20Feb 2019 by Angela Cummings
8 Ways to Choose a Shirt with a Nontoxic Design

8 Ways to Choose a Shirt with a Nontoxic Design

Blog, Clothes & Textiles
There are several factors to consider when choosing a nontoxic shirt. Shirt design is one of them. What’s it made of? And is it affecting your health? Want to know which shirt designs could be affecting health and 8 simple ways to choose a shirt with a nontoxic design? Keep reading! What are Shirt Designs Made Of? Shirt designs can be made of a variety of materials. Here are a few of the most popular ones. Vinyl Shirt graphics and pictures can be made of a thin layer of vinyl. Vinyl allows for the design to flex so that the shirt follows your movements, bending when you bend. How to know of your shirt has vinyl: If you run your fingers over the design and feel a texture change (a…
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12Feb 2019 by Angela Cummings
6 Ways to Find Clothes with a Nontoxic Finish

6 Ways to Find Clothes with a Nontoxic Finish

Blog, Clothes & Textiles
Did you know that even organic clothing can have harmful chemical finishes? With more than 8,000 chemicals used in the textile industry, is a wonder: how many chemicals are in your clothes? Incomplete information and clothing tags without all ingredients listed leads to poor buying choices – buying clothing we think is free of harmful chemicals but in actuality is not. We’ll cover the biggest challenges and 6 ways to find clothes with nontoxic finish. What's The Biggest Challenge of Finding Clothes With Nontoxic Finish? Not all finishes are achieved with toxic chemicals. For example, “wrinkle-free” can be achieved by spinning thread differently. This makes it difficult to know if wrinkle free means that clothes have a nontoxic finish or a chemical finish. So, we take it one step further:…
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07Feb 2019 by Angela Cummings
8 Common Labels for Toxic Finish on Clothing: Does Your Organic Clothing Have It?

8 Common Labels for Toxic Finish on Clothing: Does Your Organic Clothing Have It?

Blog, Clothes & Textiles
When you buy clothes made of organic clothing, do you assume it’s fully organic? Or do you wonder, “is there a toxic finish on this clothing”? It’s a common mistake: thinking that organic cotton or natural wool (and other organic material) is made purely of nontoxic ingredients. In this article, we’ll explain what is toxic finish, 8 common names for toxic finishes, and the easiest ways to find organic clothing without a toxic finish. What Is a Toxic Finish on Clothing? First, things first. What are finishes? Finishes are applied after the dying process, as one of the last steps in production. It goes: make the material, add dye, and add finish. These finishes, made with synthetics, are typically referred to as “synthetic finishes.” Synthetic finishes Similar to synthetic material,…
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31Jan 2019 by Angela Cummings

Is Dye Toxic (& What 12 Products Have It)?

Blog
You’ve likely heard of food dyes, such as Red 40 or Yellow 5, being toxic. But is dye toxic in other products? Today, more than 7,000 different substances are used to give color to products produced commercially. In this article, we’ll explain what synthetic dyes are, health effects, and 12 places these toxic dyes can be found. What Are Synthetic Dyes? Of the over 7k substances, many are “synthesized from aromatic hydrocarbons, such as toluene, benzene, and naphthalene. Hydrocarbons are derived, typically, from coal tar.” What does this mean to the everyday consumer (you and I)? That man-made chemicals, combined with refined crude oil (the stuff that comes from the ground that gasoline is made of), are in our everyday products. Is Dye Toxic To People or Harmful To Our…
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23Jan 2019 by Angela Cummings
Why is Synthetic Clothing Material Harmful to Your Health?

Why is Synthetic Clothing Material Harmful to Your Health?

Blog, Clothes & Textiles
Did you know that synthetic clothing material is made of chemicals that may be harmful to your health? These clothes are made of plastic – the same plastic that may be causing health conditions such as cancer, obesity, and hormone disruption – even at levels the Food and Drug Administration say are safe.   In this article, we’ll explain what synthetic clothing is, why it can be harmful to health, and how to know if your clothes are made of synthetic material. What Are Synthetic Clothes? Simply put, synthetic clothes are clothes made of material created from oil byproducts and man-made chemicals. What is an oil byproduct? You know how crude oil is pumped from the ground, right? It’s that thick black oil that we’ve seen on TV when there…
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09Jan 2019 by Angela Cummings
What is Organic Clothing?

What is Organic Clothing?

Blog, Clothes & Textiles
Organic clothing, like so many other “nontoxic” topics, can be difficult to understand. You’d think that the only criteria would be that the clothing is made of natural materials. But, not all natural materials meet the organic clothing criteria. In this article, we’ll answer the question “What is organic clothing?” and discuss the difference between natural and organic clothing. What is the difference between natural and organic clothing? Natural clothing Natural clothing is made of materials found in nature. Except it doesn’t include clothing made of oil, oil byproducts, and other materials found on our planet, naturally. This can be confusing. Think of it this way: if the clothing can be made solely of material that is a living organism such as a plant or animal, then it’s a natural…
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20Dec 2018 by Angela Cummings
5 Ways Food Affects Immune System Health (during the holidays)

5 Ways Food Affects Immune System Health (during the holidays)

Blog, Food, Health
Are your holidays filled with jolly parties, delicious food, and adult drinks? We have so much fun when we’re feeling good! But the strain on our digestive system can cause our immune systems to dysfunction, leading to illness. Learn how food can affect immune system health. 5 Ways Food Affects the Immune System & Health 1.Slow digestion. If eating too late at night, too close to bed time, can slow digestive system down and lead to a sleepless night (and heartburn!). Lack of sleep can cause inflammation that burdens the immune system, and could lead to illness. 2. Leaky gut.  Overeating processed food during the holidays is almost a given. The holiday season is filled with parties, food, get-togethers, and food… and then more food. When we overeat processed food, our…
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14Dec 2018 by Angela Cummings
12 Affordable Nontoxic Gifts to Give This Holiday (Under $25!)

12 Affordable Nontoxic Gifts to Give This Holiday (Under $25!)

Blog, Gift Guide
Do you want to buy healthier gifts, that don’t break the bank? Check out these 12 ideas for affordable nontoxic gifts under $25 that you can give to loved ones, friends, or co-workers. 12 Affordable Nontoxic Gifts (for under $25!) 1.Socks for Sensitive Skin. Every year our toes end up naked,poking through the holes in our socks.  Warm socks (thick and comfy) are a special treat for the feet. What could be more useful than a pair of thick, organic cotton socks that are free of toxic dyes and finishes? Everyone should have a pair! The gift you’ll really be giving: Clothing that doesn’t off-gas toxic chemicals (which we end up breathing in) Warm feetSupport for organic clothing companies Where to find: Maggie’s Organics, Organic Cotton Crew Sock – Allergy,…
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22Nov 2018 by Angela Cummings
7 Black Friday Deals (from Healthier Retailers)

7 Black Friday Deals (from Healthier Retailers)

Blog
Want to save money while buying organic, chemical-free products? Clothes, bedding, furniture, food, vitamins, and building materials that are organic and/or chemical-free can be more expensive than standard products made of toxic chemicals. This year, Black Friday deals are being offered by retailers in the healthy products community! Check out the list of health conscious retailers offering Black Friday deals this weekend. Which Health-Conscious Retailers are Offering Black Friday Sales? Coyuchi Get $50 off when you spend $250 + free shipping Good Harvest Market (for those close to Waukesha, WI) 25% off select produce, meat, seafood, and café items Green Design Center 12% off any product on their website 20% off Savvy Rest Organic Latex Mattresses Indigenous Buy one get one ½ off (sweaters, tops, outerwear, ponchos) Maggie’s Organics 25%…
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22Nov 2018 by Angela Cummings
Giving Thanks

Giving Thanks

Blog
At this time last year, I was just starting to write my first book.  “Organic Lifestyle Made Easy, How to create a chemical-free household one step at a time,” was only two chapters long and just starting to take shape. It seems like a life time ago. Do you have moments like that? While we’re busy focused on the day-to-day, were creating and influencing our future. What we do today affects our lives tomorrow – our health, happiness, opportunities.   But it’s also important to reflect every now and again. Looking back on significant milestones allows us to see how much we’ve grown. How much we’ve achieved along the way. It gives us perspective to see how small changes and accomplishments over time can make such a big difference. Pause…
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