Recently, we attended a webinar about how to keep your home free of toxins. In the conversation about which fabrics to choose for your furniture, one of the panelists suggested using a synthetic (polyester) fabric to avoid stains. People often think synthetic fiber fabrics are naturally stain resistant. They are not. They are stain resistant …
I grew up with Scotchgard on sofas, Teflon on non-stick pans and GoreTex on my raincoat. These trademarked items were all made possible through the vast PFC (perfluorocarbon) family of chemicals which has transformed our lives – and the textile industry. When applied to fabrics, they provide water and stain resistance. These perfluorocarbons – commonly …
We haven’t talked about stain repellents for a few years (we last published a blog on the subject 4 years ago) and think it’s time to revisit the topic because of all the claims that companies are making about “safe” stain repellents. Here’s why stain repellents are simply doing us no good: All stain repellent …
Have a look at our new retail website, http://www.twosistersecotextiles.com! We haven’t talked about stain repellents for a few years (we last published a blog on the subject 4 years ago) and think it’s time to revisit the topic because of all the claims that some companies are making about “safe” stain repellents. Here’s why stain repellents …
Last week I promised to take a look at soil and stain repellant finishes to see how each is applied and/or formulated. Some of these trademarked finishes claim impeccable green credentials, so it’s important that we are able to evaluate their claims – or at least know the jargon! The chemistry here, as I said …
If a fabric is identified as 100% “cotton” – or even 100% “organic cotton” — it’s important to remember that processing the fiber, and then weaving it into fabric, is very chemically intense. One-quarter of the total weight of the finished fabric is made up of synthetic chemicals, so it’s important to know that the …
We love being outdoors. I’ve been told that the most popular outdoor activity in the U.S.A is picnicking. I would think barbeque must be a close second. So we love fabrics that we can use outdoors – you know the ones that resist fading, are stain resistant and can be cleaned with mild soap and water? They …
We’ve been told that using greener, healthier products of all kinds is a key way to avoid sickness and even serious diseases. Small children, being particularly vulnerable, undoubtedly need their parent’s help in this respect, so parents are urged to protect their children from exposure to the huge amount of additives, colors, toxins and chemicals …
Illnesses — including remarkable combinations of symptoms — are on the rise. Over the past 50 years, there has been a steady increase in the incidence of children developing cancer[1], asthma[2], attention deficit disorders[3], allergies[4], autoimmune disorders[5], and others. So too are the numbers of chemicals getting mixed inside us (studies have shown that babies …
Most of the time, we try to share information with you (which tends to be impersonal), but blogs are supposed to be personal. Last week, I had a personal experience I have to talk about. It was an experience that was entirely daunting, and defined for me the kind of mountain we’re trying to climb. …
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