Inhabiteriors: Environmentally Enlightened Home and Commercial Interiors

House of Andrachelle.

What’s happening to the price of cotton?

The price of cotton has risen 100% in the past year. This is mainly due to the soaring demand in China, bad crop yields in both China and india and floods in Pakistan. Speculators have also pushed up the price.

If we add to this the fact that India has a limited amount of cotton for export and take into account that many spinning mills in Europe have closed due to shortages and price increases, we can appreciate the situation we find ourselves in.

There are no indications that prices will revert back to 2009 levels any time soon, so we can expect apparel and household linens to increase in price.

Fabrics produced using Polyester/ Cotton blends have also incurred significant increases. although not yet by as much as the pure cotton blends.

The House of Andrachelle has always used the highest grade of lining and interlining for our hand sewn draperies and  soft furnishings and we plan to continue to do so.

Now, more than ever it would seem prudent to purchase high quality merchandise which will perform, look good and give many years of service.  Fabrics which are loaded with fabric finishers or starches, which deteriorate  after a short period of time are of no value to anyone, so spend those dollars wisely.

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Here is an post that appeared on Tree Hugger 06/10/09  and features our fabrics.

“High-tech” isn’t what you’d normally think of when it comes to fabric, but in recent years, that’s exactly what it has become. Innovation has brought about revolutionary new materials and processes, and one rapidly changing industry. The 11 textiles below are some of the greenest and smartest now available to the residential and contract furnishings market.

Several different criteria go into making what can be called an eco textile, but seven basic questions you should ask are:

1. Is it recyclable?


2. Is it made of recyclable materials?


3. Is it easily biodegradable?


4. Is it produced using green manufacturing processes without harmful chemical byproducts?


5. Does it follow McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC)’s Cradle to Cradle principals?


6. Does the finished product off-gas harmful chemicals having a negative effect on indoor air quality? 


7. Does the manufacturer have a company-wide sustainability policy?

1. Hardy Organic Hemp From O Ecotextiles

Seattle-based O Ecotextiles, which was named one of BuildingGreen’s 2008 Top-10 Green Building Products, is one of a select few companies out there completely dedicated to green fabric. Their mission statement sounds like a good plan to us: “O Ecotextiles wants to change the way textiles are made by proving that it’s possible to produce luxurious, sensuous fabrics in ways that are non-toxic, ethical and sustainable.”

Designed by Emily Todhunter, Hardy Organic Hemp is made of 100 percent long fiber hemp, sustainably harvested by independent farmers in Romania–a country that has farmed hemp for generations. Although hemp must be imported (and therefore has a bigger transport carbon footprint), it is particularly easy to grow in most climates and resistant to bugs. No pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, or synthetic fertilizers are used during farming, and the fabric is spun at a local facility without water or “chemicals inputs of any kind.”

The fabric is then moved to an Italian dye house–one of only a few in the world qualified to produce a certified-organic dyed or finished fabric. Hardy Organic Hemp meets three different LEED criteria from the U.S. Green Building Council: indoor air quality, use of rapidly renewable resources, and innovation.

http://tinyurl.com/lvqqbf

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