Sustainability
Development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,
or simply put – don't do things today that make tomorrow worse.
The Fabrics
The creation of Oliveira Textiles' begins by selecting sustainable and organic fibers; hemp and organic cotton.
Hemp, although not grown in the U.S., makes the grade. It is
a plant which does not depend on chemicals to make it a viable crop. It
is a sustainably harvested fiber which thrives in most climates, grows
rapidly and is resistant to most disease and insects minimizing the need
for fertilizers and pesticides. Its deep tap root aerates the soil and
creates a rich growing medium. Its tall stalk drops its leaves creating a
self-mulching eco system. Hemp's 6000 year history and its role in
supplying nations with a wide range of goods makes it a wonderful choice
for creating our product. The yarns can be woven and blended with flax
or organic cotton to name but a few, offering a variety of weights and
textures. It can be natural or semi bleached. Hemp use could help move
us toward biodegradable alternatives. It must be imported at this time.
The two main production centers for hemp are China and
Romania. The production methods are labor-intensive using traditional
organic methods of water retting and drying before hackling and spinning
the yarns. The fabrics are whitened if needed with hydrogen peroxide
rather than chlorine dioxide and finally air finished for softening.
Its, texture, durability, mildew resistance, character, beauty and
old-world charm make it a winner.
Organic Cotton was a natural choice for us in terms of
offering a healthier alternative. Here in the U.S., 53 million pounds of
toxic pesticides are applied each year to conventional cotton fields.
Cotton uses less than 5% of the Earth's agricultural land, yet it
consumes 25% of the chemicals applied. Organic production systems
replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic chemicals
and help establish biologically diverse agriculture. Third party
certification organizations verify that organic producers use only
methods and materials allowed in organic production.
It takes three years of organic practices for a farm to be
considered organic. The effort must be sustained to be successful. You
are the solution. Buying fabrics like hemp and organic cotton not only
adds style, comfort, and quality to your wardrobe, it also makes the
world a better place.
Printing
Most of our fabrics are hand-screen printed at a local mill
who’s been operating here in New England for more than 70 years. The
dyes are water based pigments, free of heavy metals and approved by the
*Organic Trade Association's 'Fiber Standards'. We've made the conscious
decision to keep production here as long as possible because it's
important for us to be able to drive to the mill and have a face-to-face
conversation about color and printing techniques.
Since some of our hemp fabric is imported from Europe, we're
printing our herringbone fabric in Portugal. The dyes are
fiber-reactive and approved by *Oek-tex. The mill we discovered in
Portugal understands our mission to create a safe textile because
they’ve been working with *Patagonia for years. They have established a
relationship with the GOTS certifying body and are working toward this
end.The dyes are fiber-reactive and approved by *Oek-tex
Most of our patterns are in stock here in our Bristol
office. Custom and exclusive design development is available. Contact us
for more details.
We hope you are as excited about these products as we are.
Enjoy their beauty, and feel good that you too are taking a small step
forward.
*The Organic Trade Association - OTA’s mission is to promote
and protect organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the
public, and the economy. OTA envisions organic products becoming a
significant part of everyday life, enhancing people's lives and the
environment.
*Oeko-Tex Standard 100 is an international testing and
certification system for textiles, limiting the use of certain
chemicals. It was developed in 1992.
*Patagonia was one of the leaders in the movement to
implement safer, greener manufacturing processes in the textile
industry. www.patagonia.com
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