Antimicrobial

A substance that kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, or protozoans, as well as destroying viruses. Antimicrobials include not just antibiotics, but synthetically formed compounds as well. Bamboo has some amazing antimicrobial capabilities. Being naturally antimicrobial bamboo does not require the use of pesticides or herbicides. To put it simply, pests and pathogens do not like bamboo.

Bamboo

Is one of the most sustainable manufacturing materials available today. Not only is bamboo rapidly-renewable, restoring itself for use in just five years, it requires far less energy to harvest and produce than most other products. Bamboo is an extremely versatile material due to its strength and flexibility. It is strong enough to build houses, and supple enough for textile production. Bamboo can be used in a myriad of ways and is found in a wide range of products, from flooring to furniture, chopsticks to fabrics. Bamboo has some amazing antimicrobial capabilities. Being naturally antimicrobial bamboo does not require the use of pesticides or herbicides. To put it simply, pests and pathogens do not like bamboo.
Botanically categorized as a grass and not a tree, bamboo just might be the world’s most sustainable resource. It is the fastest growing grass and can shoot up a yard or more a day. Bamboo does not require replanting after harvesting because its vast root network continually sprouts new shoots which almost zoom up while you watch them, pulling in sunlight and greenhouse gases and converting them to new green growth. And bamboo does this the natural way without the need for petroleum-guzzling tractors and poisonous pesticides and fertilizers.

Bamboo Rayon

In part because of its luxurious softness, smooth hand, flowing and gentle drape, and easy price – at least compared with silk and cashmere – and eco friendly cachet, bamboo rayon has gained entry throughout the fashion industry. Growing bamboo is a wonderfully beneficial plant for the planet and most is naturally organic bamboo. Bamboo also has some amazing antimicrobial capabilities. Being naturally antimicrobial bamboo does not require the use of pesticides or herbicides. To put it simply, pests and pathogens do not like bamboo.
Chemically manufactured bamboo fiber is a regenerated cellulose fiber similar to rayon or modal. Chemically manufactured bamboo is sometimes called bamboo rayon because of the many similarities in the way it is chemically manufactured and similarities in its feel and hand. Only trace amounts of the chemicals used are released into the atmosphere. Newer manufacturing facilities have begun using other technologies to chemically manufacture eco-friendly bamboo fiber. New nano-technologies are also being introduced into the bamboo clothing industry.

Biodegradable Corn Plastic

Corn plastics are plastics made from PLA (polylactide). Corn plastic products look and feel just like regular plastic, but they are 100% biodegradable and compostable. Corn is a renewable resource which makes corn plastics much more sustainable than regular plastic. Most landfills are not designed to allow biodegrading of their contents. With that being said, PLA will react in landfills like other organic waste such as food. PLA is fully compostable in a composting facility. In addition, PLA is made from a renewable resource corn instead of regular plastic that is made from oil. In commercial composting conditions, PLA will compost in approximately 30-45 days. Composting may take longer in a home composting bin.

Biodegradable Plastic

will decompose in natural aerobic (composting) and anaerobic (landfill) environments. Biodegradation of plastics can be achieved by enabling microorganisms in the environment to metabolize the molecular structure of plastic films to produce an inert humus-like material that is less harmful to the environment. They may be composed of either bioplastics, which are plastics whose components are derived from renewable raw materials, or petroleum-based plastics which utilize an additive. The use of bio-active compounds compounded with swelling agents ensures that, when combined with heat and moisture, they expand the plastic's molecular structure and allow the bio-active compounds to metabolize and neutralize the plastic.

BPA Free

Bisphenol A, commonly abbreviated as BPA, is an organic compound with two phenol functional groups. It is a difunctional building block of several important plastics and plastic additives. With an annual production of 2–3 million tons, it is an important monomer in the production of polycarbonate.
Suspected of being hazardous to humans since the 1930s, concerns about the use of Bisphenol A in consumer products were regularly reported in the news media in 2008 after several governments issued reports questioning its safety, and some retailers have removed products made of it from their shelves.
Our items that are shown as BPA Free have been laboratory tested and contain no measurable levels of Bisphenol A.

ECOTEXX (PET)

is a uniquely spun fabric made from post consumer recycled plastic bottles, which are refined, purified, chopped, and processed into spun fiber threads known as PET (Polyethylene terephthalate). Once bound and sewn together these products are in total (considering zippers, drawstrings, etc) approximately 85% recycled content.
The benefits of using ECOTEXX bags are indisputable. Its replacement of regular plastic bags reduces the burden on landfills while being made from recycled post consumer plastics saves the production of 1000’s of barrels of petroleum (a byproduct of oil) which helps eliminate tons of toxic air pollutants that contribute to acid rain, smog, and global warming.
(ECOTEXX is a trademarked PET material used by Ecorite)

Jute

is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. Jute is a versatile, natural fiber that has been used for thousands of years. During growth, jute cleans the air, improves soil conditions, uses sound agricultural practices and is biodegradable. Jute also uses significantly less fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides during cultivation when compared to other natural fibers.
It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, family Tiliaceae. Jute fiber is often called hessian; jute fabrics are also called hessian cloth and jute sacks are called gunny bags in some European countries. The fabric made from jute is popularly known as burlap in North America. Jute is one of the cheapest natural fibers and is second only to cotton in amount produced and variety of uses. Jute fibers are composed primarily of the plant materials cellulose (major component of plant fiber) and lignin (major components wood fiber). It is thus a ligno-cellulosic fiber that is partially a textile fiber and partially wood. The fibers are off-white to brown, and 1–4 meters (3–12 feet) long.

Organic Cotton

is generally understood as cotton that is grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides from plants which are not genetically modified. Though organic cotton has less environmental impact than conventional cotton, it costs more to produce. Side-effects of conventional production that are avoided in organic growing methods include:

• 1. High levels of agrochemicals are used in the production of non-organic, conventional cotton. Cotton production uses more chemicals per unit area than any other crop and accounts in total for 16% of the world's pesticides.
• 2. The chemicals used in the processing of cotton pollute the air and surface waters.
• 3. Residual chemicals may irritate consumers' skin.
• 4. The conventional cotton industry relies on a high level of forced child labor.

PET Fabric

is a uniquely spun fabric made post consumer recycled plastic bottles, which are refined, purified, chopped, and processed into spun fiber threads known as PET (Polyethylene terephthalate).

PET Plastic

Polyethylene terephthalate, commonly abbreviated PET or PETE, is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in synthetic fibers; beverage, food and other liquid containers; thermoforming applications; and engineering resins often in combination with glass fiber.
The majority of the world's PET production is for synthetic fibers (in excess of 60%) with bottle production accounting for around 30% of global demand. In discussing textile applications, PET is generally referred to as simply "polyester" while "PET" is used most often to refer to packaging applications.

PLA

PLA is made from corn. Corn plastic products look and feel just like regular plastic, but they are 100% biodegradable and compostable. Corn is a renewable resource which makes corn plastics much more sustainable than regular plastic. Most landfills are not designed to allow biodegrading of their contents. With that being said, PLA will react in landfills like other organic waste such as food. PLA is fully compostable in a composting facility. In addition, PLA is made from a renewable resource corn instead of regular plastic that is made from oil. In commercial composting conditions, PLA will compost in approximately 30-45 days. Composting may take longer in a home composting bin.

Recycled Cotton

is a natural option to turn to when looking for a recycled solution. Recycling scrap cotton helps reduce carbon emissions by using less labor and it reduces the use of harmful chemical pesticides and fertilizers that virgin materials would require. As a natural fiber, recycled cotton is also 100% biodegradable, so you can feel confident that once it can no longer be used it will not be a burden on our planet's landfills.

Recycled Non-Woven Polypropylene

Non woven fabrics are flat, porous sheets that are made directly from separate fibers or from molten plastic or plastic film. Non woven fabrics provide specific functions such as absorbency, liquid repellency, resilience, stretch, softness, strength, flame redundancy, wash-ability, cushioning, filtering, bacterial barrier and sterility. These properties are often combined to create fabrics suited for specific jobs, while achieving a good balance between product use-life and cost.
They can mimic the appearance, texture and strength of a woven fabric and can be as bulky as the thickest paddings. In combination with other materials they provide a spectrum of products with diverse properties, and are used alone or as components of apparel, home furnishings, health care, engineering, industrial and consumer goods.

Polypropylene

Polypropylene is a non woven fabric manufactured in flat, porous sheets that are made directly from separate fibers or from molten plastic or plastic film. Non woven polypropylene fabrics provide specific functions such as absorbency, liquid repellency, resilience, stretch, softness, strength, flame redundancy, wash-ability, cushioning, filtering, bacterial barrier and sterility. These properties are often combined to create fabrics suited for specific jobs, while achieving a good balance between product use-life and cost.
They can mimic the appearance, texture and strength of a woven fabric and can be as bulky as the thickest paddings. In combination with other materials they provide a spectrum of products with diverse properties, and are used alone or as components of apparel, home furnishings, health care, engineering, industrial and consumer goods.

Recycled Paperboard

is a 'vegetable-fiber web' formed from a water suspension. While there is no rigid differentiation between paper and paperboard, paperboard is generally thicker (usually over 0.25 mm or 10 points) than paper. According to ISO standards, paperboard is a paper with a basis weight above 224 g/m². Paperboard can be single or multi-ply. It can be easily cut and formed, is lightweight, and is strong used in packaging. Another end use would be graphic printing, such as book and magazine covers or postcards. Sometimes it is referred to as cardboard, which is a generic term used to refer to any heavy paper pulp based board. Recycling Paperboard makes it a sustainable earth-friendly material.

Recycled PET

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Rubberwood

comes from the rubber tree (aka Pará rubber tree or Hevea brasiliensis). The rubber tree exudes a latex sap, the world's primary source of natural rubber. Rubber trees have a straight trunk and grow an impressive 75 feet or more over their lifetime and mature trees have a diameter of around 3 feet. They are grown in densities of approximately 90 trees per acre. Given their large size, a single tree can provide a great deal of timber. Rubberwood is strong, flexible, and resistant to fungus, bacteria and mold. It's compatible with most industrial adhesives, easy to work with and has a beautiful grain suitable for quality furniture.
So when you're out shopping and you see Rubberwood products, don't let the name of put you off; it's an eco-friendly, sustainable and high quality wood!