Some Info About Less Harmful, Sustainably Produced Fabrics
 

For those of you that are looking for more information about fabric that is processed without harmful dyes and finishes, and which fibers are grown organically, you might want to read about the GOTS certification. It's basically the equivalent of the, "Organic," label for food, only GOTS is for fabric. This is the official site which is...umm...rather..."official"... and might be hard to get through. http://www.global-standard.org/

However, if you're interested, there are lots of blogs and organic quilting sites out there that have more simple, boiled down, info about GOTS fabrics. Maybe if someone finds a good one, they can post it here. I'll keep my eyes peeled too. :)

~ Cindy

Here's a blog that explains things in plain English. http://www.sewmamasew.com/2011/07/or...-need-to-know/

~C

Good information but another bandwagon I don't need to be on.

Maybe so, but I'm sure there are others out there that are concerned, or dealing with allergies from the chemicals in fabrics that would appreciate the information.

~ C.

As for buying GOTS quilting fabrics...Here's a list of a few fabric houses that produce GOTS certified fabrics:

Robert Kaufman
Birch Fabrics
Moda Fabrics
Monaluna
Cloud 9 Fabrics
Timeless Treasures
Clothworks


A lot of these names we already know, like Moda and Robert Kaufman. I believe that RJR also does a GOTS line, but I'm not sure. I'm sure there are more lines out there. Feel free to add to the list.

One of my favorite stores for buying these fabrics is http:''www.Honeybegood.com . Great service, absolutely beautiful, high quality fabrics, always something on sale, (I'm cheap,) and the have some great prints for children's quilts. They also offer a tiered discount.

~ C.

Neat! Thanks for posting, I will have to check these out. So far I am fine handling regular fabrics but I'm always worried I'm slowly sensitizing myself to something. I read about so many people on here who get terrible rashes from fabric and I don't want to get to that point! The fewer chemicals coming into my house and touching my skin, the better.

I don't see this as a bandwagon; it's never a bad idea to try to limit your exposure to toxic chemicals and I think it's great the fabric industry is recognizing people want this and providing options. I vote with my dollars which options I like and which I don't....since this seems to be growing and not shrinking it must mean they're getting lots of "votes"!

Here's a good resource for organic, batik fabrics...something I haven't seen before. Usually, I see only very modern, young prints in the organic category. I've not ordered from this company before, so I can say anything about their fabric quality, or service. Maybe someone else has.

http://avlyn.com/organic-batiks/

~ C

These stores also carry organic fabrics, but I'm not sure if they are GOTS certified. All of these stores are well known, mainstream retailers.

http://www.fabricworm.com/organicfabric.html
https://www.fabric.com/quilting-fabr...g-fabrics.aspx
http://www.keepsakequilting.com/default.aspx

Another important element in the quilt is, of course, the batting. If someone is having health issues due to the fabric in a quilt, chances are, they may have issues with the batting used too. Here's a few of the safer, more eco-friendly batting choices out there. These might also be especially good for making a baby quilt.

Hobbs Heirloom Organic Cotton 100% USDA Certified organic cotton (unbleached)
(Grown and processed in Texas, USA.) Loft 1/8", stitch distance 3-5".

Pellon, Eco Cotton Blend Batting
Made from 100% recycled materials. 70% Recycled Cotton, 30% Recycled Polyester. (Made in the USA) Needle punched with Scrim, machine washable, 0-3% shrinkage.

Moda - United Notions, Soy Soft, 50% Soy Bean fiber/50% Organic Cotton, chemical free.
I was curious about this one. Here's a description from the Honey Be Good Site: "Soy Soft quilt batting is made of soybean protein fibers and organic cotton. It has the lustre of silk and the feel of cashmere. The fibers are stronger than wool cotton or silk. Naturally antibacterial and cleaned without harsh chemicals. The needle punch technology avoids the use of binders or resins. Will not shift or shed. Stitch up to 8 apart."

I found these at http://Honeybegood.com, (a store that I love, but am not affiliated with,) but there are many other resources out there. It's probably best to just use a search engine to find your favorite retailer.

I'm also curious about bamboo and silk battings. Bamboo seems to be a sustainable plant source, but I wonder about how the batting is made and about how far it has to travel to get to my door. The same goes for silk.

If anyone else has some good batting suggestions, please feel free to post.

~ Cindy

I have no idea of which fabrics are organic or not. I just know I sneeze when I walk into "any" fabric store and it's just another reason I prewash. I have seen too many people not think anything of it to also sneeze on the fabric. Guess they forget that's what tissues and elbows are for. I see people who have a lot of makeup or non and put it up against they're face. Just creeps me out. Call me a germaphobe if you like but I have not had a flu or cold related illness in a long time. Just allergy related from dyes and fragrances.