Okay, so you love organic fabrics. You know they feel and look amazing and are better for the environment, but have you thought beyond your purchase? Your organic fabrics have been treated passively to get to you … So how do you ensure that they stay that way? Washing your fabrics organically is vital to maintaining their organic composition.
Traditional laundry detergents add chemicals to your organic fibres every time you wash them and wait for it … Just because you buy ‘natural’ detergent, doesn’t mean that there is nothing toxic hiding in there. There are no disclosure regulations for laundry companies – they don’t have to tell us everything that their products contain! This means you may have been buying ‘natural’ detergent thinking there is nothing harmful in it, but it can still be laden with chemicals. Things like Sodium Laurel Sulphate (SLS), bleaches, dyes, synthetic fragrances and zeolites are hiding in our detergents and every time we use them; they are transferred onto our clothing. Chemical detergents sit in the clothing fibres where they rub against our skin all day and are absorbed into our bodies through trans-dermal ingestion (skin absorption). These chemicals and bulking agents (such as crushed up concrete!! yes concrete!!) also greatly diminish the quality of organic fabrics by being abrasive against the fabrics fibres. So washing in regular detergent can negate a lot of the reasons people purchase organic fabrics in the first place.
So … it’s time to explore the options …
ENTER ORGANIC SOAPBERRIES
They are a little quirky to get your head around (using a berry to wash your clothes in, is quite a bizarre concept!) but once you try them, you won’t look back. Soapberries are a fruit related to the lychee and grow on the Sapindus Mukorossi tree in the far western region of Nepal. They’re as raw as you can get. Simply plucked from the tree, de-seeded, dried in the sun and packed. That’s it. No processing, no fragrances or chemicals added. Raw, vegan, paleo and 100% natural. They contain a natural soap called ‘saponin’ and when they hit water the saponin is released and breaks the surface tension of the water. This draws the dirt out of the clothing fibres, leaving them feeling soft and clean with no soap or chemical residue left behind to be absorbed into the skin or compromise the fabrics organic integrity.
They are super simple to use – simply pop five berries in the cotton bag provided and put them in the machine with your clothes. You can use the five berries for five loads of washing. That’s it! Once they have broken down into crumbly pieces you can throw them on your compost to break down naturally. They’re also grey water and septic safe.
‘That Red House’ Organic Soapberries are 100% certified organic and are naturally antibacterial, antifungal and hypoallergenic, so great for people with sensitive skin and allergies. At Bhumi we have trialled them on our organic fabrics and have given them the big old tick of approval.
‘That Red House’ Organic Soapberries are also 100% waste free, sustainably grown and support the ‘Grow Nepal’ fund which gives back to the Nepalese people who harvest the berries. They are also one-third of the cost of the chemical detergent which means more money to spend on your gorgeous organic fabrics! So many wins here!
About the Author: Visit www.thatredhouse.com.au for more information, to buy online or check out your nearest stockist.
