1. GETTING MORE COMFORTABLE
In the next few months we will be releasing an Australian first, GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) Certified ‘Organic Latex’ Mattress Topper. This item will be sold separately in its own organic cotton cover and is currently being made overseas. While claimed to be ‘organic latex’ and manufactured to higher standards than what other retailers call ‘natural latex’ ‘eco latex’ ‘certified eco latex’ (by the way, there is no such organisation ECO Certified), ‘certified pure natural latex’ (again, no such organisation) or ‘100% latex’ we will be asking our most sensitive customers to be cautious. Like all the other phrases mentioned above, 100% latex is a marketing term to help lull you into a sense of pureness … but 100% latex is not even possible because latex is the actual sap from the rubber tree, and in order for latex to bake into the layers that form a mattress, curing agents must be added. This means that the final product can never be truly 100% Latex, or it would just be a sludgy mess. Read The Truth About Latex Mattresses – CONSUMER AWARENESS GUIDE.
We have made every effort to research the chemicals used in the production of both conventional latex and organic latex, so far without a great deal of success. However Maureen has been testing a prototype of our new organic latex mattress topper to provide relief from arthritic pain, and has found it to be comfortable and odourless.
Important Note: More details will be published when the precise information comes to hand. We ask that you do not bother our staff with questions until these products are formally released for pre-sale on our website, however, if you subscribe to our newsletter you will be among the first to know.
In the meantime, there is NO OTHER WAY to make a truly 100% Organic Mattress more comfortable than we already make our Organic Cotton Innerspring Mattresses. They are intended for the genuinely health conscious and especially for the chemically sensitive people who have no alternative but 100% Certified Organic Cotton. Organic Cotton is currently the best fibre on the planet that is durable enough to stand the test of time (Peter has had his Organature Organic Cotton Mattress for 15 years with no signs of deterioration). Organic Cotton requires no chemical additives in the manufacturing process and is the least likely of all to cause reactions in babies, allergy and asthma sufferers or with the ever increasing number of people who are finding that sensitivity to chemicals gives them headaches, makes them feel tired, nauseous, emotional, irritable, angry, hyperactive, lethargic or depressed.
What about wool? Wool is natural right?
It is, but many children and adults suffer with allergies and can have allergic reactions towards any type of wool, even organic or bio-dynamic wool. You know that tiny prickliness or heat you feel when you put wool next to your skin? That mild reaction can expand into something much worse. Read Facts, Fiction, Misconceptions & Myths Revealed [CONSUMER AWARENESS GUIDE].
Have you seen any bad press about the Innersprings In Mattresses? Read Is There A Health Risk From EMF’s and Innersprings In Mattresses and find out what we think.
2. GREATER TRANSPARENCY
We intend to tell more of our story so you can understand what makes us care so deeply about Certified Organics, why we’re so certain we are on the right track, what gives us the passion to keep leading the way to provide more people in Australia with Organic Bedrooms and how we can truly make a difference in this world (and in your life too).
Part of this transparency is already demonstrated in the previous section. Yes we are soon releasing a new mattress topper to the market, and because it is GOLS Certified Organic Latex, we have the legal right to advertise it as such — but we care more than most — we want to make sure our customers are given the most honest and accurate information. Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) is the first global standard set up by the Control Union for organic latex. One of the qualifications for this certification is that the product contains at least 95% certified organic raw material. The highest amount of natural latex possible in a mattress is 95-97%. This means the remaining 3-5% consists of the curing additives that initiate vulcanization, which is the technical name of the chemical process used to harden rubber.
So we are openly disclosing that this new latex mattress topper may contain up to 5% of other materials. Yes, we could lightly call them curing additives, but they are also chemicals, and necessary in order to create the latex layers in the very center of the topper.
If you have a look around on the internet, you’ll see a myriad of manufacturers and retailers who DO NOT disclose this information because it would be harmful to their marketing efforts. We don’t believe we have to be like them. We know we can lead the Australian Retail Industry towards more transparency and gain an even stronger consumer confidence in the process. This mission of greater transparency, inspires us greatly.
3. NEW PRODUCTS IN THE PIPELINE
We’re usually pretty quiet about what we do behind the scenes to answer the many requests we receive from our customers. But as part of greater transparency again, we are letting you know that we do have a few other new items in the pipeline too.
Organic Latex Pillows. These are currently planned to be a similar composition as the Organic Latex Mattress Toppers, with an organic latex centre surrounded by layers of pure organic cotton. As there may be an issue with some of our more chemically sensitive customers having reactions to the latex itself, we suggest you buy one pillow first and see how you go with it — that way, if it isn’t suitable, you can use it in your guest room or give it away — no harm done, and it’s a simple and inexpensive way to test to see if something is right for you. Of course, most people will love these for the extra comfort they provide, and as every component will be either GOLS Certified Organic or GOTS Certified Organic, you are guaranteed to have the cleanest, safest, and (as close as humanly possible to) the truest Organic Latex Pillows available in the world.
Just subscribe to our newsletter and you will be among the first to know more.
New Colours. We also have 4 new organic cotton towel colours in the melting pot and also two new colours of organic poplin (commonly used for sheets, quilt covers, pillowcases etc.) now at the manufacturing stage. We prefer not to say any more until we have the actual stock published on our website as this creates so much extra work for the staff responding to enquiries when they are already so busy.
New Print. The item which is possibly closest to release is our new fabric design called ‘Sweethearts’. We are currently wash-testing for shrinkage and colour-fastness. This testing is a necessary part of our production process with every new batch of fabric, as our Certified Organic Fabrics are never treated with chemical dye setters like conventional fabric. It takes longer to get our organic products from conception to the point of sale for these very reasons. We care … we take the time to make sure it’s right … and it’s worth it!
Sometimes there are design or sewing errors or flaws that slip through the cracks, but we are grateful for every customer who has ever had some sort of issue, for their continued understanding, support and patience.
4. PLASTIC BAG AND WASTE FREE
We are recycling more and minimizing food waste in our kitchen by adding them to the compost. Staff are provided with Organic Calico Carry Bags or Organic Cotton String Bags to encourage the reduced use of plastic when they are shopping, not only at the supermarket but when clothes/shoe shopping as well. Then there are organic cotton produce bags, organic poplin hankies, organic cosy versatile wipes … every little thing makes a big difference!
We estimate that what we currently use is 95-98% biodegradable and we’d now like to raise our standards even further and increase this to 97 – 99%.
Since Organature commenced in 2003 we knew how important it would be to reduce the use of plastic, not just for the health of our planet, but for the improved health of people in general. Right from the beginning our linen products like sheets, quilt covers, mattress and pillow protectors have been packed in true cellulose film.
True cellulose is made from trees and is compostable and totally biodegradable, unlike those bags claiming to be biodegradable which need exposure to air and light to decompose!
We sell these cellulose bags and use them in our own homes to store vegetables and meat in the fridge and freezer. Handy for sandwiches, nuts, seeds, snacks, bread, fruit, and they are also ideal for the children’s lunches. Anything to replace plastic.
Even the care labels sewn into our Australian Made bedlinen are 100% cotton.
All our quilts, pillows, mattresses, futons and toppers are stored and supplied in organic cotton bags. The cord used to close these bags is 100% cotton. We use only small paper labels without photo illustrations to show product description rather than shiny plastic covered cardboard inserts.
Our larger items such as mattresses, futons and toppers, also have their own organic cotton bag and then, one only plastic bag is used to protect it from contamination and weather elements during transport. Packaging for postage and transport is in a new carton (or recycled where they have been previously used for organic textile products.) Cardboard tubes and cartons from our imported fabrics and finished goods are taken to the local recycle station.
After a recent trial run we have requested our organic cotton fabric supplier in India for our fabric rolls and other products to be wrapped in organic cotton fabric. They have assured us that this will take place commencing with goods due in our next container.
5. EMPOWERING MORE PEOPLE TO FEEL BETTER
We’ve recently re-defined ourselves as being in the business of “Helping More People Feel Better”. It can be so easy to get caught up in selling products, managing staff, production, testing, ordering, troubleshooting, handling customer issues etc. that you can forget what the purpose of your business really is and why you started in the first place.
Our greatest strength is being able to provide even the most chemically sensitive people, with clean, pure and healthy bedroom linen, beds, furniture and mattresses, manufactured, handled, packaged and transported to standards that are the highest in Australia (and probably equivalent to the highest you might find anywhere in the world).
Anna recently wrote: “I literally cannot purchase furniture from anywhere else! Thank you Organature Australia. Honestly don’t know where I’d be without you!”
Thanks to so many messages of appreciation, we’ve been sharing more tips that come from experience with managing and overcoming the symptoms of MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities) that provide other health conscious people with tips they made have not even considered. We’ll add another one here so you can get the gist of what we mean …
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This Weeks Healthy Living Idea
Fresh Air And Exercise. When you are feeling unwell and it’s hard to raise yourself to get up out of bed the thought of walking can sometimes seem impossible. We empathise.
If you can occasionally be encouraged, a short walk in the fresh air, along the beach, in the bush, ten minutes is all it need take. Don’t be discouraged if you only manage five minutes or some days none at all. Find something to acknowledge yourself for instead and keep your spirits up. Every bit helps and the pleasure this accomplishment brings will make you more inclined to do it again … and again.
A word of caution.
Stay away from busy streets and roads where traffic fumes can make you feel ill. Stay away from Botanical Gardens too. We learned the hard way. The heavy use of fertilizers and sprays can be very detrimental to what is hoped to be, a fresh air, life-giving walk.
Maureen Byl
(Organature® Co-Founder)
😊 😊 😊
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