Awareness about Organic products is growing. As demand for these products increases, we can see a massive change in the health of ourselves and our Earth! Last week we talked about something many people overlook, fabrics. Today we’re happy to interview Gaby from The Organic Fabric Company to share a little more with you about the benefits of organic textiles.
Thanks for taking some time to share with us about your company. Tell us a little bit about what Organic Fabric Company is and why you started the company.
Hello! I’m Gaby! My husband and I are the owners of Organic Fabric Company. Though I am the principal operator, we work as a team and could not do this apart from one another. We started our shop because I realized that finding a consistent source of certified organic fabric was really difficult. My other business of 10 years relied heavily on organic fabric so as I began purchasing more and more of it wholesale, I needed an outlet to unload extra yardage. This is where Organic Fabric Company was born! We began in a small bedroom closet and within a few months grew into a 600 sq. ft. warehouse!
What are some of the benefits of using organic fabrics?
Organic fabric is beneficial for many reasons both for the individual as well as for the collective of society. Organic fabric comes from organic crops—primarily cotton. Organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and is not genetically modified. This is important because agriculture is grown by human beings who are exposed to the crop environment. I think we often forget about the human impact on societies that are far from us. Out of sight, out of mind. Contaminants get on their clothing, skin, and in their lungs. They take these contaminants home and their families are exposed to chemicals in doses most of us will never experience. Once cotton is harvested, it must be processed. In addition to reviewing how crops are grown and what is and isn’t in them, organic certification ensures that all labor from seed through manufacture is ethical and that laborers are not slaves, servants, and have safe work environments, et cetera. For the end consumer, many of these chemicals can not be easily washed off, so we get constant low doses of a lot of nasty stuff.
Do you have any words of encouragement or support you’d like to share with women?
All of this can seem daunting. Keeping chemicals out of the kitchen, our food, and now our fabric?! This can seem too big a task to take on, but just small changes make a huge difference! You don’t have to change everything all at once, just small steps and educating others are an amazing start.
What other tips would you give to women looking to remove toxins and waste from their homes?
For those who feel that they really want to make a huge change now, I’d encourage you to begin with your food, cosmetics, and fabric! Nourishing our bodies with health is vital and our skin is our largest organ, so eliminating chemicals in these three areas is a major shift. When you can’t get organic fabric for a certain project, try to stick with natural fibers (cotton, hemp, silk, linen to name a few).
Where can our readers go to find out more information?
I have some great info with a lot of links on our shop blog for those who would like more info. https://www.organicfabriccompany.com/blogs/blog/why-organic
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
A final word: just remember that small changes make a big impact and large corporations only understand one thing: money. We speak and live our values most clearly through where we spend our money. Shop less and spend more conscientiously. This is what creates a larger supply and what will shift our world market into more sustainable and ethical industries!
Thanks, Gaby, what wise words you’ve shared with us!
The Organic Fabric Company has graciously offered us a coupon code for 20% off poplin, knits, and flannels with code MoonCup20
