Slow cleansing

Over the last few years I have developed a new pet hate: facial cleansing wipes. Not only are they wasteful and generally laden with chemicals in order not to 'go off' and keep moist forever, they are also the most utilitarian, sober and unsensuous way of cleansing your face. The fast food of skin care! The latest generation even promises to cleanse, tone and moisturise all in one simple wipe. So in under 60 seconds we can all 'take off the day' from our faces. Not only do I not believe that this kind of skin care has any benefits - how could it, there is no 'care' in it! I just as much lament the fact that it takes out the joy and, if you like, the ritual of looking after your skin, the taking off the day and preparing for the night.
I am not advocating spending 3 hours every night and using hundreds of products to wash your face. But I am advocating finding a routine that you enjoy practising and that benefits your skin. It can be quite simple. I take less than 10 minutes to prepare my skin for night time: I use organic sweet almond oil on moistened cotton wool pads to take off any traces of make-up. I further cleanse and massage my face with a rich organic facial cleanser balm which I remove with tissues. Finally I soak an organic muslin face cloth in warm to hot water (maybe with a bit of lavender oil), put it on my face to open the pores and gently apply some ghassoul wash-clay (which I prepare in a little dish with water and organic sweet almond oil every few days). I take off the ghassoul with the organic muslin cloth, dry my face and spray some rose water on my skin. After a few minutes I decide whether my skin needs extra oils or creams. Often it doesn't.
So, more than 60 seconds but still a very appropriate transition time from day to night. My 'end of the day ritual' and a cultural act as much as one of simply cleansing. My skin would certainly miss it, but I would miss it even more.

(Granted, facial wipes might come in handy on those camping trips ... but then don't get me started on camping!)

Gabriela Lana

Organic mattresses - the natural nest for sound sleep

Greenfibres makes organic and natural mattresses by hand to the highest specifications. We use only top quality natural and organic materials. These materials are very breathable and are excellent at balancing moisture and temperature levels. As the average person loses about a third of a litre of moisture during sleep, the 'micro-climate' in your bed is of crucial importance: if you get too hot and sweaty you'll cool down and ... wake up! Combine one of our natural mattresses with an organic Greenfibres duvet and pillow and get the full benefits of sleeping in a pure, natural nest.
We don't treat our mattresses with any chemicals so you don't have to worry about those nasty substances outgassing. Also, our mattresses are free from metal - not a spring in sight - so they do not interfere with or heighten natural magnetic or electro-magnetic fields. These fields may impact on the quality of your sleep and possibly even your health. Some people are very sensitive to this so we simply decided to leave the metal out completely.
Because we make the mattresses to order we can accommodate different size requirements (antique beds, DIY beds,etc). We pass at heart-shaped mattresses but as long as it's rectangular, we can make it. Just give us a call and we'll discuss what is possible and will also take you through all the different materials on offer.

BIGGEST SALE EVER!

Greenfibres is having a huge clearout sale to make way for new season stock, with big reductions on lots of stuff.

Take a look here.

Organic Textiles Directory and glossary

I have been busy creating a worldwide organic textiles directory with a textiles glossary attached.

This was mainly an exercise in improving my php skills, which are pretty basic. Still, I have managed to hack someone else's code into a usable - and hopefully useful - site.

Let me know how you think it could be improved.

Greenfibres customer feedback

It's always good to get positive feedback from Greenfibres customers, particularly when it compares us favourably with our commpetition:

"As an existing customer I am impressed with your reliability and fairness in your dealings with me. FYI: The same cannot be said of my experiences of other natural companies with whom we no longer trade - between my daughter and myself we have been sadly disappointed in at least 5 orders (phone an 0870 number if there is a problem with the order..... and it costs a fortune, invoiced the full price for a 1/2 price sale, sent one half of a set of pyjamas because the other half wasn't available etc etc) . It all makes us wonder if they treat customers so badly, how do they treat suppliers? Keep up the good work, regards, (name supplied)"

We know we are not perfect, but we do try.

If there is something we can do to improve your experience of shopping with us, do let us know.

Meanwhile, we have some nice organic thermal underwear to keep you warm this winter!

How Green is Your Wedding?

With the average wedding costing (believe it or not) nearly £20,000 and often incorporating a honeymoon in a far-flung resort, getting married can have a serious impact on the planet as well as the purse.


Here are some suggestions for lessening the environmental impact of your happy day - and probably saving quite a bit of money into the bargain:

• Printing and stationery - find a printer who can offer a range of invitations and other wedding stationery printed on recycled paper or card.


• Jewellery and precious metals are significant polluters due to energy-consuming mining and manufacturing processes. You could consider antique or recycled jewellery.


• Those limos are real gas-guzzlers - consider a horse-drawn carriage: much more classy! And any waste products are bio-degradable...


• Honeymoons can be taken in this country, too.


• Organic wedding gifts can be sourced from ethical companies: Greenfibres offer a free wedding list service


• Wedding dresses and suits can often be found in charity shops, or can be made from organic or re-cycled material.


• Food and drink can be local and organic - and good!


• Confetti - how about rice, wheat or birdseed?

Use your imagination - there are many ways you can make your wedding a little greener. Here are some more Green Wedding Tips from Friends of the Earth.

Underwear Exposed at Eco Conference

A range of underwear - the first in the UK to be given the stamp of organic approval – will be given a public airing for the first time on Thursday January 25 at the reception for the 2007 Soil Association Conference in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

Other Greenfibres products recently certified as organic by the Soil Association include a range of cotton towels and a selection of socks.

While most people have some idea of the reasons why organic food might be better for us and the environment, the idea of buying organic clothes is not one that may occur to many of us.

The mainstream textiles industry is a major source of pollution, using about one quarter of the pesticides applied to crops worldwide. Over 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw fibres into clothes, towels, bedding and other household goods. Some of these (such as organophosphates, pyrethroids, carbamates and organochlorines) have been associated with cancer, birth defects, and hormonal disruption. Reproductive effects have also been noted, including male fish developing female characteristics.

Farmers working on organic farms are exposed to fewer chemicals. Each year, an estimated 60 million pounds of organophosphate pesticides are applied to U.S. agricultural crops and an additional 17 million pounds are used per year for non-agricultural uses, such as in household pest control products and lawn and garden sprays.

Organic textiles are derived from crops grown without chemicals, using eco-friendly methods. No toxic chemicals are used in their manufacture and surface dressings are either absent or eco-friendly.

All Greenfibres Organic products are certified by one of the major European agencies, which include Bioland (Germany), Demeter (Germany) and SKAL (Netherlands), and only recently has it become possible for the Soil Association to certify organic textiles in the UK.