Organic Mattress Prices Going Up 1st Feb!!

Whilst things have been pretty bad out there, at buyOrganics we have tried to keep our prices of organic mattresses, organic pillows and bedding the same for as long as possible and absorb the rising costs ourselves.

From 1st Feb however we will have to charge VAT again, and although the UK VAT rate is currently 20% we won't be increasing all our prices by this amount, we will still try to absorb this cost as much as possible where possible. Some of our products may have to go up by this amount, but others will be only between 5- 10%. Unfortunately its unavoidable, but we'll try our best to keep the rise to a minimum.

Non-Toxic, Organic Pillow Safety For Babies

Eco friendly mums to be will be interested to know the facts on organic pillow safety for babies. Some confusion exists about whether babies under 1 years of age should have a pillow or not.

According to the FSID, (the charity that helps prevent infant cot death), pillows, however eco friendly or organic are not suggested for new-born babies and children under 1. Along with pillows, never use duvets and quilts such as comforters, wedges and bedding rolls. These are not to be confused with maternity pillows which are used for breast feeding and propping up mum’s back.

Some parents buy baby pillows to try and avoid a condition called ‘plagiocephaly’ which refers to the flattening of a babies head, babies grow out of this over time and this can be easily avoided by encouraging baby to play on their tummy in the day, a pillow is not necessary.

Even though baby pillows are available online, buyOrganics founder Sonia Kalia-Sagoo, re-iterates that “pillows and duvets , even organic ones are only ok for babies/ children over 1 year old and not before as a small baby can get trapped under a pillow or duvet and suffocate.” 

When you do eventually invest in a pillow, when your baby is over 1 year old and you think they need it, an organic baby pillow is better, as it contains no formaldehydes, bleaches, dyes, pesticide residues, plastics or VOC's or moulds...things you don't really want your child exposed to. 

The best pillow to invest in is an organic wool child pillow. The wool content helps you child to have a restful and deeper sleep, than synthtic pillows that have negative chi energy.

Have a More Ethical, Humane, Turkey This Christmas (not for vegetarians!)

So , Organic non-veggie foodies….Christmas dinner may seem far away, but if you are an ethically conscious person, who savours slightly finer food, then this post maybe of interest to you.  

Most conventional turkeys are raised in small confined cages on Turkey farms, which not only affects their quality of life but also the taste of the meat.  Ethically raised free range turkeys on the other hand are fed real food, they are allowed to move around freely and have a happier existence.

Generally the breed of bird also differs on free range turkey farms, the turkeys tend to be heirloom or heritage breeds and therefore have a different flavour and a higher red to white meat ratio. As the bird has had time to grow and move around, it has a higher good fat to bad fat ratio, meaning that it won’t go dry  and bland so quickly when cooked ,  as caged birds do, but will instead keep a rich flavour when that essential gravy is added!

For ultimate flavour pick an organic turkey as not only will it not have been pumped full of antibiotics and growth enhancers, but it will have been fed a super healthy organic diet and had lots of fresh air and running around too. 

Post brought to you by www.buyorganics.co.uk

Ecofriendly Wooden Cots The Way They Should Be Made

Just like the rest of our furniture these days, cots are no exception, and are often  created using compressed wood with only a wood finish, or bases that are plastic or spring based. Often finished with glazed plastic finishes, toxic varnishes or paints and plastic teething covers, its no surprise that babies life starts tough with chemical exposure right from the onset. Loaded with formaldehyde and VOC’s, babies are exposed from day one, with immunity and brain development being the first thing that can be compromised.

Add to the baby cot, often pvc covered or fire retardant covered baby mattresses and you can understand why babies are so at risk. They lie all day in bed with their face straight on the mattress.

buyOrganics is proud to add to our exceptional line of pure organic baby mattresses, our Organic Wooden Jacob Cot. Made with growth in mind, our lovely FSC certified solid spruce Jacob cot can turn from a cot into a cot bed and eventually a little mini bed. The base is also made of slatted real wood, providing the perfect level of support to your organic baby mattress. Completely ergonomically designed for growing babies. Hand made in Germany, the cot can be left plain unfinished or varnished with eco friendly non toxic Auro wood stains for a beautiful cot that is luxurious, stylish, and 100% safe for baby and the environment.

10 Ways To Recycle Old Pillows

Organic pillow consumers will know that old pillows can get really grotty after a time and it is an easy option to just through them in the bin where they will end up on landfill sites. Instead of doing that, you maybe able to put them to good use around the home, always wash and dry them thoroughly first. Here’s buyOrganics's top ten tips on how

1.     Put a couple of flat pillows together and cover with a vinyl cover to turn it into a garden cushion for your knees when gardening.

2.     Remove inner feathers and compost in the garden, they will provide valuable nitrogen to the soil. Recycle the cover in clothes recycling at the dump.

3.     Cover your pillows with a durable yet comfortable fixed cover and make into a cushion for a pet.

4.     Use as packing material when moving house.

5.     Put a whole load of old pillows stitched together into one big sewn material bag and stitch to make a big floor cushion.

6.     Remove the washed filling and re-use to make stuffed animal toys for your kids or pets.

7.     Square them off and make cushions for your sofa. Make them look pretty with attractive cushion covers.

8.     Donate them to animal shelters or homeless shelters.

9.     Sew the ends together to make a long bolster shaped cushion and cover with a fabric of your choice, you can now use the bolster as a draught excluder under doors.

10. Stitch a few pillows together and cover with a durable fabric and use the pillow as a foot cushion or under elevated legs to increase circulation. 

Recycling is about being creative and a willingness to re-invent what we have instead of just disposing of it! Happy Recycling!

What to do about mattresses dumped on the side of the road?

As a natural lover of a nice clean environment and an organic mattress specialist, I'm exasperated at the amount of mattresses I seem to see ending up on the side of the road. Everywhere I look these days I see them propped up against fences, folded at the end of driveways, or sitting on the kerb! What's worse is that we supposedly live in a nice area!!

It obviously costs much too much for people to take it to the local dump, so they sit with their bright greens and reds and odd patterns on the side of the road, generally growing mould and fungi. It's been 2 months now and I've seen 4 on a daily basis that aren't getting picked up. Phone call to the council is due...

One london borough claimed 9,000 mattresses a year to be collected and recycled. If you need to get rid of your own mattress, contact your council and see if they have a mattress recycling service. Its a much better option than it ending up on a dump site, someone maybe able to use it before it gets soiled outside.

If you imagine 9,000 mattresses per borough per year ending up in a landfill it should put into perspective how important it is that your mattress be recyclable. Most mattresses contain chemicals and materials which will never biodegrade and instead cause toxic pollution. more on that later, but for now!!! RECYCLE!!!!

How to clean your fruit and veg properly and why you should bother!

When our organic mattress shoppers are not sleeping, they are no doubt cooking healthy food. Although by eating fruit and veg, you may think you are being healthy, but your washing regime maybe letting you down! Tests commissioned by Government food watchdogs show that washing non organic fruit and vegetables does not remove chemical pesticide residues. Pesticides are used in farming to get rid of insects, fungus attacks and to stop some developing blemishes. By washing them properly you can cut down on a lot of the chemicals you are ingesting.

For example apples and potatoes, despite being washed before eating / peeling and cooking respectively, still contained one chemical with links to cancer, birth defects and infertility in recent studies. Washing poorly can mean exposure to chemicals which inflame stomach lining, as well as increase cancer risks.

Although the Food Standards Agency says that residues on fresh produce in the UK are so low that there is no need to wash them. Many parents still like to take precautions, because the amount of pesticides children are exposed to in relation to their body weight can be more than that of adults. Green campaigners also insist that there is a ‘cocktail effect’ of food crop chemicals on human health, even at low levels.

Campaigner Nick Mole, of Pesticide Action Network UK, said: ‘Repeated exposure to low doses and mixtures can have a deleterious effect on health, especially amongst the more vulnerable groups such as children.

The FSA’s advice is that people wash fresh produce to ensure they are clean and free from germs, rather than because there is a need to remove residues.

A spokesman insisted the public should not be concerned by the findings.

However, if you add up all the fruit and veg you eat over a lifetime and how much we try and feed the kids to keep them ‘healthy’ it feels like a bit of a self defeating battle. Even if you buy organic fruit and veg, its still a good idea to clean them thoroughly to get rid of germs and bacteria, so here’s our top tips on washing fruit and veg to get rid of pesticides and waxes

1.    You can use a soapy solution containing water and standard non anti bacterial washing up liquid, this works really well at lifting off chemicals on the surface of the fruit and veg but you must make sure you rinse the soapy solution off completely before cooking and eating.

2.    Mix one part vinegar to 2 parts water in a spray bottle, spray on fruit and veg and then wash under clean water. This method can remove up to 98% of bacteria from the surface. If you have longer, soak for 10 mins in the vinegar solution, then wash and eat or cook as normal.

3.    Purchase a commercial fruit and veg cleaning spray that contains no ammonia. This will remove waxes, pesticides, and bacteria naturally

4.   Make your own fruit and veg cleaning spray-

Method 1
1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 1 cup (250ml) of water. Put the mixture in a spray-topped bottle. Spray the fruit or vegetables, leave to sit for 5--10 minutes, then rinse well.

Method 2

1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons white vinegar (distilled works best), 1 cup (250ml) water in a spray-topped bottle. Spray the fruit or vegetables, wipe and eat.

For particularly waxy fruit or vegetables, try this mixture:

Method 3

1 cup (250ml) water, half a cup (115ml) vinegar, 1 tablespoon baking soda and dash of grapefruit seed extract. Spray this onto the produce and leave for an hour before rinsing and eating.

5.         After washing as described above, peel or discard outer layers where possible to get rid of most of the pesticides that remain on the outside.

Only clean fruit and veg this way just before you eat or cook them, otherwise they degrade more quickly.

References:

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2112767/How-pesticides-persist-wash-fruit-veg.html#ixzz2AhNq5D9r

http://suite101.com/article/how-to-wash-pesticides-off-fruit-vegetables-a174074

www.buyorganics.co.uk