4 Points to Ponder Before Purchasing Organic Bed-Sheets

Posted by HaikuDesigns on March 17th, 2015

Is It Organic or Just Natural?

Natural means that it came from Nature, as opposed to synthetic, which means that it came from a laboratory of chemical materials that were derived from natural elements and then synthesized into something unnatural. As the interest in natural and organic products increases, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is now regulating the use of terms such as “natural” and “organic” and the labeling of products.

The natural label is more elusive, so the government doesn’t regulate the use of the term “natural”. Natural products cannot contain artificial ingredients or materials, and the processing is kept to a minimum. The label of “natural” does not reveal anything about the cultivation of the raw materials involved, such as cotton or wool. The natural label means minimal processing and no artificial additives. So, the lack of regulation, makes it difficult for consumers to determine if a product is natural or not.

Organic certification guarantees that the product has met the USDA standard under the National Organic Program, initiated in 2002. The organic label ensures that the product contains at least 95% organically produced and processed materials. Any product containing less than 70% organic ingredients cannot use the organic label. These “unorganic” products can only list individual ingredients as organic. Organic products must indicate the certification agency, as well as each organic ingredient on the label.

Is the Wholesaler Visible or Invisible?

Founded in 1993, Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative (TOCMC) produces the majority of the organic cotton grown in the U.S. This region of Texas, the heart of “the world’s largest cotton patch,” is well-suited to the production of organic cotton. TOCMC has approximately 30 producers/members who plant 10-18,000 acres of organic and transitional cotton every year. The annual production rate of these family farms in recent years has ranged from 6,000--15,000 bales. With limited or no irrigation, TOCMC’s yields are very dependent on rainfall and vary significantly from one year to the next.

TOCMC and its members are certified as organic under the United States Department of Agriculture National Organic Program (USDA-NOP). Each bale of cotton supplied by TOCMC is tracked from the field to the customer, and every buyer is informed as to the producer’s name and the farm from which each bale was produced.

USDA classing specifications are used to classify each bale of TOCMC cotton into different quality pools. Payments to producers are determined by the pool in which the ball fall, giving producers an incentive to grow the highest quality cotton possible. However, the quality, like yield, is somewhat subject to weather conditions that are beyond the farmers’ control, resulting in some year-to-year variations in the percentage of the crop in each pool.

The quality pools are also the basis of TOCMC’s price structure.  Customers receive bales from the pool containing cotton of the quality specifications they have requested are charged the price related to that pool.

Is the Retailer Local or Ludicrous?

The Hilton or Aunt Hilda’s Bed & Breakfast Where would you like to sleep or shop.

When it comes to buying something as intimate as bed-sheets, wouldn’t you rather buy them from a local outlet, instead of an impersonal big-box super-store? Yes, the price is lower at these cookie-cutter franchises, but the quality of the merchandise and the corporate customer-service is always questionable. To make matters more questionable, these chains-stores are notorious for blatant consumerism by the way that they place disposable items near the checkout line to seduce their unwary customers. So, reconsider how you can reapply your purchasing power by supporting local businesses that add a personal touch to your bedclothes, metaphorically speaking.

Is It Worth the Price?

As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for, but there was a time when products made from natural ingredients or materials was the standard, when people from all walks of life consumed food and other material necessities from natural sources. That was during a period known as the Roaring 20’s, and for centuries going back since the beginning of Time. At any rate, for the time being, we may have to spend a few more dollars to buy food, clothing, bedclothes and other necessities that hark back to a day when Nature led the way.

About the Author:

Clay Phipps is the founder of Haiku Designs which is a market leader in platform beds and modern furniture.

Since its inception, Haiku Designs has provided the finest collections of modern furniture for home and offices. It offers all kinds of bedroom, living room and dining room products. Apart from this, Haiku Designs also offers natural bedding, floor covering and accessories.