims to define a universal standard for organic fabrics—from harvesting the raw materials…
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Seriously "Sensitive" to Pollution 
I still can’t wear a PJ top I got for Christmas after numerous washes in a combo of non-toxic soap or vinegar or baking soda.
Was it off the shelf? Organic?
I’ve had to wash organic stuff repeatedly (and boil them too) but I haven’t had anything with the extra certifications yet.
It was non-organic cotton. It wasn’t a fragrance issue. Possibly the fire retardant stuff they put on PJ’s.
There are so many chemicals used in cotton, and textile processing, even when there isn’t fragrance! Have you looked at the “laundry decontamination protocols” I posted
I think so but I’ll look again. I’m trying to get my house on the market. I’ve pulled everything out of my attic. I am finding lots of things to react to. My baby clothes from over 50 years ago — are apparently still quite potent with toxic chemicals.
Eeks! Some of the chemicals last and last. I’ve had to let go of so many things that could not be detoxed.
Nostalgia is not worth getting sick over.
Agreed.
I’m not happy about what has happened, in fact, it makes me really sad… I really hate what toxic chemical exposures do to our brains when we have MCS/ES.
I’m pretty sure both of us have been experiencing difficulty communicating and with perspective due to the disabling effects of exposures.
I know I am. And I will be for quite some time.
People who know me know not to push when I’m like this… and I haven’t had to deal with something like this before, so I don’t have anything to draw upon now.
Too many people think I am in way better shape than I am just because I make an effort do things online instead of watching tv.
I don’t have a tv.
But I am going to watch a dvd now that someone loaned me… so over and out.
Wendy, the only part of our private conversation that I made public is your instructions to post the comment you made here to a public blog, the comment about which I emailed in private that I thought was better to withhold, along with my explanation of why I hadn’t responded to your comments on the other post.
You said:
“You are free to post my comment. In fact, I would like you to. I am not ashamed of it, or anything else. Wendy”
Please practice some self-care until you recover from the exposures, and I will do the same, as you are not making any sense to me.
Hi Linda,
Thank you for all the work you put into your blog and website. There are more and more people who are becoming sensitive to their environments – including myself. I looked through your website but couldn’t find anything on mattresses – any suggestion for those with MCS? It’s time for our old one to go (way too many aches and pains), but the only option I have found is the SAmina bed, which is sold from the States and sent to Canada. http://www.samina.us/
I got a quote last week at… (gulp) $16,000. I’m hoping you have found a local, more affordable option you could recommend (I’m a neighbour of yours, in Hamilton/Dundas).
Thanks for either responding to me or making this the topic of your next blog post
All the best
Hélène
Hi Helene,
There are at least a couple of bedding suppliers mentioned in the Chemical Free (we wish) tab at the top, and the one I have really intimate experience with is OBASAN. They are based in Ottawa and used to sell in Toronto via Grassroots Store, which closed last month, so I don’t know who else they deal with down there now, but you can check their website.
I have tolerated their brand new cotton and wool stuff (wool pillows, comforters, mattress pad) surprisingly well in the past, even when I wasn’t tolerating other organic textiles. The natural rubber I have had some problems with. They do (did) have samples back then, so perhaps you can ask them to send something wrapped in foil for you to test before committing to a whole bed.
You could then start with pillows and a mattress topper, and when you are sure those are ok, proceed to the rest of the bed. As they manufacture the beds on site, it’s possible they could do more customizing for you too, like if you needed more wool around the rubber to make it more tolerable, perhaps. I am thinking of asking for something like that when I run into some funding.
I did ask for some samples from Shepherd’s Dream (Canadian side) a few years ago and didn’t tolerate the textiles they used to cover the mattress etc with. I don’t think they were certified organic, especially not with life-cycle. However, if you tolerate more than I do (which most people do) they may be ok for you, as I’ve heard other people with “sensitivties” have done well with them. They make beds out of wool (not certified org the last time I looked a couple of years ago).
Samples can really help.
Hope you find something that works well for you! Sleep is so important.