Crafts Forum

by **Lucy** » Fri, 29 Aug 2003 02:25:16

Anyone know where in the UK or Europe I can source organic fabrics
suitable for cushion making? I have only found a couple of places so
far, both expensive. Any ideas much appreciated.

Lucy

by **Charli** » Fri, 29 Aug 2003 05:36:22

Organic as in looks natural, or organic as in "had no pesticides used on the
cotton"? I dount you'll ever find the latter! As for the first type,
unfinished muslim is good from fabric shops.

Charlie.

Quote:> Anyone know where in the UK or Europe I can source organic fabrics
> suitable for cushion making? I have only found a couple of places so
> far, both expensive. Any ideas much appreciated.

> Lucy

by **Emili** » Fri, 29 Aug 2003 06:14:19

Quote:> Anyone know where in the UK or Europe I can source organic fabrics
> suitable for cushion making? I have only found a couple of places so
> far, both expensive. Any ideas much appreciated.

> Lucy

Have you tired this? It may be a good starting point. It lists companies in
EU further afield. Don't know if you'll find it cheap...

http://www.organiccottondirectory.net/lists/FabricYarn.html

by **Emili** » Fri, 29 Aug 2003 06:15:40

Do you mean she won't find it cheap?
Organic as in "had no pesticides used on the cotton" does exsist.

> Organic as in looks natural, or organic as in "had no pesticides used
> on the cotton"? I dount you'll ever find the latter! As for the
> first type, unfinished muslim is good from fabric shops.

> Charlie.

>> Anyone know where in the UK or Europe I can source organic fabrics
>> suitable for cushion making? I have only found a couple of places so
>> far, both expensive. Any ideas much appreciated.

>> Lucy

by **Charli** » Fri, 29 Aug 2003 06:18:21

Really? Mad. They must use chemicals in it sometime. Or else it will be
made in a factory that produces other things that use chemicals.

Charlie

> Do you mean she won't find it cheap?
> Organic as in "had no pesticides used on the cotton" does exsist.

> > Organic as in looks natural, or organic as in "had no pesticides used
> > on the cotton"? I dount you'll ever find the latter! As for the
> > first type, unfinished muslim is good from fabric shops.

> > Charlie.

> >> Anyone know where in the UK or Europe I can source organic fabrics
> >> suitable for cushion making? I have only found a couple of places so
> >> far, both expensive. Any ideas much appreciated.

> >> Lucy

by **Jane V** » Fri, 29 Aug 2003 08:57:05

> Organic as in looks natural, or organic as in "had no pesticides used on the
> cotton"? I dount you'll ever find the latter! As for the first type,
> unfinished muslim is good from fabric shops.

> Charlie.

Yes, organically grown hemp might be cheaper. I don't know a source, though,

jane

by **sewingbythe..** » Fri, 29 Aug 2003 08:23:18

Re: Organic fabric source needed

Really? Mad. They must use chemicals in it sometime. Or else it will be
made in a factory that produces other things that use chemicals.
--------------------------------
No, not at all mad, not at all made in a factory which uses
chemicals. Why do you assume that is so, Charlie?
There is a growing market here in the States for natural fibers which
are untreated by chemicals. Formaldehyde, and other fiber/fabric
processing chemicals are increasingly being blamed for a myriad of
illnesses.
The products turned out by non-chemical processes carry a stiff price
tag, and the scientists have bred cotton which has natural
colorations---dusky colors, green, and a palish rusty red, among others.
Humming the boll weevil song...
Cea <a veritable font of semi-useless trivia>
---------------------------------
Do you mean she won't find it cheap?
Organic as in "had no pesticides used on the cotton" does exsist.
---
Organic as in looks natural, or organic as in "had no pesticides used on
the cotton"? I dount you'll ever find the latter! As for the first type,
unfinished muslim is good from fabric shops.
Charlie.
Europe I can source organic fabrics suitable for cushion making? I have
only found a couple of places so far, both expensive. Any ideas much
appreciated.
Lucy

by **duh wh** » Fri, 29 Aug 2003 09:38:47

> > Organic as in looks natural, or organic as in "had no pesticides used on
the
> > cotton"? I dount you'll ever find the latter! As for the first type,
> > unfinished muslim is good from fabric shops.

> > Charlie.

> Yes, organically grown hemp might be cheaper. I don't know a source,
though,

> jane

Would hemp be necessarily scratchier than linen?

by **Jane V** » Fri, 29 Aug 2003 12:58:09

>>>Organic as in looks natural, or organic as in "had no pesticides used on

> the

>>>cotton"? I dount you'll ever find the latter! As for the first type,
>>>unfinished muslim is good from fabric shops.

>>>Charlie.

>>Yes, organically grown hemp might be cheaper. I don't know a source,

> though,

>>jane

> Would hemp be necessarily scratchier than linen?

I haven't used it, just checked it out at markets etc. It didn't seem
particularly scratchy. It is supposed to get softer with washing.

jane

by **Charli** » Fri, 29 Aug 2003 17:19:33

But, unless that factory has no chemicals in it and the she where it's sold
has no chemicals in it and then it must be transported in an air tight
container, what's the point when you're going to go home and expose it to
chemicals? I mean, everyone washes their clothes in chemicals, or washes
their hands in chemicals etc. So it's never going to be truely organic.
Besides, what's the difference between that and normal cotton? I'm not
trying to be difficult, I'm trying to understand!

Charlie.

> Re: Organic fabric source needed

> Really? Mad. They must use chemicals in it sometime. Or else it will be
> made in a factory that produces other things that use chemicals.
> --------------------------------
> No, not at all mad, not at all made in a factory which uses
> chemicals. Why do you assume that is so, Charlie?
> There is a growing market here in the States for natural fibers which
> are untreated by chemicals. Formaldehyde, and other fiber/fabric
> processing chemicals are increasingly being blamed for a myriad of
> illnesses.
> The products turned out by non-chemical processes carry a stiff price
> tag, and the scientists have bred cotton which has natural
> colorations---dusky colors, green, and a palish rusty red, among others.
> Humming the boll weevil song...
> Cea <a veritable font of semi-useless trivia>
> ---------------------------------

> Do you mean she won't find it cheap?
> Organic as in "had no pesticides used on the cotton" does exsist.
> ---

> Organic as in looks natural, or organic as in "had no pesticides used on
> the cotton"? I dount you'll ever find the latter! As for the first type,
> unfinished muslim is good from fabric shops.
> Charlie.

> Europe I can source organic fabrics suitable for cushion making? I have
> only found a couple of places so far, both expensive. Any ideas much
> appreciated.
> Lucy

by **Sally Holme** » Fri, 29 Aug 2003 18:03:28

> Anyone know where in the UK or
> Europe I can source organic fabrics suitable for cushion making? I
> have only found a couple of places so far, both expensive. Any ideas
> much appreciated.

The Soil Association, http://www.soilassociation.org/textiles, gives a list
of suppliers of organic fabrics. Except for the wools it seems to be all
clothing but it may be worth contacting the manufacturers and asking where
they buy their fabrics.

I found this through a simple google.co.uk search for "organic cotton",
restricted to the UK. Did you try something like that?

If you're looking at the organic/vegetarian market, you do know that silk is
a no-no, don't you?

--
Sally Holmes
Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England

by **duh wh** » Fri, 29 Aug 2003 23:53:52

Quote:> But, unless that factory has no chemicals in it and the she where it's
sold
> has no chemicals in it and then it must be transported in an air tight
> container, what's the point when you're going to go home and expose it to
> chemicals? I mean, everyone washes their clothes in chemicals, or washes
> their hands in chemicals etc. So it's never going to be truely organic.
> Besides, what's the difference between that and normal cotton? I'm not
> trying to be difficult, I'm trying to understand!

Being in the same air as chemically treated items, and being treated with
chemicals are two different things. Washing in "chemicals" and washing in
harmful "chemicals" are two different things.

Scented detergents and fabric softeners are toxic to some people (like me).
Formaldehyde used to treat fabrics are toxic. The dyes are toxic to some
people (not me yet). Dry-cleaning chemicals are very toxic.

I mean, water is a chemical. We're talking about chemicals that have been
shown to be harmful.

If you ever get sensitized to any of these things, you will learn very
quickly, hopefully.

Dwight

by **S R Glickma** » Fri, 29 Aug 2003 23:54:13

Quote:>Anyone know where in the UK or Europe I can source organic fabrics
>suitable for cushion making? I have only found a couple of places so
>far, both expensive. Any ideas much appreciated.

Have you tried www.greenfibres.com?

I think Cotton Comfort also sell material - www.eczemaclothing.com.

Hope that helps.

Good luck.

Susan

--

Please remove the 'x' to reply

by **Charli** » Sat, 30 Aug 2003 00:02:09

Unfortunatly, yes I am sesitive to chemicals but not in the same way as you
described. I can still fortunatly put up with it. I'm allergic to
chlorineespecially, but my job is working at a swimming pool. Ah well, we
all have different opinions about different things.

charlie.

> > But, unless that factory has no chemicals in it and the she where it's
> sold
> > has no chemicals in it and then it must be transported in an air tight
> > container, what's the point when you're going to go home and expose it
to
> > chemicals? I mean, everyone washes their clothes in chemicals, or
washes
> > their hands in chemicals etc. So it's never going to be truely organic.
> > Besides, what's the difference between that and normal cotton? I'm not
> > trying to be difficult, I'm trying to understand!

> Being in the same air as chemically treated items, and being treated with
> chemicals are two different things. Washing in "chemicals" and washing in
> harmful "chemicals" are two different things.

> Scented detergents and fabric softeners are toxic to some people (like
me).
> Formaldehyde used to treat fabrics are toxic. The dyes are toxic to some
> people (not me yet). Dry-cleaning chemicals are very toxic.

> I mean, water is a chemical. We're talking about chemicals that have been
> shown to be harmful.

> If you ever get sensitized to any of these things, you will learn very
> quickly, hopefully.

> Dwight

by **duh wh** » Sat, 30 Aug 2003 00:32:47

Quote:> Unfortunatly, yes I am sesitive to chemicals but not in the same way as
you
> described. I can still fortunatly put up with it. I'm allergic to
> chlorineespecially, but my job is working at a swimming pool. Ah well, we
> all have different opinions about different things.

Yes, chlorine gets to me too. It irritates the back of my throat. I had to
quit a health club because of that, due to fumes from their swimming pool
drifting into the workout area.

Continued exposures have a way of making things worse over time. You might
want to consider another line of work (I know, easier said than done).