All-Natural Towels
When it comes to keeping things clean and dry, we're always looking for eco-friendly, all-natural alternatives. We're all about keeping chemicals and toxins away in every part of our lifestyle—especially when it can be easily done with style and grace! That's why we're simply enamored by organic towels made from all-natural fibers and dyes derived straight from the planet. Read on to learn more.
Linen
Linen, made from the fibers of the flax plant, is one of the planet's earliest forms of textile production with evidence dating as far back as 8000 BCE. The word itself is derivative of the Latin name for the flax plant, linum, as well as the earlier Greek word, λινόν (pronounced linón). It has been prized for centuries for not only its supreme utility, but also for its natural brilliance and lustre, so much so that it was used in Ancient Egypt as currency—and served as a symbol of light, purity and prosperity in mummification. Because it is so laborious to make, it remained a symbol of prosperity for hundreds of years, and to this day there are few fabrics that can stand up to its quality. The natural absorbing properties of linen allow it to quickly wick up moisture without feeling as moist to the touch as other fabrics, and it has the capability to dry incredibly quickly—making it ideal for towels in the kitchen and in the bathroom, like our beautiful Pure Linen Towels.
Cotton
We think its safe to say when someone says, "Fabric," all of our minds go to cotton—it is simply ubiquitous with the idea of material. Throughout history, cotton has served to clothe, warm and clean all sorts of societies and—evidence of cotton production dates as far back as 5000 BCE in both the Old and New Worlds. However, that doesn't mean the process is perfect. As technological advances have been made, certain changes have appeared in the age-old process. Modern day cotton is treated with endless pesticides, insecticides and herbicides, and is often the result of GMO alterations. For each harvest year, it is estimated that cotton farms use as much as 25 percent of the world's insecticides and 10 percent of the world's pesticides. These chemicals are released into the atmosphere and water systems of our planet—but there is hope. Organic cotton production is free of toxins and chemicals, utilizing methods that lessen harmful effects on our environment. There's so much to love about organic cotton—and we simply can't get enough. Just one look at our Kimono Towels and we're sure you'll catch the organic cotton bug, too.
Natural Dyes
We don't just stop at fabrics when it comes to all-natural textiles—the part that really shows is the dye! Just as with all-natural fabrics, the essentials of vegetable- and mineral-based dyes have remained unchanged for eons, with evidence of dying processes dating back to the Neolithic period. While time has, of course, yielded refinements in our understanding of the process, the nuts and bolts have remained unchanged. Naturally colorful and staining elements from nature, like seeds, berries, leaves and minerals, are placed in a solution of water. The fabric is added to the water and left to stew, with the mixture being heated and stirred until the color is transferred. The range of shades and hues that can be derived from nature are simply stunning, and each culture has discovered unique and impressive ways to pull color out of their surroundings. We particularly love the ancient Japanese methods—like Kusaki-zome, which results in the sweet, pastel shades of our Kasaki Puff Towels, deriving their range of hues coming from larkspur, olives and chamomile, or the rich, dark shades that come from traditional Kishu-Banchotan charcoal in our stunning Charcoal Bath towels.