Being home most of the time these days means we’re living in our comfy bamboo clothing more than ever. In fact 24/7 lately!! Luckily Siddhiwear apparel is not only easy to wear but easy to care for, low maintenance and very forgiving. Our premium bamboo apparel is made with Oeko-tek certified quality fabric with a content ratio of 66% Bamboo, 28% cotton and 6% spandex. We advise that our clothes be washed in the machine in cold water, and ideally laid flat to dry. Our clothes can be put in the dryer, but over time, the heat can break down the fibres of the fabric. The dryer can also warp, shrink and damage your clothes which sadly can shorten the life of your favourite toque or bamboo fibre yoga pants. The better you care for your Siddhiwear, the longer your apparel will last! High heat in the dryer can weaken your clothes, cause them to lose their stretch and even increase the chance of rips and tears.
Naturally, we’re all about rest and relaxation, so when life is hectic and busy, and family needs and work calls, we often throw our clothes in the dryer to make our lives a little easier. During these strange lockdown covid days we all seem to have more time….sort of….different quality and quantity of time. Home with children in virtual school and possibly working from home may mean more zoom meetings and extra workloads on top of managing a busy household, but can also mean more home cooked meals, healthier snacking, time with family and lots of couch time- which isn’t all bad! If you are fortunate to have the flexibility to work from home, some of the perks could include a little extra laundry TLC!! Where we live, (Toronto, Canada) our government has implemented lower hydro rates during the day so it’s possible to take care of household needs without blowing the bank. However, being home almost all of the time, means using more electricity than ever, and if laying our clothes flat or hanging to dry is better for the environment AND our wardrobe….we’re in!!! It’s winter time here, so it’s not the best time to line dry everything like sheets and towels etc. But for small items like toques, headbands, sleeves and even our harem pants….it makes so much sense to skip the dryer altogether. Keeping your items out of the dryer is super sensible and doesn’t take up lots of space, using a line outdoors or a foldable drying rack. If the dryer is a must, try using on a lower heat setting and you’ll reduce the wear and tear of all your garments, not just your beloved Siddhiwear! In addition to prolonging the life of your clothing, carbon dioxide emissions from the dryer can add up to more than a ton per household per year as well as the wasteful electricity needed to run them. There are numerous benefits to air drying your clothes and though they might take a little longer to dry, bonuses like a reduced environmental footprint, saving money and even less static cling are worth considering!!
We’re always working to lessen our environmental impact and work at being as eco friendly as possible at Siddhiwear. When it comes to caring for your clothes, the cleaner the products that are used, the better. And not just for your clothing, in fact, there are purer, more ethically aligned options for all of your cleaning needs these days. What we use around our homes, what we put on our skin, and more obviously in our body can make all the difference to our health and well being.
Many conventional laundry detergents contain harmful chemicals, like phosphates which get carried into our waste systems and waterways and cause an overgrowth of algae. This ends up starving fish and plant life of oxygen, messing up the eco system in general.
Especially for those with skin sensitivities, detergent without the usual host of offensive fragrances, preservatives and dyes is a no brainer. Not to mention, the build up of crap that can muck up and damage your washing machine as well.
It’s truly amazing to think about all the every day little choices we make that actually over time have a huge impact. Either negatively or positively. In addition to cleaner, longer lasting, fresher clothes, choosing eco friendly products all around the house is a win-win. From cleaning your toilet to washing the floor. From your body wash, shampoo and conditioner, to all of your skin care products….if it’s going ON your body, it’s going IN your body.
We tend to think of ourselves as separate in so many ways. Separate from other people, separate from the earth, from plants and animals…..all that we interact with. But we are not. We are connected beyond space and time, and maybe that’s a heavy statement for a blog about laundry and how to care for your clothing. :-) But that’s where we’re at these days. These strange Covid, lockdown days. We’re staying home, we’re staying safe, we’re wearing our masks and washing our hands…..But we’re also asking questions about how we can do better? How can BE better? How do we show up and rise up during this stressful time? How can we contribute to the solution and not the problem? Small choices, daily choices, sometimes not easy choices….Taking deep breaths, practicing self care to the best of our ability (chanting and raising our vibration in our white white bamboo yoga pants!!) and making smarter, healthier, wholesome decisions can be of great benefit to so much more than just ourselves, our own families, our neighbours and the planet. All the seemingly little efforts add up and can nourish the spirit, the energy, the vibe of all who we come in contact with (even if it’s 6ft apart and masked!). We don’t have to be perfect, just better than who we were yesterday. Whether helping our kids with their homework, dropping off groceries, caring for an elder or just doing laundry….we can all do better!