Organic Materials

Organic cotton

Organic cotton is cotton that is grown without pesticides from plants which are not genetically modified.

From
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_cotton

Though organic cotton has less environmental impact than conventional cotton, it costs more to produce. Side-effects of conventional production that are avoided in organic growing methods include: • High levels of agrochemicals are used in the production of non-organic, conventional cotton. Cotton production uses more chemicals per unit area than any other crop and accounts in total for 16% of the world's pesticides. • The chemicals used in the processing of cotton pollute the air and surface waters. • Residual chemicals may irritate consumers' skin. • The conventional cotton industry relies on a high level of forced child labor. Naturally colored cotton has also been grown successfully with organic methods. The main problem of the cotton is about the production, so even normal cottons has no harm to the environment.

other links:
http://www.sustainablecotton.org



Bamboo Fabric

From Wikipedia:
In 2003, Xiangqi Zhou, Zheng Liu, Liming Liu, and Hao Geng invented a way of turning bamboo fibre into yarn. Selected fibres are heated to 80-90° C, then soaked in a mixture of soap and emulsion oil, dried, rehydrated with another mixture of oils, then let to set for five to seven days. The fibres may then be spun, by a variety of methods, into a high-quality yarn.

- bamboo is 100% biodegradable
- bamboo is cheap,
- it has natural anti-bacterians so it needs no pesticides.
- feels like cashmere

Other links:
http://organic.lovetoknow.com/Organic_Bamboo_Fabric



Organic stuffing

1-Organic cotton

Soft organic cotton stuffing can be applied for many uses: pillows, stuffed animals, dolls, potholders, etc. This stuffing has been cleaned and carded and is a very high quality stuffing/batting.
Cotton stuffing tends to harden over time, which can be desirable in certain applications (reading pillows comes immediately to mind). Some of the finest (and most expensive) pillows available combine an organic cotton core and an organic wool outer for a soft, warm, flame-resistant cushion of comfort.


2- Bio-degradable PLA Fiber stuffing

From Wikipedia:
PLA fiber is a completely biodegradable synthetic fiber, it made from grain. After abandoned its products in the soil or water, by the role of micro-organisms,the products will decompose into the carbon dioxide and water. The most important is that it will not distribute gas combustion, will not cause pollution,.It's a sustainable development of fiber.
PLA fiber mixed with cotton, wool blend and other biodegradable fibers, can used to produce spun fabric of cloth.
Production: As of December 2005, NatureWorks was the primary producer of PLA (bioplastic) in the United States.



Soy Ink

From greenWikia:

Soy ink is a kind of Ink made from Soybeans. As opposed to traditional Petroleum-based ink, soy-based ink:
- is more Environmentally friendly
- is available in brighter colors
- improves the life span of the printers
- makes it easier to recycle paper
- is more economic in the long run

To make soy ink, soybean oil is slightly refined and then blended with Pigment, Resins, and Waxes. Even though soybean oil is an edible vegetable oil, soy ink is not edible or 100% biodegradable because the pigments and other additives that are mixed with the oil are the same as those used in petroleum-based inks. They are, however, overwhelmingly more environmentally friendly

The waste that is left from the soy ink during the de-inking process is not hazardous and it can be treated easily through the development on modern processes.

Disavantages:
Soy ink cannot be used in Ballpoint pens and personal printers, and it takes more time to dry than petroleum-based inks.



Organic Glues

There are plant based resins that are really costly and will get you close to the 75% green in formulation.

Otherwise, some commercially available chemistries can get you close to 50-60% renewable ingredients.

From Wired News:
Bacteria Form Strongest Glue Ever
The newly discovered glue is claimed to be the strongest one known to exist in nature! It helps a common bacterium clings to the inside of water pipes, withstanding a force equivalent to five tons per square inch! The super adhesive can contribute hugely not only in the field of surgery, but also can be ground breaking for the environment. It can be used as biodegradable glue, easily replacing sutures and staples in surgery.

Caulobacter crescentus can withstand a force equivalent to five tons per square inch -- the pressure exerted by three or four cars balanced atop a quarter -- before it is swept from its moorings.

the super adhesive the bacteria produces could theoretically be mass-produced for engineering and medical purposes, including as a biodegradable glue to replace sutures and staples in surgery.

The challenge would be to produce large quantities of this glue without it sticking to everything that is used to produce it

Other links:
http://www.chungdha.com/2008/11/biodegradable-glue-trend.html
http://www.diyinfo.org/wiki/Types_Of_Glue



Natural Fabric dyes

Fruit Dyes:

http://www.pioneerthinking.com/naturaldyes.html