Our luxury certified, Fairtrade and organic bedding has been gracing bedrooms from the smallest space to boutique hotels for over ten years now. One of our first customers contacted us last week to let us know that the Egyptian organic bedding she purchased way back then was still going strong. She was just looking to refresh her organic cotton bed linen.
Fairtrade Fortnight starts in February, focusing on what choosing Fairtrade can sustainably achieve for the people behind the products that you buy; from a living income, to children’s education to healthcare access. Certified organic cotton also means you can sleep easy knowing where your bed linen was made and how it was made; from the field of planted organic cotton to the product you buy from fou furnishings. Plus organic is better for the environment, ensures no toxic, polluting chemicals harm workers or water and the health and wellness of workers is a priority.
In advance of Fairtrade Fortnight, we wanted to spotlight the supplier story behind our Hotel Collection Fairtrade organic bed linen and towels and the environmental, social and economic impact.
Fou furnishings ® Hotel Collection is made from 100% certified Fairtrade organic cotton, sourced from the Chetna Organic project in rural India. Chetna Organic is an NGO, set up in 2005 with a focus on creating better, sustainable livelihoods for rural farmers and their families in ecologically depressed regions.
Environment
Chetna organic works with farmers and their families to ensure sustainable management of natural resources. Organic cotton agriculture improves soil fertility and water conservation; pest and disease management without the use of toxic chemicals. Research into the environmental impact of organic versus conventional cotton fibre indicates a very positive picture for organic.
Social
Farmers are equal stakeholders in the Organic & Fairtrade Cotton value chain and not just recipients. Farmer Cooperatives are run and managed by farmer representatives. Chetna organic has grown to support 35,000 farming households across small, resource distressed rainfed dependent districts; with building blocks at the village level.
The project supports women & child welfare projects, including women entrepreneurship development, safe food and nutrition security, school education, local culture and skill building.
Economic
Chetna organic supports farmers in making the transition from conventional to organic farming. The move creates healthier working environments and independence from large GMO seed companies, chemical fertiliser and pesticide producers as well as stopping the cycle and consequences of smallholder farmer debt.
Provenance
The bed linen you sleep in and towels is made in a transparent supply chain which can be traced from the planted organic cotton to the linens we source.
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