Non-Toxic Fabrics
Our Promise
At Harvest & Mill, we know exactly who, where and how our organic fabrics are made. We use zero fabric wholesalers or brokers and we use only 100% USA grown organic cotton yarns - because that is the only way to have true transparency in fashion and fabric chemical content.
We offer all our designs in our signature non-toxic, undyed, unbleached natural finish fabric. Our black fabric is dyed in the USA with low-impact fiber reactive dyes. Why is that important? USA fiber reactive dyed fabric is made following EPA discharge laws (protecting our water and soil) and safe chemicals laws (protecting our water, air and bodies). With USA dyed fiber-reactive color, we aren't polluting our own environment or the environment of developing nations.
At Harvest & Mill, not only are our clothes made in the USA, but our fabrics, yarns and cotton are too. Did you know that clothing companies are not required to label or even know the origins of their yarns or cotton? Knowledge is the power to transform the fashion industry.
The Numbers
• Our skin is the largest organ of the human body and we readily absorb chemicals directly through the skin.
• About 72 toxic chemicals used to dye and finish textiles are already in our water supply, even though some are banned in the USA and EU
• After agriculture, the textile industry is the 2nd largest polluter of water in the world
• It can take 200 tons of water to dye and finish 1 ton of fabric
Chemical Pollution in the Fashion Industry
Cotton fiber is typically a soft white color. In order to get an industry "white" or colored fabric, the cotton fibers need to be processed through numerous dying and finishing techniques. Clothing that is wrinkle-free, polyester or has other “special features” undergoes even more processing.
Many components of the fabric dyes and finishes are known to be toxic, carcinogenic and active hormone disruptors, even in small quantities. These compounds include heavy metals, formaldehyde, chlorinated phenols, azo dyes, ammonia and many more.
Manufacturers are not required to label the chemical ingredients used on fabrics. Most fashion brands that simply purchase wholesale fabric do not even know the origins or chemicals on their fabrics.
The chemical residues left over from dying and processing remain on clothing after they leave the factory. As soon as we wear an article of conventional clothing, the chemicals are transferred onto our skin. Most infamously, formaldehyde has been cited as causing health problems in children and adults. Some chemicals, dyes and finishes do not completely wash out of our clothing. Large amounts of these chemicals do leach out after a few washes, only to end up in our drinking water. Some chemicals actually become more toxic when treated at drinking water treatment facilities, such as toxic nonylphenol (NP). Even though many chemicals like nonylphenol ethoxylates are banned in the EU and regulated in the USA, we still find large quantities in our water supply due to leaching from washing our clothes.
Most fabrics are processed in China, India and Southeast Asia, where there is lax environmental and labor law enforcement. Rivers, ground water, soils and the air are all heavily polluted due to the textile industry. People working in textile processing facilities have enormous exposure to these toxins. This is not only an environmental issue but also a human rights issue.
Harvest & Mill’s Non-Toxic Initiative
At Harvest & Mill, we are cleaning up the fashion industry. Our Non-Toxic Initiative aims to build new supply chains with clean and ethical practices from seed to stitch.
We use only 100% organic cotton fabric, ensuring zero micro-plastic pollution from our fabric.
Our supply chain is 100% USA domestic, greatly reducing the travel distances and CO2 impact of our raw materials.
We make all of our designs in dye-free and bleach-free options.
Our commercial dyes are low-impact and follow all EPA discharge and environmental laws, which are some of the strongest laws and regulations in the world. These guidelines are not voluntary, third party certified nor sparsely enforced. These guidelines are legally required and strictly enforced, granting them a high degree of authority. This is a primary reason we have a 100% USA domestic supply chain. Our supply chain ensures low environmental impact and healthy working conditions.
We champion organic heirloom colorgrown cotton as a sustainable alternative to the dyeing process.