Pretty Little Green Things

Posts Tagged ‘Organic fabric’

I haven’t really gotten too much into bedding and linens yet.  It’s a big topic with so many manufacturers, so many reviews, so much complexity and so much disagreement.  Instead of joining in the debate, I’d rather just show you what I think are the most beautiful, luxurious and well made products out there, never mind thread count and all that.  So to start, I’m excited to show you Sefte, a luxury bedding line from Spain (but sold throughout the US).  What I love best about this company, besides the fact that everything they make is beyond stunning, is their commitment to social and environmental practices.  Their gorgeous bedding is made from organic cotton and intricately hand embroidered by Vietnamese women using traditional techniques.  And their beautiful throws are made of super soft alpaca wool from the Andes and hand knit or woven by Peruvian artisans.  I could go on, but I’ll let their pictures speak for themselves.  Enjoy!

It’s probably good I don’t own any of their bedding.  I might never make it out of bed if I did!

Here’s a detail of their gorgeous embroidery.  It’s so perfect!

Here are a few of their luxurious throws

I love the pattern and detail of this blanket

I realize it’s so hot out right now and the last thing you want to look at is a pile of blankets, but I just couldn’t resist this last picture.  So beautiful!

Photos from Sefte

The last company that I’ll be showing you is Harmony Art Organic Design, which I think is a great way to end this series of beautiful organic fabric.  I love their slogan, “committed to keeping oatmeal and granola where it belongs…”  Their heavier twills and denims are great for upholstery and their sateens would make damn cute pillows, tablecloths, curtains, you name it.



Their patterns are feminine but young, fresh and fun.  All are organic cotton sourced and printed either in India or the US, because as I’ve been learning India is one of the best places for organic cotton.  Harmony Art is also dedicated to fair trade practices and “promoting social and environmental progress in the textile industry.”  What a great way to run an organic fabric company!

Unless you’re a wholesaler or are planning to buy 50 yards of fabric, you can’t buy directly through them.  However, there are plenty of online retailers that carry their fabrics.  Happy shopping!







Photos from Harmony Art Organic Design

For those of you who are more partial to solid colors, subtle patterns or just want a variety of fiber choices, one of the best retail organic fabric companies I’ve come across is Near Sea Naturals.  They have an amazing variety of organic cotton, wool, hemp, blended fibers and peace silks in lots of beautiful colors.

As an interior designer, I am particularly fond of silk, for its luster and hand.  However I’ve always been under the impression that as long as you’re using a natural fiber, you’ve made a more or less green choice.  But as with so many eco options, it’s never quite that simple.  Yes, it’s a natural fiber, biodegradable and made from renewable resources, but there’s so much more to it than that.  Treehugger has a great article describing whether silk is green or not in a very easy to understand way.  As you’ll learn, peace, Tussah or fair-trade silks are a much better choice than standard silk.  And fortunately Near Sea Naturals has a great selection so you can feel good about your chic choices.

Here’s a picture of Near Sea Naturals’ peace silk.  Gorgeous!

Near Sea Naturals’ website has a TON of fabric options so I don’t think it’s possible to choose wrong.  As you’re shopping, keep in mind that many of their fabrics are lightweight and woven for clothing or throw pillows.  There are, however, plenty of options for upholstery and light usage and it usually says in the description what you can use the fabric for.  Images on their website are fairly good, but if you’re trying to match something specific or working on a design scheme, you can always buy a swatch to see the fabric close up.  The only downside I’ve found is that you’re not guaranteed that a certain fabric will stay in stock or that they’ll be able to order more.  So make sure to order soon and order all of the yardage you need!  And don’t forget to order organic notions, batting and ribbon to go with your beautiful organic fabric.

Here are just a few of my favorites.

Here are just a few of Near Sea Naturals’ solids in cotton, silk wool and blends.  They have a beautiful color selection.

Photos from Near Sea Naturals

The stereotypical organic fabric is neutral in color and somewhat unrefined, however this next company is also showing that green does not have to equal boring.  Founded by Michelle Adams, who you may remember from an earlier post I wrote about her super chic apartment, Rubie Green is out to prove that their fabrics can be  just and colorful and graphic as the next.  And we’re glad they did.

Rubie Green uses only 100% certified organic cotton to print on.  Their inks are water-based, non-toxic and contain no VOCs. What I found especially impressive is their heat printing method uses only about a gallon of water a day.  Normal printing methods use a lot of water and create a lot of waste.  I don’t know how much fabric Rubie Green prints daily, but this seems like an impressive goal for textile companies.

Their prices, at $90 per yard, are more than Mod Green Pod but with patterns this bold and colorful, you really only need a little bit to brighten up a room.

Here are just a few of my favorites.  Make sure you check out their website for more.  Enjoy!

This pattern is called East Village.  I may have to get a yard or two not only because it’s a great pattern, but that’s my neighborhood!

This pattern is so fun in lime green, or…

Beautiful and elegant in gray

Photos by Patrick Cline for Rubie Green

So now that I’ve shown you that beautiful and sustainable furniture is possible and available, the next question to answer is: where can I find beautiful and sustainable fabrics to upholster my gorgeous furniture with? For manufacturers who don’t provide their own organic fabrics, I’ll be profiling a few textile companies over the next few posts.  First up is Mod Green Pod.

Founded by sisters Nancy and Lisa Mims, Mod Green Pod makes graphic and colorful fabrics and wallpaper that are anything but boring.  Their patterns are all printed on 100% certified organic cotton that has been grown and woven in the United States.  According to Mod Green Pod:

Conventional cotton represents only three percent of the world’s cropland, yet it’s doused with 25% of all insecticides and over 10% of all pesticides. In California, five of the top nine pesticides used on cotton are given the most toxic classification for cancer-causing chemicals.

That’s scary stuff and just one of the many reasons that natural fibers are not always the same as organic fibers!

In addition to using organic cotton, Mod Green Pod also uses non-toxic printing pigments and dyes.  What they don’t use are fabric protectors, color fast agents, stain resistants, wrinkle-free agents or fire retardants that may contain toxins.

Here are a few of their fun, colorful and graphic patterns.  And for about $40/yard, you can use these fabrics for larger item or drapery.  Mod Green Pod also has a range of bright solids and can do custom colors with large orders.  Tell me what you think!

Hey Mod Green Pod!  If you’re out there, I love this print and think you should make it in a bright color such as purple or royal blue.  I have dining chairs that need reupholstering and this fabric would look perfect on them!

Love the retro look of this one

I love that this pattern comes in a large and small scales.  I’m a bit partial to the magenta color way though.

Photos from Mod Green Pod