WELCOME TO ICKLE ECO BAMBOO...
We know that parents care passionately about choosing the best products for their baby, which is why we at Ickle Eco care just as passionately about the quality of our products. Here we have tried to explain a little bit more about the production and technical processes we use, but you can always contact us if you want to know more.
SO WHY BAMBOO?
Your skin has the ability to absorb chemicals very effectively. Your baby's skin is 5 times thinner than yours, making it far easier for any chemicals and harmful toxins to enter their bodies. You may not know this, but the average cotton t-shirt is made up of only 73% cotton. The other 27% is made up of chemicals used to grow and make it. So, all of a sudden – cotton clothing doesn't look like the best option for your baby. So what's a better option? Cotton is lightweight, breathable, cheap, takes well to dyes, is durable, dries quickly – you name it, how could anything else be better than cotton? Well, bamboo is better than cotton!
You see, bamboo beats cotton on every count...
- Bamboo is a natural, renewable and sustainable resource that can be made into fabulous, easy-care fabrics
- Bamboo is more breathable than cotton
- Bamboo fabric is a natural temperature regulator with fantastic insulating properties. Unlike any other fabric, it remains cool to the touch. In hot weather, it will keep your baby cooler than regular fabrics in the equivalent knit or weave
- It's almost 4 times more absorbent than cotton but it dries twice as quick keeping your baby drier and more comfortable than any cotton or polyester fabric
- It will not hold odour
- It's naturally hypoallergenic, anti-bacterial and antimicrobial making it ideal for sensitive baby skin, particularly babies with infantile eczema
- Bamboo is naturally hypoallergenic, mild and gentle – perfect for baby's sensitive skin, therefore there will be no allergic reactions as with other natural fibres such as cotton, wool or hemp. This is because bamboo fibres are naturally smooth and round without any chemical treatment, meaning there are no sharp spurs to irritate the skin
- It has a natural UV Protection, making sure your skin stays safe and healthy in the sun
- It is mould and mildew resistant
- It's buttery-soft to the touch yet it is more durable than cotton
- It's machine washable
- It's 100% biodegradable making it more ecologically sound than cotton
Must we go on... in fact it's just brilliant and we love it!
So, let's tell you a little more about bamboo's green credentials and its impact on our environment:
Bamboo grass is the world's fastest growing plant. Unlike traditional hardwood, bamboo can be selectively harvested every year without destroying the green forestry. It is a totally renewable and sustainable resource and is intrinsically organic. It doesn't require pesticides because it doesn’t attract pests; it repels them. Bamboo doesn't require the use of chemicals or fertilizers because it grows prolifically, spreading rapidly across the land without effort, like a weed. If a branch is snapped off, a new one begins to grow.
The root system is long and strong and the roots hold each other up to withstand high winds and storms. Crop rotation or intercropping is not necessary because bamboo naturally replenishes the soil in which it roots. As local farmers know, if you leave bamboo to grow on its own without much effort, the yield is excellent. As a result, plantations can easily be kept organic and replanted yearly to replenish stocks.
Bamboo produces 35% more oxygen that an equivalent stand of trees making it a critical element in the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It also requires no irrigation!
The bamboo grass used to produce the fibre is called Moso bamboo; a tall trunk species that is actually a type that panda bears do not eat.
Our bamboo is grown to international organic standards in China. Sadly it is not yet possible to obtain organic certification for bamboo, but The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan together with WWF-China and the Ford Foundation is working on a feasibility study for bamboo certification.
ORGANIC COTTON:
We have chosen to use a blend of 70% bamboo and 30% organic cotton as this helps to prevent the garments from losing their shape, adding extra durability. Our cotton is 'organic' because it is grown without chemicals, pesticides or fertilizers. Organic growing offers many benefits: improved soil fertility, decreased costs and increased revenue, less water is needed than with traditional cotton, as organic methods help retain moisture in the soil and promote porosity. Also, the food crops produced alongside the cotton are more healthy as they do not come into contact with industrial agricultural chemicals.
CLOTHING PRODUCTION PROCESS:
Ickle Eco uses fabric made from bamboo and organic cotton. It contains no spandex or lycra, in fact, it contains no man-made fibres at all because we want our clothing to be as pure and natural as possible. Neither does it have any silicone coatings or softeners applied during the finishing process.
All textiles require processing and the processing methods all involve the use of chemicals or solvents and some more harmful than others. We believe it is essential that the chemicals used in the production of our textiles do not have a negative impact on either human health or the environment. This is why we guarantee that the bamboo fibre used in our products is OEKO-Tex 100 certified. The OEKO-TEX 100 certificate states that there are no chemicals present, at that point in the manufacturing process that are harmful to human health, including that of babies. Click here if you want to read more about OEKO-Tex 100
The chemicals that are used to process the fibre into yarn are a well kept patented secret. The process involves hydrolysis-alkalization and multi-phase bleaching. As we research further into the production, we understand that most of the chemicals used in processing the fabric are used in amounts that are managed and controlled for safety.
The main chemical used in the process is Sodium Hydroxide, otherwise known as caustic soda. An organic chemical, Caustic soda is one of the most widely used in the world. It is used in many industries in the manufacture of pulp and paper, textiles, drinking water, bio diesel, soaps and detergents and on nearly all cotton fabrics, including organic cotton, during wet processing, and whilst it is a strong chemical, it poses no health hazard if used and disposed of properly. Its use on textiles is approved under the Global Organic Textile Standards.
Once a fibre has been broken down from the raw form, it needs to be rinsed, rinsed and rinsed again. Traditional cotton processing uses more water for rinsing than for bamboo. Bamboo production uses water without additives rather than chemical rinses like cotton.
The fibre is then spun into a yarn. Our yarns are certified 'Sino spun' yarns, which give our clothes a more luxurious and softer feel than other bamboo fabrics currently on the market.
ORGANIC & ETHICAL BAMBOO:
Because we care for the workers as well as the environment, we insist our fabric is produced in an SA8000 certified environment . This is the universal standard for ethical sourcing and guarantees that our mill meets agreed standards for Health & Safety, working hours, fair pay etc.
DYEING:
All the dyes used in the process are low impact and are recycled after use.
IMPORT:
We source our freight ethically too – ensuring our product enters the UK by sea and not by air-freight.
DESIGN & PRODUCTION:
At this point, our fabric has been grown organically without harming the environment; it has been processed by workers who work under fair trade conditions and has been spun carefully to ensure a product which is as soft and gentle on the environment as it is on baby's skin.
Finally our clothing is designed, cut and sewn in the UK which we monitor regularly, to ensure our high standards are maintained. Our prints use the most technologically advanced water based inks available and our printer has eliminated all solvents from the process. The inks contain no chemicals at all including no PVC, phthalates, lead or other heavy metals and are very environmentally friendly. They are certified to OEKO Tex Class 1 and are suitable for use on baby clothes for under 2's.
As you purchase your Ickle Eco clothing, you can be sure the fabric has been grown, processed, sourced and sewn with tender loving care, to standards we can all be proud of.
