Why is it Important to Sell Ethical Bedding?
When you’re tucked up comfortably in bed, it can be difficult to visualise where your bedding actually came from? Unless you’re a Nour customer of course. If you’re sleeping in our bedding, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing your sheets are ethically sourced via a transparent supply chain. But, why should it matter? Why is it important to sell ethical bedding? Here, we explain why this decision was a no-brainer, and discuss why we think more businesses should be doing the same.
What Actually is Ethical Sourcing?
Okay, let’s start at the beginning. What do we actually mean by ethical sourcing?
When we talk about ethical sourcing, we’re referring to the way products are made. The processes put in place should be as responsible and sustainable as they possibly can. This covers everything from the environment all the way through to workers’ rights and the social impact of the supply chain.
Why Should We Care About Ethically Sourced Products?
To tackle this question, we’re going to start by telling the tragic true story of Indian cotton farming.
Cotton farming in India relies heavily on genetically modified cotton seeds which are resistant to the common American Bollworm pest. These seeds are expensive and there’s a lot of regulation concerning where they can planted. This means, many farmers have been forced to approach money-lenders for unrealistic loans which undoubtedly lead to spiralling debt.
The pay-out on this end of the supply chain can be very poor. So much so, cotton workers are made to spread toxic insecticides and fertilisers over their plantation (often wearing very little protective clothing) for around 100 rupees a day. This equates to just over £1 per day.
The low return, high investment nature of the industry ensnares farmers and workers into a downward spiral of debt, low income, stress, anxiety and poor health.
It’s for this reason that nearly 300,000 Indian cotton workers have committed suicide since 1995. A truly astounding figure which urgently needs addressing.
This is just one of the reasons why we care about ethically sourced products. By making the conscious decision to buy Fair Trade, you’re choosing to help build industries on the principal of mutual benefit.
Sadly, this is but one of the issues which warrant discussion. We’re yet to even touch upon environmental factors, responsible packaging choices, recycled materials and the importance of waste reduction.
What Impact Does Ethical Sourcing Have?
Demand quality, not just in the products you buy, but in the life of the person who made it.
Ethically sourced products might make a slightly lower profit margin, they may even cost a little more than the competition. Though, they’ll help to drive a growing movement for change.
In recent years, there’s been a huge push towards ethical consumerism. As a society, we’re becoming more astute to where our products are actually coming from. We care more about the people who have worked to make the clothes we wear or bedding we sleep in.
So, what impact does this movement to ethical consumerism have on the world we live in?
The Environmental Impact of Ethically Sourced Products
Ethically sourced products are widely acknowledged to help reduce our carbon footprint. By opting for a transparent supply chain, companies can trace their products back to source and ensure they’re working as efficiently as possible. We remove any middle men or convoluted processes to bring the best product straight to you, the consumer.
Here are a few stats to put into perspective how non-organic cotton farming is damaging our environment:
The soil association reports that cotton farming accounts for 23% of the world’s insecticide use & 10% of the world’s pesticide use
These chemicals kill millions of insects, birds and animals every year, impacting food chains and putting multiple species at a risk of localised extinction
It can take more than 20,000 litres of water to produce 1kg of cotton
So that’s all pretty worrying, but how can organic cotton help?
Organic cotton (GOTS certified) guarantees no toxic chemicals, this means these harmful substances will stay out of local food and water supplies
Stricter manufacturing standards of organic cotton lead to less negative environmental impacts
Organic cotton uses 71% less water to grow
Organic cotton uses 62% less energy to grow
The Human Impact of Ethically Sourced Products
The more people who buy Fair Trade, the more the industry grows and develops. One day, we hope all brands are held to the high standards we hold ourselves to. Until then, we take pride in the human impact of our ethically sourced products.
In the most disadvantaged areas of the world, like the cotton farms of India, secure and stable income isn’t easy to come by. With Fair Trade schemes, we’re changing that. By buying this type of product, you’re guaranteeing fair wages, reasonable prices and humane working conditions for the farmers and factory workers on the other side of the supply chain.
This is a win-win situation which is genuinely saving lives.
Small Touches Make a Big Difference
To make a product ethically sourced, you need to focus on the small things as much as the larger process. This is why all our products are sent in sustainable packaging. In fact, we actually recycle left-over material from our sheets to make protective bags for our luxury bedding. We highly recommend continuing to use these bags for your own personal home storage. Our sheets also come in a gift box made from recycled material.
Sleep Easy Tonight with Nour Luxury
Whether it’s the luxurious comfort of our sheets or the knowledge that you’ve played your part in improving the lives of people on the other side of the world, you can sleep easy tonight in Nour Luxury bedding.
If you’re looking for the very pinnacle in bed-time comfort and haven’t yet experienced the true bliss of our bedding, you can do so here. Browse our range and find the best ethically sourced, organic cotton sheets for your bedroom.
