Source: innovationintextiles
Inspired to bring the benefits of traditional Japanese indigo-dyed fabrics into the modern age, a start-up company Aizome Bedding is introducing organic bed linen to provide a unique and healthy sleep experience.
According to the company, the new products are environmentally friendly and produced without employing toxic chemical dyes that can irritate the skin and lead to potential health problems. Aizome Bedding uses the leaves of the Asian indigo naturalis plant that gives its bedding products a unique colour, as well as medicinal properties and low environmental impact.
Aizome updated a centuries-old Japanese dyeing technique through using a cutting-edge ultrasound technology in developing uniquely colourfast and chemical-free textiles. This allows the company to use 200 times less water than textiles producers using chemical dyes, the company explains.
Another key aspect of Aizome Bedding's products is their use of organically sourced GOTS certified cotton fabric that has not been grown with any toxic chemicals, pesticides or GMOs. The combination of the natural indigo dye and organic cotton is said to provide Aizome bedding with hypoallergenic qualities, eliminating dust, detritus, oil and dust mites from building up in a sleeping environment, and preventing anyone with sensitivity to dust materials from experiencing bad reactions.
“Most people think their skin is an impenetrable barrier, but it absorbs a lot of what we touch through a process called dermal absorption,” said Michel May, founder of Aizome Bedding. “Now consider that a third of an average person's life is spent in bed. That represents a lot of exposure to potentially harmful chemicals such as azo dyes, phthalates, formaldehyde or flame retardants (PBDEs) used in the production of the average set of pillowcases, sheets, and comforters. You don't have to worry about any of this with our natural indigo dye. The Japanese have done this for millennia.”
The company launched an Indiegogo campaign to spread awareness about the company's products among consumers and the investment community. The company already raised US$ 33,991, 340% of the original goal of US$ 10,000, with a month still left. The company says it plans to ship its first products in August 2018.
The company’s bed linen is also said to have anti-inflammatory properties of indigo naturalis, antibacterial properties and durability.
