Good question. No, cozy jackets aren't always made of wool. In fact, those cozy fleece jackets are often made of very fine plastic fibers. When you wash these jackets in the washing machine, very tiny particles can be washed out. These are called microplastics. And these microplastics can then end up in rivers and oceans along with the water. And there, they can be swallowed by animals. For our fleece material, we use natural fibers. This includes wool, for example, but it can also be organic cotton.

So there are two options. You can either dye the sweater all over or you can print on it. What is used for dyeing and what is used for printing? These are what are called dyes. There are two groups: dangerous dyes and harmless dyes. According to hessnatur guidelines, only the harmless ones, that is, the good dyes, are allowed. Why? Because they don’t make you sick and they don’t harm the groundwater.

You may know that many insects feed on nectar. And they find that nectar in flowers. In a cotton field, there are many other plants growing among the cotton plants. And in organic farming, there are very specific rules. For example, many pesticides used to remove those other plants aren’t allowed. And that means a whole lot of other plants can grow among these cotton plants. These plants can then provide food for small animals, or shelter, or simply a place to rest. And we think that’s great.

No. Cotton does not grow on trees. Cotton is a shrub-like plant and, depending on the variety, grows to a height of 1.5 to 2 meters. Our cotton, as we use it at hessnatur, comes mainly from Turkey and India. And we also have several projects currently underway in Greece. hessnatur has a very consistent policy regarding organic cotton. All of our items made of 100% cotton are exclusively of organic quality and certified. I think the production and use of organic cotton are good for people and the environment.