Green Your Dry Cleaning

Kids and dry cleaning? You’re joking, right? These two go together like oil and water (literally). But for those of you who are adventurous enough to mix kids and dry cleaning, here's what you need to know about the toxic chemicals used at traditional dry cleaners and how to find a greener alternative.

Why Go Green?

The standard solvent used in 85% of the dry cleaners in the U.S. is is perchloroethylene (or Perc), a central nervous system depressant known to cause headaches, nausea, and dizziness. It has been linked to reproductive problems, including miscarriage and male infertility and it hasbeen listed as a hazardous air pollutant and a probable human carcinogen under the federal standards. Perc is also rough on the planet, contributing to both air and water pollution.

How To Green Your Dry Cleaning

1. Skip It: It goes without saying (but I’m going to say it anyhow), the most eco-friendly thing you can do is to avoid clothes that require dry cleaning.

2. Get Wet: If you do have clothes that need to be dry cleaned, look for a “wet cleaner” that uses computer-controlled washers and dryers in combination with water and non-toxic, biodegradable detergents to clean delicate fabrics such as wool, silk, linen or rayon. Wet cleaning does not contribute to air or water pollution and it's safe for the people cleaning your clothes. (Here's a directory of wet cleaners.)

3. Give It Some Gas: Dry cleaning that uses liquid carbon dioxide is another green alternative. This technology uses CO2 that is captured from existing industrial and agricultural emissions (so it doesn’t contribute to global warming) . Several years ago, Consumer Reports compared eco-friendly dry cleaning methods and gave the edge to liquid CO2 for producing the best results in tests for shrinkage, discoloration, and preservation of texture. However, this method is "less green" than wet-cleaning as it does use detergents that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

4. Green Earth: GreenEarth dry cleaning utilizes a silicone-based solvent, siloxane, to clean clothes in a process similar to traditional cleaning. It is often billed as “green” because the chemicals it uses are less toxic than Perc. However, there is still concern about the safety of siloxane for both human and environmental health. Siloxane is highly flammable, it is manufactured using chlorine, and its use may release dioxin emissions. And the verdict is still out on whether or not siloxane is a carcinogen.

Cleaning House? What To Do With Your Old Clothes

If you're like me, the new year has you itching to clean house and get rid of some post-holiday clutter. Time to go through those closets and set aside the clothes that have seen better days. Just don't even think about tossing them. There's plenty of ways to get a second (or third or fourth) life out of your old duds. Here's are some green parenting ideas for dealing with your old clothes:

Fix: If you’re handy with a needle in thread, go ahead and fix that torn hem in your skirt or patch up the hole in your son's favorite flannel shirt. Need a guide? Check out these handy sites for some quick and easy clothing repairs…

Thrifty Fun

Easy Clothing Repairs

Heloise’s Quick Clothing Repair Hints

Swap: You know what they say…one green parent’s junk is another green parent’s treasure. If you have a bag full of clothes that you no longer want, consider swapping them for a bag full of clothes that are gently used, yet new-to-you. Organize a swap with friends to exchange kids’ clothes or clothes for your own closet. Or check out these sites to trade with green parents from around the world…

Swap-O-Rama-Rama

Swapstyle

Swapthing

Clothing Swap

Sell: If you have some clothing items that are worth a pretty penny, consider selling them at your local consignment shop or online to earn some New Year $$$. Check out www.consignmentshops.com for a list of clothing consignment stores near you. Online auction/listing sites include:

Ebay

Craigslist

Donate: Another great option is to donate your old duds to a worthwhile charity. You can even deduct your donation as long as you keep an itemized list of what you gave and get a receipt from the donation site. (To get a general idea of the fair market value for your clothes, check out www.goodwillpromo.org or www.salvationarmyusa.org.) Check out the following sites for info on donating your old clothes.

Goodwill

The Salvation Army

AmVets

Dress for Success

The Glass Slipper Project

Is It Possible To Find Eco-Friendly Flame-Retardant Clothing?

A subscriber recently wrote to ask if it is possible to find flame retardant clothing that is also eco-friendly. Good question!! So I did a little research and here's what I came up with:

It is possible for find fibers, such as recycled polyester or natural wool, that are eco-friendly and flame retardant. According to Michael Lackman, owner of Lotus Organics and author of the comprehensive blog on sustainable and organic clothing, "The composition of wool naturally endows it with high performance qualities such as warmth, water-repellent, odor-resistance, flame-retardant, durability, anti-static, and UV protection." Of course, wool can be a little scratchy to wear...so it may seem an odd choice for babies and children. However, merino wool is exceptionally soft and makes wonderfully luxurious (and naturally flame-retardant) clothing for kids and adults. You can also find a lot of products made from organic merino wool for an even deeper shade of green, but it is definitely on the pricey side. If you're interested, check out the offerings from these companies:

The Clean Bedroom
Mountain Baby
Nordic Woolens

For more info about flame-retardants and clothing, check out these articles:

www.treehugger.com/files/2006/11/ea...

www.associatedcontent.com/article/4...

I also found this one on Care2 about making your own flame-retardant solution. Sounds like a lot of work...but if you want to try it, here's the link:

Care 2

If you know of any more companies that offer children's clothing made from merino wool, please drop me a line!