Question from John Landau
Hi Debra,
I order clothing, sheets, etc. from so-called organic companies, and without fail, I’m always left disappointed. Organic clothing has arrived reeking of toxic perfumes and chemicals. Sheets are a nightmare!
I’ve ordered organic sheets from West Elm that came in a ‘duffle bag’. They smelled like perfume. I assumed it was because they were in the store exposed to God knows what. I sent a complaint to their headquarters, and alas, no response.
Fast forward. Someone gave me a gift card from there recently. I ordered (2) sets of organic sheets. These arrived in plastic. However, I’ve washed them a zillion times, and they still reek of some awful chemical smell.
I recently ordered organic t-shirts from a company out west. When they arrived they, too, had to be washed a zillion times. I finally just threw them away. The chemicals would not come out..
I’m going crazy because I have no clothes and sheets left and can’t find a company that is not being deceptive about their product.
I ordered a shower curtain (hemp) from another company. I had a severe reaction (MCS). How could they send something like this to someone and claim its “safe”? Is there such a thing as truly organic?
I’m beginning to wonder if it’s not just easier to order conventional items, pay less for them, and call it a day. I’m in the market for new pillows, but I’m afraid to order them and receive toxic smelling pillows. Any ideas? What to do, what to do? Thanks.
Debra’s Answer
I can understand what you are saying. “Organic” can refer to the raw cotton only, but not necessarily to the process of making the fabric or finishes applied. So it’s possible to get “organic” clothing and bedding that contain chemicals.
You didn’t mention the places you purchased all these items, except for West Elm. So I’m just going to comment on them. On their website, West Elm says, “west elm offers modern furniture and home decor featuring inspiring designs and colors” Hmmm, nothing in that statement suggests to me that their business is about providing safe anything for people with MCS. So even though they might sell something called “organic,” they really don’t know much about choosing a product that’s really organic.
I suggest that you try businesses listed on Debra’s List. And if you have any problem with products from those businesses, come to me. While obviously it’s impossible for me to inspect every product on every website (the idea behind Debra’s List is to POINT you to websites that have an underlying philosophy of having pure products, but you need to evaluate them for yourself if they meet your own needs), it’s more likely you will find what you are looking for on these websites.
And it’s perfectly fine to choose non-organic fabrics. I wear a lot of non-organic clothing because I can’t afford organic. And by the time the fiber is turned into fabric, there are little, if any, pesticide residues. Of course, there are environmental reasons why one should choose organic, but I find that if you choose the right clothing, non-organic fabrics are not toxic.
I stick with cotton or linen fabrics and cotton knits. Things without no-iron finishes that I can toss in the washer.
For sheets and such, is there a difference between “GOTS-certified organic cotton” and “GOTS 100% organic cotton”?
Only the terminology. “GOTS” would be short for “GOTS-certified.” Ask to see the certificates.
I ordered a West Elm “Organic Vine Lattice Duvet Cover” a year ago. It had a strong odor upon arrival. I washed it about 10 times, and that did nothing to remove the smell. I let it air out for nearly a year and it still smells!!!
It is so pretty but i’m finally going to give it away as it’s taken up space in my apartment for way too long.
On the other hand, i bought a conventional duvet cover at Macy’s. Not nearly as pretty, but the smell went away shortly after purchasing.
P.S.: My daughter specifically has trouble with organic cotton from India and Indonesia, but is o.k. with cotton from most other countries. Tho’ USA is best!
My daughter has severe MCS and EI. We have been buying organic cotton sheets and/or fabric to make sheets from Janice’s.com for years. It is cheaper to buy the fabric and just hem it to the size you want. It does have to be soaked in white vinegar (Heinz) and washed a few times, but it works well. They also have organic cotton barrier cloth which my daughter uses between her mattress and her sheets. hope this helps.
I too have had a difficult time finding bedding I could tolerate. I ordered many organic sheet sets that I reacted to. Recently, however, I ordered sheets from Land’s End that are Oeko-Tex Certified (oxford cloth). They are not organic. They did have a slight smell, however, the smell washed out. Just to be sure I washed them 3 times before using them and they are great. I had been using old patched sheets because I was having such a hard time finding something I could tolerate. I quickly ordered a second set of these sheets! Good luck.
Great! Oeko_tex Certified is a certification for toxics. If this non-organic sheet passed their standards, that shows that pesticide residues wash out during fabric production (though they are still there in non-organic cotton batting).
I buy the fringed organic cotton sheets from West Elm. They say…..
Certified by Global Organic Textiles Standard; GOTS-certified organic textiles meet strict harvest-to-market criteria. 200-thread count. Set includes a flat sheet, fitted sheet, and 2 pillowcases (one with Twin set).
I really like them, they are stiff at first but soften after washings
Hi,
I have severe MCS and had the same problem with West Elm “organic” sheets. What a waste of money.
I’m happy to report that I was fine with Coyuchi Organic Jersey sheets. I got them through their website with 15% coupon on the first purchase for signing up on their mailing list. They’re expensive but they’re great. Good luck!