A key component that can make the largest impact on these factors is raw material selection. Choosing a natural fiber story that is sustainable and biodegradable moves the needle in the right direction to achieve environmentally friendly products. Sustainability paired with attributes such as hypoallergenic where a product doesn’t irritate skin is even better. Replacing plastic components in products such as wipes with cotton is not only good for business, but it helps to promote wellness and a healthy environment.
As the details and implementation of the EU SUPD moves forward, companies are already developing plastic-free solutions. Certification bodies in Europe such as TÜV AUSTRIA, Belgium’s Green Marks certification, serve to substantiate “plastic-free” and environmentally friendly products. These certifications are based around a series of standardized tests to determine how products interact with our natural environment. i
Purified and natural cotton were both put to the test by Organic Waste Systems (OWS) testing labs. In fact, seven tests were conducted on the compostability and biodegradability of cotton in different environments. As expected, both purified and natural cotton passed every test and are poised to earn five Green Marks OK certifications: OK compost INDUSTRIAL, OK compost HOME, OK biodegradable SOIL, OK biodegradable WATER, and OK biodegradable MARINE. These certifications help prove not only that cotton is safe for our environment, but also that cotton is plastic-free and in line with the developing EU regulations for single-use products. ii
Environmental friendliness is not the only testing cotton has now been through. In 2019, Cotton Incorporated partnered with Product Investigations, Inc. to determine if purified and natural cotton were both safe for sensitive skin. The Human Repeat Insult Path Test (HRIPT), a diagnostic method used to determine if substances cause allergic inflammation of a patient's skin, was used on over 200 participants. The results were conclusive: none of the participants exhibited any reactions on their skin for a total of ZERO irritation responses. iii
A Trusted Fiber
When designing products like absorbent hygiene and wipes for instance, we should be taking environmental impact and consumer health and safety into account. That’s why we can look to cotton as a trusted fiber that meets our needs. Cotton’s hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly properties help us tackle the many challenges we face today.
To learn more about what cotton can bring to your products, visit us at Booth #2810 at IDEA 2022 in Miami, FL March 28-31st. Alternatively, you can reach the Cotton Incorporated team directly at nonwovens@cottoninc.com, or find more resources at CottonWorks.com/nonwovens.
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[i] Cotton Incorporated (4/21/21) hosted webinar titled Plastic Free: Proving a Natural Solution.
[ii] Cotton Incorporated (4/21/21) hosted webinar titled Plastic Free: Proving a Natural Solution.
[iii] Cotton Incorporated 2019 clinical trials on Determination of the Irritating and Sensitizing Propensities of Mechanically Cleaned and Purified Cotton on Human Skin.
An Environmental Issue
Our world continues to search for ways to protect the environment, and conscious efforts are being made through government policies to further the cause. One example that is all too important to our industry is the European Union Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). The new directive has the nonwovens industry actively in search of materials for wipes and other absorbent hygiene products that are plastic-free. Many of these important products contain oil-based synthetic raw materials which are not biodegradable leaving them accumulating on land, in small waterways, and in large marine environments.As the details and implementation of the EU SUPD moves forward, companies are already developing plastic-free solutions. Certification bodies in Europe such as TÜV AUSTRIA, Belgium’s Green Marks certification, serve to substantiate “plastic-free” and environmentally friendly products. These certifications are based around a series of standardized tests to determine how products interact with our natural environment. i
Cotton: Tested for the Environment
Purified and natural cotton were both put to the test by Organic Waste Systems (OWS) testing labs. In fact, seven tests were conducted on the compostability and biodegradability of cotton in different environments. As expected, both purified and natural cotton passed every test and are poised to earn five Green Marks OK certifications: OK compost INDUSTRIAL, OK compost HOME, OK biodegradable SOIL, OK biodegradable WATER, and OK biodegradable MARINE. These certifications help prove not only that cotton is safe for our environment, but also that cotton is plastic-free and in line with the developing EU regulations for single-use products. ii
Cotton: Safe for Sensitive Skin
Environmental friendliness is not the only testing cotton has now been through. In 2019, Cotton Incorporated partnered with Product Investigations, Inc. to determine if purified and natural cotton were both safe for sensitive skin. The Human Repeat Insult Path Test (HRIPT), a diagnostic method used to determine if substances cause allergic inflammation of a patient's skin, was used on over 200 participants. The results were conclusive: none of the participants exhibited any reactions on their skin for a total of ZERO irritation responses. iii
A Trusted Fiber
When designing products like absorbent hygiene and wipes for instance, we should be taking environmental impact and consumer health and safety into account. That’s why we can look to cotton as a trusted fiber that meets our needs. Cotton’s hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly properties help us tackle the many challenges we face today.
To learn more about what cotton can bring to your products, visit us at Booth #2810 at IDEA 2022 in Miami, FL March 28-31st. Alternatively, you can reach the Cotton Incorporated team directly at nonwovens@cottoninc.com, or find more resources at CottonWorks.com/nonwovens.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
[i] Cotton Incorporated (4/21/21) hosted webinar titled Plastic Free: Proving a Natural Solution.
[ii] Cotton Incorporated (4/21/21) hosted webinar titled Plastic Free: Proving a Natural Solution.
[iii] Cotton Incorporated 2019 clinical trials on Determination of the Irritating and Sensitizing Propensities of Mechanically Cleaned and Purified Cotton on Human Skin.
