Pillowcase cotton

The cotton for this pillowcase comes from a valley in the south of Turkey. That doesn't sound spectacular at first, as cotton has been grown in Turkey for 2,000 years. What is special here, however, is that the cotton has probably been growing here for a very long time and that it does not have to be moved after a few years. This is necessary in conventional cultivation areas so that the soil can recover because cotton cultivation has removed many minerals and nutrients from it. However, the soil in this valley is not depleted because the rain flushes minerals and nutrients from the soil of the surrounding mountains and thus provides a natural supply. It is only a short distance from the growing area to the finished bed linen: the spinning mill, weaving mill and sewing mill are all located within a radius of just 40 kilometers. All covers are finished with stone nut buttons. They are supplied in plastic packaging, which is of course biodegradable.

Textiles can be manufactured completely recyclable, this knowledge is not new. Also, there are already certificates that show consumers that products are "Cradle to Cradle®": The principle "from cradle to cradle" means that products can be completely returned to the biological cycles, that is, to their origins, thereby avoiding waste and saving resources. Behind Cradle to Cradle® is an independent nonprofit organization from California that has developed various standards for recyclability and awards certificates with the corresponding gradations from bronze to platinum. This requires that the textiles are made from natural fibers or from fully biodegradable synthetic fibers that are free of harmful substances and environmentally friendly, and that only natural dyes and harmless additives are used. Packaging and accessories must also be recyclable.

OceanSafe Certified consistently follows the principle of circular economy and goes one step further. Because in addition to aspects such as water, material and recyclability, social justice and the type of energy are also taken into account: Safe and fair working conditions at the production sites are just as relevant as the goal of using 100% renewable energy in production. The OceanSafe Certified seal thus not only meets the high requirements of the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Gold certificate (for the material health factor even those for the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Platinum certificate), but also fulfills the strict Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) in some areas. Thus, OceanSafe Certified would like to position itself in the field of sustainable textile industry as a seal of quality that takes into account all essential aspects in the production and recycling of textiles.

Another special feature is the take-back system for the OceanSafe-certified textiles, so that they can be fed into a proper industrial composting. The textiles do not end up as waste, instead humus is created from them, which can be used for example in the cultivation of plants such as organic cotton for textile production. A tag on each cover is provided with a QR code that leads to an Internet platform that provides all the information and a return label for printing.