Textiles
Finding Toxic-Free Clothing
My guest today is Adrienne Catone, founder and CEO of the eco-fashion website FaeriesDance.com. We’ll be talking about what’s available in the world of safer fabrics and her exceptional collection of clothing. Adrienne is a long time vegan and environmentalist who loves animals, faeries and fantasy novels. She started her career in the aerospace industry as an analyst. Her fondness of travel took her to Africa in 1994 where an encounter with a silverback gorilla troupe started her thinking about conservation and changed the course of her life. The changes culminated in the opening of FaeriesDance.com in 2005. Adrienne has an MS degree in Applied Mathematics from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook and a post-graduate Certificate in Environmental Studies from California State University (Cal State) Long Beach. www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/faeriesdance-com
A New Kind of Natural Bed
My guest today is Eliana Jantz, founder of Shepherd’s Dream (which is now owned and run by her daughter Sarah Sunshine Smith). Eliana has taken another step in the innovation of using wool to make beds with her new business, Heartfelt Collective. We’ll be talking about her new venture, mattress design, and her experience with wool. Eliana has been a pioneer in the creation of wool beds for the past three decades and has worked closely with her wool growers to develop organic standards for wool (I helped write them). We have been friends for years. www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/heartfelt-collective, www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/shepherds-dream.
Getting to Know Alpacas
My guest is Steve Putney from Safe Haven Alpaca Farm, one of the largest breeders of both Suri and Huacaya alpaca in the northeast United States. We’ll be talking about alpaca as a toxic-free renewable and sustainable material for clothing, bedding, and other products.. Steve grew up in Iowa in a rural community. Following graduation from high school he entered into radio broadcasting, and spent the next 17 years working in all aspects of media. His experience in business and marketing took him to Houston, Texas in 1995 where he began a career in telecommunications In 2005 Steve moved to Connecticut to over-see operations of Safe Haven Alpaca Farm, a family business that began in 2001 with six alpaca. The addition of a large retail store featuring alpaca clothing, gifts and accessories, a bed and breakfast and growing the herd from twenty alpaca to over 100 have been accomplished since he joined the business. Steve Putney on the Board of Directors of the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association. www.safehavenalpaca.com
Fabrics That are Nontoxic, Ethical, Sustainable…and Beautiful
My guests today are Patty Grossman and Leigh Anne Van Dusen, co-founders (and sisters) of O Ecotextiles. They are changing the way textiles are being made by proving that it’s possible to produce luxurious, sensuous fabrics in ways that are non-toxic, ethical and sustainable. Today we’ll be talking about toxic chemicals in textiles, and how they are creating safe fabrics (they specialize in upholstery fabrics, but the production issues apply to all fabrics). The the collection has garnered accolades and honors since it debuted at Decorex in 2007, where it won Best Merchandise from House & Garden magazine. In 2009, Environmental Building News and BuildingGreen named O Ecotextiles one of the top 10 Green Building Products of 2008. Leigh Anne and Patty believe that the best way to achieve necessary changes in textile manufacturing is to share what they’ve learned about the methods used to make fabrics – and what this means to us and our planet. Their research and groundbreaking efforts to create aesthetically pleasing and environmentally safe fabrics has made them experts in the issues of sustainability in textiles. They are founding members of the Sustainable Furnishings Council and serve on its Textiles Subcommittee. www.oecotextiles.com
Read Why and How to Green Your Textile Choices
The Benefits and Comforts of Sleeping on a Wool Bed
My guest is Sarah Sunshine Smith, owner of Shepherd’s Dream. Since she was only 2 years old when her mother, Eliana Jantz started the company, Sarah has been surrounded by natural bedding nearly her whole life. Naturally, she became a part of the company at a young age and has played a key role in Shepherd’s Dream operations for more than 15 years. Sarah took ownership of Shepherd’s Dream over 6 years ago and has been nurturing it’s growth and well being ever since. Sarah is honored to have the opportunity to provide the purest, natural bedding imaginable to people worldwide. It is of great importance to her that each product is made with local, organic materials whenever possible, that the sheep who offer their wool fleeces live happy lives on green pastures and that each product is made with patience and love. Sarah is committed to providing a quality product line that contributes to a sustainable, green planet that will provide a beautiful home for our future generations. We’ll be talking about how wool beds are made, from the sheep in the field to the handstitching. I sleep on a Shepherd’s Dream wool bed, and have known Eliana almost as long as I’ve been writing about toxic free products, so I’ll share my experience too. www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/shepherds-dream
All About Latex Mattresses
My guest Barry Cik is a co-founder of Naturepedic, the leading brand for organic baby and children’s mattresses…and now also adult mattresses. As an environmental engineer Barry understands toxic chemical issues better than most product manufacturers and has a “no compromise” policy when choosing materials from which to make Naturepedic products. Some of the new Naturepedic adult mattresses are made of latex. We’ll talk about everything that has to do with latex: natural vs synthetic, Dunlop and Talalay, certified organic latex, and more. www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/Naturepedic
Toxic-Free Alpaca Pillows for a Good Night’s Sleep
My guest Robbin Martinelli the Founder and Owner of USAlpaca Company, which specializes in Alpaca breeding and exquisite Alpaca Fashions, Alpaca Pillows and Pendleton Alpaca Blankets made in America. A former Professor of English Literature and Creative Writing, Robbin’s life now revolves around the agriculture of breeding fine and rare alpacas. At her farm in Virginia, she gives educational interactive tours and follows her passion of creating new American-made alpaca products. Her mission is to provide the consumer with luxuriously healthy products made from all-natural alpaca, called the Royal Fleece, and the Green Livestock. We’ll talk about toxic chemicals in pillows, Robbin’s alpaca sleep pillows (I have one and I’ll tell you all about it!) and why she loves alpaca as a toxic-free material. www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/usalpaca-company
Organic Clothing for Women, Handmade in the USA
My guest is Lucretia Bohnsack, Executive Director of Esperanza Threads, an organic, sustainable fiber clothing manufacturer that combines comfort and fashion with socially environmental values. Located in Cleveland, Ohio they make products for adults, youths, babies (and people with multiple chemical sensitivities) as well as bed and bath items. Founded by Ursuline Sister Mary Eileen Boyle in 2000, Esperanza Threads is a non-profit training facility teaching those needing skills for employment how to sew on industrial machines. . Currently Esperanza Threads is collaborating with the Cleveland Catholic Charities Migrant Refugee Services to train newly arrived people from around the world. Other agencies in the area such as El Barrio Workforce Development Center, and neighboring Churches refer individuals who are in need of skills for employment. Esperanza Threads also helps with job placement at sewing facilities in the Greater Cleveland area as well as currently expanding a new apprenticeship program for promising sewers in their manufacturing facility. Lucretia Bohnsack accepted the role of Executive Director in October, 2012 after serving on the Board of Directors from the beginning. We’ll be talking about how they make organic clothing and why choosing organic clothing is an important toxic-free choice for our health and the environment. www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/esperanza-threads
Naturepedic Mattresses Now Certified “Nontoxic” By New GOTS Standard
My guest is Barry Cik, founder of Naturepedic, the leading brand for organic baby and children’s mattresses (they now make adult mattresses too). As an environmental engineer with hi first grandchild on the way, Barry was appalled to learn what toxic chemicals were used to make baby mattresses, and designed a safe mattress of his own. Last week Naturepedic mattresses received a new certification for the organic and nontoxic standards of the Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS). Barry will explain this new “nontoxic” GOTS certification, as well as what it takes to have a GOTS certified organic mattress. www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/Naturepedic
Organic Cotton: Behind the Scenes
My guest is Harmony Susalla, founder of Harmony Art Organic Design. Harmony has created designs and products for every retail level from Target and Walmart to Nordstrom and Williams-Sonoma and many points in between. Personal conviction and a desire to show the world that organic fabrics can be beautiful led Harmony, in 2005, to become the first textile company to offer only printed organic cotton fabrics and make them available by the yard for businesses and home sewers alike. Harmony Art’s stock fabrics feature organic cotton, wide-width, woven sateens and twills as well as knits. www.harmonayart.com
