Cherub's Blanket Blog

A Letter of Thanks

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:51:00 GMT

Recently I was selling blankets at a market when a young teenage girl passed by my table. She glanced over the products, and then gasped. "That's my blanket!" she exclaimed. She ran up with a huge smile. "I have a blanket just like that from when I was a baby. It's still in my room. I use it as a pillow for camp and snuggle it whenever I'm sad." I answered her excitement with joy of my own. "I'm so happy to hear that and to meet you," I said. Her mom came by and explained that she had purchased a baby blanket from Cherub's Blanket in 1999 for her daughter who is now a confident 8th grader. This thirteen-year-old girl was one of my early customers!

This is why I do Cherub's Blanket, for the little child who is swaddled in love and grows up to treasure the memory.

You, the valued customer, mean so much to me and the other members of Cherub's Blanket. You've expressed interest, supported us, and invested in memory-makers of your own. We are so happy that our blankets mean so much to you.

To show our appreciation we are offering free shipping for all orders over $49.95 throughout the month of September. Enter the code FREESHIP at checkout for the discount. We're letting you know about this deal in time for the Labor Day weekend and for you the deal begins today! We are so grateful for your support.

Thank you and have a good holiday!

Can you see the stars where you live?

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 15:24:00 GMT

From the suburbs of Cleveland, we can make out the stars of the big dipper, but never any hints of our galaxy profile in the milky way. It's just not dark enough. Whenever I travel out to the "country", far away from city lights, I am truly amazed by the wonder of so many stars.

Recently, I came across this article about nighttime light pollution. Take a read through, and let us know what you think.

http://www.emagazine.com/earth-talk/nighttime-light-pollution/

Cherub's Blanket Publishes White Paper: Chemicals and Toxins used in Conventional Cotton Baby Blankets

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 19:20:00 GMT

Chemicals and Toxins used in Conventional Cotton Baby Blankets

Compiled and published by Cherub's Blanket, LLC

A baby blanket is very special. It provides warmth and safety to a baby just minutes old, and lasting comfort for years on. Cotton is a popular choice for baby blankets; it is soft, breathable, and easy to care for. Unlike polyester, cotton is a natural fiber and is hypoallergenic, especially beneficial for those with sensitive skin or allergies.1 However, despite its inherent qualities, not all cotton fabric is created equal. Currently, there are two main methods of cotton production: conventional and organic. This white paper discusses the differences between the two and provides information so the consumer can make a more educated choice when it comes to a baby’s needs.

Conventional vs Organic
Conventional cotton production generally incorporates large-scale farms with uniform high-yield hybrid crops grown continuously over many seasons, and extensive use of pesticides and fertilizers. In turn with industrialized agribusiness, the objective is simply to maximize the crop yield at the lowest cost possible.2 As conventional cotton is grown, harvested, processed into fabric, and dyed, step by step it is subject to a series of chemical processes. The emerging fabric has chemicals imbedded within the fiber, coating the yarn, and bound to the fabric surface. In contrast, organic farming avoids or strictly minimizes the use of synthetically compounded fertilizers and pesticides. The objective is to maximize yield in a way that maintains and supports an ecological balance of natural systems.3 From the start, fewer chemicals results in a cleaner fiber. From there, if the cotton is handled to maintain the organic integrity, fabric should be more natural and less chemically complex.

Most cotton grown conventionally begins its engineered life as a GMO (genetically modified organism) seed. GMOs are developed to be resistant to herbicides and insects. For example, the majority of China's cotton fields are sown with GMO seeds modified to produce a substance, Bt toxin. This protects the plant against insect pests, caterpillars in particular which bore into cotton bolls reducing yield and compromising quality.4 However, GMOs have their limits and downsides. As one pest is controlled, another flourishes. More and more, studies are revealing how the use of GMOs result in further, unanticipated agricultural problems, which in turn, require the need of different pesticides.5

These additives are meant to kill insects but they are harmful to humans as well. In fact, the Organic Trade Association declares insecticides to be “the most hazardous pesticide to human and animal health.”6 For example, the second most popular insecticide is Aldicarb and it “can kill a man with just one drop absorbed through the skin.”6

In low doses, pesticides do not always kill, but they can greatly compromise health and normal functioning. The detrimental effects of chemical used in agriculture on human health are well documented.7 For example, chlorpyrifos is an acutely toxic insecticide and one of the more thoroughly studied pesticides among organophosphates, a class of chemicals that damage the nervous system. In 2000, the EPA banned the use of chlorpyrifos in residential products because of the high risk to children: however it continues to be used in industrial agriculture applications.8 In 2006, a study was compiled by the Farm Worker Pesticide Project and the Pesticide Action Network of North America to evaluate the air concentrations of this chemical. Their results showed higher than acceptable levels in the air, posing significant increase chances for neurological and physiological impairment.9 In addition, 93% of Americans tested by the CDC had metabolites of chlorpyrifos in their urine.10, 11

After the applications of pesticides and herbicides during growing, another layer of chemical application is applied at harvest time. Crops are sprayed with a defoliant to remove the leaves from the cotton plant for more efficient harvesting. Otherwise, the foliage gets caught in the harvester causing mechanical breakdowns, staining the cotton fiber, and adding moisture which may lead to mildew. Tribufos is an organophosphate pesticide used as a defoliant. The EPA reports that tribufos “can over stimulate the nervous system causing nausea, dizziness, confusion, and at very high exposures (e.g.; accidents or major spills), respiratory paralysis and death.”12 The California Department of Pesticide Regulation reported this about tribufos: In 1999, a work crew re-entered a cotton field about five hours after it was treated with tribufos and sodium chlorate (re-entry should have been prohibited for 24 hours). Seven workers subsequently sought medical treatment and five have had ongoing health problems.13
The PAN Pesticides Database reported their 2009 findings on chemicals used on California cotton fields. They listed the top 50 products used which included plant growth regulators, herbicides, defoliants, microbiocides, nematicides, insecticides, pH adjusters, adjuviants and preservatives. These fell into various chemical classes: inorganic, Organophosphorus, Phosphonoglycine, N-Methyl Carbamate, Pyrethroid and Chloroacetanilide, to name a few. Over 5 million acres were treated with over 1.4 million pounds of chemicals. The extent and intensity of chemical use is mind-boggling.14

Interesting to note is a study was published in 2004 in the Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management of NC State University. It documents what residual chemicals were used in the growing process and trapped in the matrix of the fully formed cotton fiber, revealing that these chemical compounds are often a permanent part of the cotton.15 Two of the pesticides extracted from the cotton in this study were hexachlorobenzene and mirex. Chronic oral exposure of hexachlorobenzene in humans has resulted in liver disease, skin lesions, thyroid issues, bone effects and loss of hair. In human and animal studies, it has been shown to cross the placenta, accumulate in fetal tissues and transfer in breast milk.16 Mirex can enter the body via inhalation, ingestion, and via the skin. The health risks of both were so significant that they have been banned in the United States. They also made the “dirty dozen” list of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.17 However, not all countries, regions and cotton farmers adhere to the convention and cotton from these sources continues to circulate around the world.

After harvesting another set of chemicals are used in the processing. Once the cotton has been picked, run through a cotton gin, and spun into useable yarn or thread, the cotton is scoured and bleached. Scouring gets rid of natural oils and undesired non-plant matter. Scouring is achieved by applying caustic soda, also known as sodium hydroxide, at a high temperature.18 It separates the undesired materials from the cotton, and then the chemicals and non-cotton material are washed away. Unfortunately, sodium hydroxide can irritate and even burn eyes, skin, and the respiratory system, and can cause death from suffocation depending on the dosage the person is exposed to.19

To achieve a stark-white color, and to prepare the cotton for dyeing, the fiber must be bleached. Chlorine-based substances are commonly used, frequently sodium hypochlorite. As a chlorine compound, it is qualified as a hazardous chemical as a skin and eye irritant. On a scale from 1-4, it rated a 3, making it to the NJDHSS Special Health Hazard Substance List.20

After bleaching comes a finishing process. Cotton Incorporated explains that: “Because bleaching removes the natural finish, bleached cotton has high fiber-to-fiber friction. A lubricant and antistatic agent must be added to the fiber to allow it to be processed through the high-production web-forming equipment commonly used for nonwovens.”18 A common finishing solution is butoxyethyl stearate, BES. Inhalation of BES can cause severe respiratory irritation, skin contact can cause irritation and even burns, and chronic exposure can cause liver and kidney damage.21 Urea-formaldehyde is another common finishing agent to reduce shrinkage and wrinkling. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen. Possible short-term health effects when exposed to formaldehyde include wheezing, nausea, and skin irritation.22 “Cotton is a fiber designed by nature to absorb, and heat is used to lock finishes into the fiber. When heat is applied, this molecule [urea-formaldehyde and other finishing products] expands and becomes permanently bound in the fiber. It cannot be washed or dry cleaned out.”23

Most cotton products are then dyed to achieve bright, vivid colors. Typically, the dyeing process requires a mordant, which helps the dye color fasten to the cotton fibers, making it color-fast so that it will not fade in the sun or when washed. This also requires chemicals such as chromium and aluminum potassium sulfate. These are hazardous when in contact with skin and eyes. When inhaled, they cause irritation; when ingested, they can cause “mild abdominal cramping and nausea, to severe vomiting and hemorrhagic gastroenteritis depending on the concentration and amount ingested.”24

After the fabric is prepared, the dye is applied. When used, many of these release aromatic amines such as benzidine and toluidine. In scientific studies, aromatic amines are known to cause mammary tumors.25 The waste water of dyebaths also often contain heavy metals, ammonia, and alkalai salts- many of which are toxic. A global statistic shows that about 40% of dyes contain organically bound chlorine, a known carcinogen. Even natural dyes are rarely low-impact, depending on the specific dye and mordant used.26

Throughout the conventional process, the cotton is layered with chemical after chemical. Water and other cleaning agents are used to wash away the pesticides, the defoliants, the scouring agents, the bleach, and excess finish and dye, but with so much chemical use, it is difficult to eradicate all traces. There is growing scientific evidence that such diseases and issues as asthma, birth defects, ADHD, autism, dyslexia, mental retardation, childhood leukemia, brain cancer, childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes are partly caused by “hazardous exposures in the modern environment.”27 Children, especially babies, are more susceptible to the toxic effects of the environment. Their development is largely sensory. Babies and toddlers are swaddled in cloth, crawl on the ground, and place objects in their mouths. The Pesticide Action Network explains that, “When it comes to pesticides, children are among the most vulnerable. Pound for pound, they drink 2.5 times more water, eat 3-4 times more food, and breathe 2 times more air. They therefore absorb a higher concentration of pesticides than adults.”28 Children are most susceptible to the dangers that many of us do not worry about. To provide a child with the best possible environment to grow and develop is of the utmost importance. True organic industries embrace these concerns.

The Organic Difference
With organic cotton, the manner of growing and harvesting is similar to the process for conventional cotton. The plants take the same seasons and biological methods to grow. The organic mission is, however, is less concerned with cost and more concerned with producing crops and goods through environmentally-conscious and sustainable practices that also benefit the health of human consumers through the avoidance of toxic and irritating chemicals. The USDA provides the accepted definition:

Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.29

Instead of using GMOs, organic farmers start with a crop that grows well in the surrounding environment and which can readily compete with other local plants. “Organic producers often select species that are well adapted for the climate and therefore resist disease and pests.30 To deal with pests, organic farms try to proactively prevent harmful bugs, weeds, and diseases instead of treating them after they arrive. “By building healthy soils, organic farmers find that healthy plants are better able to resist disease and insects.”30 A healthy environment makes it possible for a healthy plant to grow. Instead of chemicals to control pests, manage weeds, and maximize growth, this farming system uses crop rotations, crop residues, legumes, green manures, off-farm organic wastes, mechanical cultivation, and mineral-bearing rocks.31 According to the Texas Organic cotton Marketing Cooperative, strategies that farmers employ include applying manure as fertilizer, and interplanting corn as a bumper crop. “Intercropping adds diversity to the cropping system and diversity tends to lead to stability.”32 Instead of insecticides, biological pest control is an option. Pheromone traps are effective, and sometimes, beneficial insects are brought in to deal with pests.33 One example is from Tanzania where organic cotton farmers plant sunflowers to encourage beneficial ants that feed on the larvae of the bollworm, and fertilize the soil with manure from their cattle. In India, organic farmers intercrop cotton with pigeon peas and make insecticidal sprays from garlic, chili and the neem tree.34 With an organic mindset nature is allowed behave as it normally, maintaining balance and enhancing the environment.

Before harvesting, organic farmers often wait until the plant dies from frost and the leaves fall off naturally instead of using chemical defoliants.35 In addition, organic standards include regulations such as physically cleaning machinery instead of relying on chemical cleaning agents, using such things as hot water and biodegradable surfactants to scour the cotton, and finishing the fibers with natural substances like coconut oil.

Due to the widespread desire for color in our lives, more often than not, organic cotton is put through the dyeing process. If the fabric is to be colored, it must first be bleached. The choice is between chlorine dioxide and hydrogen peroxide. Because chlorine bleach is a carcinogen and ten times as toxic as hydrogen peroxide, the later is preferred and is most often used with organic cotton.36

From here, it is important to also discuss the dyes. Natural dyes used in home and artisanal work are derived from plants, insects or minerals. The majority also require the use of a mordant. In traditional dyeing, the common mordants are vinegar, tannin from oak bark, sumac or oak galls, ammonia from stale urine, and wood-ash liquor from wood ashes. In industrial dyeing today, there is a growing trend to use low-impact dyes: “Dyes that contain no metals, low salt, and are AZO & dioxazines compound free. Low impact dyes require significantly less water for the dyeing process so there is less polluted runoff than from the conventional dye process.”37 It is important to understand that low-impact is in reference to the environment, and not necessarily a reduction in chemical pass-through to the fabric. For those seeking the purest, cleanest cotton, a better choice may be to select items made from unbleached, undyed, naturally colored cotton. When you see the fabric in its natural color, a soft, cream white, you know it has maintained the organic integrity.

Organic standards
So, how do you know when something is truly organic? The organic system is designed to verify that federally regulated organic production and processing methods are followed. US organic standards require strict rules, strong oversight, and annual verification. For textiles, there are two labels to look for.

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, including ecological and social criteria. The standard covers the harvesting, processing, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, trading, and distribution of all textiles made from at least 70% certified organic natural fiber including yarns, fabrics, clothes, and home textiles. The aim of the standard is to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer.38

Oeko-Tex Standard 100 is an international testing and certification system for textiles. It limits the use of certain chemicals, establishes up-front safety standards throughout the textile manufacturing chain, and checks for harmful substances at each stage in the production process. The tests include formaldehyde content, the presence of pesticides, heavy metals, chlorinated organic carriers, preservatives such as pentachlorophenol and tetrachlorophenol, amines and allergy-inducing dyestuffs. The Oeko-Tex Standard 100 has become the best known and most successful label for textiles tested for harmful substances and is the most widely recognized benchmark for the consumer.39

For more information to guide the consumer, visit these sites:
http://www.healthychild.org/
http://www.organicitsworthit.org
http://www.ota.com

Conclusion
It should be noted that the cotton industry does not seek to harm, nor does the use of conventional cotton ensure sickness and irritation. However, everyone should have a better understanding of what goes into our everyday products. Parents, who are cautious when it comes to the health of their child, should have the information to make a more informed choice. Not all chemicals may be harmful, but it is difficult to assure that all of them are not, especially with little testing and oversight of the toxicity of most of the chemicals in use and on the market. “EPA has been able to require testing of only a few hundred of the 62,000 chemicals that have been on the market since TSCA [Toxic Substances Control Act] was passed 35 years ago, a number that has increased to 85,000 chemicals today.”40 Dr. Sanjay Gupta investigated the link between toxins and health for a 2010 CNN program called “Toxic America”. While speaking to Congress, he summed up the concerns over little regulation on chemicals by describing it this way: “The chemicals in this country are innocent until proven guilty, and the only way they are ultimately proven guilty is by health effects turning up in people who have been exposed often years, if not decades, later.”41

The world is now inundated with chemicals, some safer than others. Cotton may be clearly labeled as a part of a baby blanket, but it takes research to find out what other ingredients are attached to that cotton. While the government works on becoming more proactive and preventative, individual consumers don’t have to wait. They can become informed and make their own choices. The organic certifications can ensure that organic cotton has less overall health risks than conventional cotton products. We all want to be confident that we are giving our children the safest and healthiest start to their new young life. Organic cotton is a natural ingredient in that.

Cherub’s Blanket offers organic cotton baby blankets and natural baby items. We believe in providing the best natural and healthy environment in which a baby may develop and thrive. We support the Cradle to Cradle philosophy: all materials should enrich and benefit the environment through their life cycle, as products are manufactured, used, and naturally returned to the earth. The fabric used for our organic cotton baby blankets and clothing products is naturally-colored and GOTS certified, ensuring the protection of our most sensitive consumers, babies. Choosing organic items for children decreases exposure to toxins and is proven to be safer, stronger and less expensive over time. We believe in preserving families, and the environment.

Works Cited
1. “Why Cotton?” Cotton Incorporated. www.cottoninc.com/product/nonwovens/why-cotton.
2. Gold, Mary V. “Sustainable Agriculture: Definitions and Terms.” National Agriculture Library. http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/terms/srb9902.shtml
3. Gold, Mary V. “Sustainable Agriculture: Definitions and Terms.” National Agriculture Library.
4. “Genetically Modified Cotton.” GMO Compass. http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/grocery_shopping/crops/161.genetically_modified_cotton.html
5. Kimbrell, Andrew. “New Report: GMOs Causing Massive Pesticide Pollution.” Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-kimbrell/new-report-gmos-causing-m_b_362888.html
6. “Cotton and the Environment.” Organic Trade Association. http://www.ota.com/organic/environment/cotton_environment.html
7. Kirkhorn, Steven and Marc B. Schenker. “Human Health Effects of Agriculture: Physical Diseases and Illnesses.” University of Illinois at Chicago. http://www.uic.edu/sph/glakes/agsafety2001/papers/kirkhorn_schenker.htm
8. Lee, Won Jin et al. “Mortality among pesticide applicators exposed to chlorpyrifos in the Agricultural Health Study.” Free Online Library. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Mortality+among+pesticide+applicators+exposed+to+chlorpyrifos+in+the...-a0168423781
9. Dansereau, Carol et al. “Community Air Monitoring for Chlorpyrifos in the Yakima Valley.” Poisons on the Wind. http://www.fwpp.org/media/?id=49
10. “Chlorpyrifos Factsheet. Pesticide Action Network. http://www.panna.org/issues/publication/chlorpyrifos-factsheet
11. “Pesticides on Food.” Pesticide Action Network. http://www.panna.org/issues/food-agriculture/pesticides-on-food
12. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances: Tribufos Facts. 2000.
13. “DPR Releases Data on 1999 Pesticide Injuries.” California Department of Pesticide Regulation. http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/pressrls/archive/2001/010215.htm
14. “PAN Pesticide Use Info for Cotton.” PAN Pesticides Database. http://www.pesticideinfo.org/DS.jsp?sk=29121
15. El-Nagar, Kh. et al. “Extraction of Residual Chlorinated Pesticides from Cotton Matrix.” Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management 4, no. 2 (Fall 2004).
16. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexachlorobenzene
17. “The 12 Initial POPs under the Stockholm Convention.” Stockholm Convention. http://chm.pops.int/Convention/ThePOPs/The12InitialPOPs/tabid/296/Default.aspx
18. “Cotton Preparation.” Cotton Incorporated. http://www.cottoninc.com/product/NonWovens/Nonwoven-Technical-Guide/Cotton-Preparation/
19. “Safety and Health Topics: Sodium Hydroxide.” United States Department of Labor: Occupational Safety & Health Administration. http://www.osha.gov/dts/chemicalsampling/data/CH_267700.html.
20. New Jersey Department of Health. “Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet.” http://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/1707.pdf
21. Chembase. “Material Safety Data Sheet for 2-Butoxyethyl Stearate.” http://www.chembase.com/pdf/readme.php?cbid=2-Butoxyethyl%20stearate
22. “Formaldehyde and Cancer Risk.” National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/risk/formaldehyde
23. Michael, “Care What You Wear: Facts on Cotton & Clothing Production.” Organic Consumers Association. http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_6347.cfm
24. http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsid+9922860
25. “Aromatic Amines.” Breast Cancer Fund. http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clear-science/chemicals-glossary/aromatic-amines.html.
26. “Textile Industry Poses Environmental Hazards.” O Ecotextiles. http://oecotextiles.com/PDF/textile_industry_hazards.pdf
27. “Importance of Children’s Environmental Health.” The Mount Sinai Hospital. http://www.mountsinai.org/patient-care/service-areas/children/areas-of-care/childrens-environmental-health-center/childrens-disease-and-the-environment
28. “Children.” Pesticide Action Network. http://www.panna.org/children
29. http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop
30. “Questions and Answers About Organic.” Organic Trade Association. http://www.ota.com/organic/faq.html
31. USDA Study Team. “Report and Recommendations on Organic Farming.” (Washington DC: USDA, 1980).
32. “Agronomic Benefits of Intercropping Annual Crops in Manitoba.” University of Manitoba: Natural Systems Agriculture. http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/naturalagriculture/articles/intercrop.html
33. “From Field to Finished Product.” Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative. http://www.texasorganic.com/organicinfo/fieldtoproduct2.htm.
34. Mark, Jason. “The U.S. Organic Cotton Industry has a Tough Row to Hoe.” Organic Consumers Association.
35. Bowman, Nicole. “Growing Cotton Organically.” The University of Missouri: Project Cotton. http://cotton.missouri.edu/Classroom-Growing%20Cotton%20Organically.html.
36. “Comparison of Hydrogen Peroxide and Chlorine Dioxide as a Method of Vapour-Based Bio-Decontamination.” Bioquell. http://www.labotal.co.il/upload/library/BIOQUELL%20HPV-CHLORINE.pdf
37. “Textile Industry Definitions.” LEAF: Labeling Ecologically Approved Fabrics. http://leafcertified.org/the-apparel-industry/textile-industry-definitions
38. International Working Group. “General Description.” GOTS: Global Organic Textile Standard. http://www.global-standard.org/the-standard/general-description.html.
39. http://www.oeko-tex.com
40. “ ‘Safe Chemicals Act of 2011’ Introduced Today Legislation Would Protect American Families from Toxic Chemicals.” Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families. http://www.saferchemicals.org/2011/04/safe-chemicals-act-of-2011-introduced-today-legislation-would-protect-american-families-from-toxic-chemicals.html.
41. CNN Wire Staff. “Everyday Chemicals May Be Harming Kids, Panel Told.” CNN. October 26, 2010. http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/10/26/senate.toxic.america.hearing/index.html.

We are up on GreenDeals today-enjoy the sale!

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 10:30:00 GMT

35% Off Ultra Soft Organic Cotton Washcloths 3-Pack from Cherub's Blanket (Shipping Included)

Premium Washcloths of Ultra Soft Organic Cotton

These washcloths

are made of the highest quality organic cotton- the softest and cleanest towels for your family. The waffle weave fabric is extra absorbent and dries faster than terry cloth. Guaranteed safe for your family, feels fabulous on your face, and everyone who uses them will love them. Buttery soft, quality construction, GOTS certified organic cotton fabric, made in the USA. Each is 10" x 10".

Cherub's Blanket offers organic cotton items , from blankets to towels, all made locally. We provide quality products free of chemicals, toxins and allergens. We give families an organic option for their homes-clean, warm and natural. Customer Reviews

"Nice wash cloths are hard to find. These are the best. I bought a bunch. I use them to wash my baby, and to wash my face in the evening. They have just the right texture." Amazon Shopper

"...They are awesome! They are super thick, come out clean in laundry, and soak up lots of liquid. They are super soft on the skin too. We love them so I bought 2 more bundles!" Heidi H.

http://www.greendeals.org/organic-washcloths-cherubs-blanket

Seattle's Food Forest- just incredible

Tue, 29 May 2012 15:40:00 GMT

A little pastime of mine is imagining different ways to use urban land in more effectively, specifically in terms of producing more locally grown fruits and vegetables. As I drive through Cleveland and past deserted inner-city lots, I wonder how great it would be to plant tomatoes for the neighborhood in that quarter-acre. In the empty stretch of grass next to the rapid transit train, wouldn't it be nice to have a grove of apple trees that commuters could enjoy. And, for many years, I've been trying to persuade my mom that it would be so cool to replant the front lawn with micro-greens that we could harvest the whole summer long. (She still has not conceded to the idea, but I'll keep at it...) So, when I read this article on Seattle's Food Forest, I instantly loved the concept.

A seven-acre plot of land in the city’s Beacon Hill neighborhood will be planted with hundreds of different kinds of edibles: walnut and chestnut trees; blueberry and raspberry bushes; fruit trees, including apples and pears; exotics like pineapple, yuzu citrus, guava, persimmons, honeyberries, and lingonberries; herbs; and more. All will be available for public plucking to anyone who wanders into the city’s first food forest.

Now, that's cool. Read more about it here

Plastic misconceptions

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:49:00 GMT

Recently, I came across a site that lists seven misconceptions about plastic recycling. It was very interesting. Cherub's Blanket supports a zero-waste office initative and personally, I do a lot of recycling. I thought I was pretty informed on the options and process with plastics. This article shored some things up for me. Take for example, misconception # 5: Plastics recyclers pay to promote plastics’ recyclability. I had no idea that virgin resin producers pay for the bulk of these ads.

Most such ads are placed by virgin plastic manufacturers whose goal is to promote plastic sales. These advertisements are aimed at removing or diminishing virgin plastic’s greatest challenge to market expansion: negative public conception of plastic as unrecyclable, environmentally harmful, and a major component of wastes that must be landfilled or burned.

The article was well worth a read. Check out the full list here:

http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptf/misconceptions.html

Cherub's Blanket is now at Shaker Lakes Nature Center

Thu, 10 May 2012 15:34:00 GMT

For all our local followers, need a last-minute gift for a new mom? We have a wonderful display of baby blankets and baby items for sale at the Shaker Lakes Nature Center Duck Pond Gift Shop.

Enjoy!

http://www.shakerlakes.org

Think Green, Think Cherub's Blanket- our newest video is out!

Wed, 09 May 2012 15:02:00 GMT

We wanted to make short video to describe how we are committed to using sustainable products and practices in everything that we do:
-the use of organic fabrics and notions
-the use of recycled and recyclable packaging materials
-supporting office initiatives that reduce, reuse and recycle
-local sourcing of products and services
-supporting local, national and international groups that focus on organic initiatives and/or supporting children in need.

Hope you enjoy the video!

http://youtu.be/Fy83kCmPw0E

FLASH SALE TODAY ONLY

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:57:00 GMT

In support of Earth Day, we are offering 50% off wash cloths. Regularly $4.50, now $2.25.
Great for everyone!

We've finally made it to YouTube

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:55:00 GMT

Check out our new product video on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70qslNyzzp4&feature=colike

BPA all around us...

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Did you know? You should decline cash-register receipts as much as possible. Thermal paper receipts are coated with high levels of BPA, which you can absorb through skin. Read more about the issues with BPA here: http://www.rodale.com/bpa-food-2

McMansions are so yesterday.

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

These new modular homes are the future. They are inspired by the school of modernism initiated by the Bauhaus and widely practiced by great architects whose designs integrated form and function, presenting materials authentically, devoid of adornment or dress. Their homes expanded space through open floor plans, and invited the outdoors in through floor to ceiling windows that bathed interiors with natural light.

Check out some of today's amazing eco-housing solutions.

Lamby Blankets are Here

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Have you seen our new lamby blankets yet? They are cute : )

Our super soft lamby blanket is wonderful for Easter, or anytime. An adorable lamb is embroidered on a Baby Flannel Blanket, making a luxuriously soft and cuddly gift for a baby.

Got kids? Live in Ohio? Here's where you need to be this weekend

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:43:00 GMT

Join us for the 14th Annual KidShow on March 24-25, 2012 at Great Lakes Mall in Mentor, Ohio. The event features hundreds of kids and family products and services as well as continuous entertainment, inflatables, face painting, crafts, prizes, a play area, roaming costume characters and more! Known as the areas largest free kids and family event, the 14th Annual KidShow offers an endless amount of activities and fun for the whole family.

Cherub's Blanket will be there showing our products. We will also have a showcase for a green nursery complete with information and news on other organic and natural companies.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Saturday, March 24 10:00am to 7:00pm

Sunday, March 25 11:00am to 5:00pm

Great Lakes Mall (Map/Directions)

7850 Mentor Avenue, Mentor, Ohio
Enter any mall entrance

The Cleveland Film Festival rocks

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 13:35:00 GMT

Cleveland has a ton to offer, and I am so lucky to live here. Right now in mid-March, before spring even arrives, we have an abundance of fresh maple syrup, crocuses popping up, sunrise at 7:30am, and the Cleveland International Film Festival. Every year, the event brings in selection of diverse, creative and enriching movies. There are so many great films to choose from that it can be a little overwhelming. This year, my strategy was to focus on the sidebar category, "It's Easy Being Green"- documentaries on the world environmental situation. There are seven in the group, addressing issues such as the negative effects of hydroelectric dams, to the immense power struggle to create a windfarm off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. But, the one that caught my attention was Bidder 70. Here's a summary:

In December 2008 young environmentalist Tim DeChristopher attended a BLM Oil and Gas lease auction concerning thousands of acres of land surrounding national parks and monuments in Utah. As BIDDER 70, DeChristopher won nearly 22,000 acres he had no intention of drilling on, thus saving them from environmental disaster. Also, he had no intention of paying.

Wow. That's pretty gutsy, and a story I'd like to hear more about. I am definitely looking forward the screening. In the meantime, I thought I would follow DeChristopher on Twitter, and see what he's been up to since then.

http://www.clevelandfilm.org/festival/films/2012/bidder-70-work-in-progress