Poetique Couture is an independent clothing line dedicated to sustainability and earth friendly fashion.  Created by Atlanta based designer Jamie Hirthler, all garments are made of organic cotton and other eco-friendly fabrics, and are dyed using low-impact dyeing methods free of harsh chemicals.  The collections are custom designed in Atlanta and then manufactured in India using fair trade certified labor standards. Most Poetique garments feature signature prints of artwork and poetry, created using water-based screen printing inks.  These small production pieces become limited edition works of wearable art, designed to inspire!

***As of July 2009, our collections have been discontinued. We would like to thank everyone for your support and encouragement over the past 2 years. It has been an exciting journey. Please continue to support organic and sustainable businesses…check out our “links” page for ideas on where to shop!

Sustainability

At Poetique Couture, we are committed to growing a sustainable business with a “leave no trace” philosophy. This commitment in itself is a process. Our goal is to create 100% sustainable products by seeking out and using materials that fall under the universal canopy of “ecologically friendly.” This includes everything from the use of organic cotton and other eco-friendly materials in the production of our garments, to the use of sustainable inks, dyes, papers, tags, labels, and shipping methods, to the manufacturing of our goods using socially responsible labor standards. We are dedicated to building a sustainable business from the ground up. Our approach will be an ongoing process of finding new methods that leave a smaller footprint with each new creation. It is our code of honor to continue improving our practices and progressing towards a greener future for our planet.

Organic Certifications

We are proud to announce that our Spring/Summer 2008 line is certified 100% organic by Control Union Certifications (formerly SKAL International) according to the Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS). For more information, see the Control Union website: http://www.controlunion.com/

 

Use of azo-free, low-impact dyes are certified by SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. http://www.sgs.com/

Fair Trade Labor

Manufacturing for Poetique Couture is done in India using socially responsible, fair trade labor standards approved by the Fairtrade Labelling Organization (FLO) International. Certification is done by an independent international certification company, FLO-CERT GMBH, who is responsible for the inspection and certification of producer organisations and traders against the Fairtrade Standards. http://www.fairtrade.net/home.html

Facts about Organic Cotton

*Cotton is the most pesticide dependent crop in the world. For every conventionally grown cotton tee shirt, six ounces of toxic pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers and defoliants find their way into the water we drink, the air we breathe and the food we eat.

*Organic cotton keeps your skin free from toxic chemicals that remain on the cotton plant even after it’s been processed. Growing organic fiber is safe for agricultural farmers and for the environment.

-from Green Source Organic

*Cotton crops are the most heavily sprayed crops in the world. Cotton consumes approximately 25% of the insecticides used globally, yet accounts for less than 5% of cultivated land. These chemicals pollute water, soil, and air. 5 pounds of chemical fertilizers and pesticides are required to conventionally grow 3 pounds of cotton for one t-shirt and one pair of jeans.

*An estimated 75% of the pesticides sprayed drift miles away from cotton crops affecting other food crops and residential areas.

*5 of the top 9 pesticides used on cotton crops are classified as cancer causing chemicals (cyanide, dicofol, naled, propargite).

*Federal report: Children exposed to “cotton poison,” methyl parathion, suffer memory loss, emotional swings.

-U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Low Impact Dying

Low-impact fiber-reactive dyes are synthetic dyes that chemically bond directly to the clothing fiber molecules. They were first used commercially in 1956. The fixation or absorption rate of low-impact dyes is at least 70%, creating less waste water runoff and therefore a lower impact on the environment. Recent advances have created fiber-reactive dyes with colors that are brighter and richer, and they provide excellent colorfast properties. They contain no heavy metals or other known toxic substances, and they meet all European Union criteria for being an eco-friendly pigment.

Conventional clothing dyes and garment finishes can cause a wide variety of health problems for chemically sensitive people ranging from skin rashes and headaches to dizziness and seizures.

It is often the dye fixative which is used to bond the dye color to the fabric that causes the most problems. Unfortunately, heavy metals have often been used in dye fixatives and also in dyes. Toxic chemicals sometimes found in the dyeing process include:

* Dioxin - a carcinogen and possible hormone disrupter;
* Toxic heavy metals such as chrome, copper, and zinc - known carcinogens;
* Formaldehyde - a suspected carcinogen;
* Azo dyes group III A1 and A2 - which give off carcinogenic amines;

Because clothing comes into prolonged contact with your skin, toxic chemicals are absorbed through your skin, especially when your body is warm and skin pores have opened to permit perspiration. Once absorbed by humans, heavy metals tend to accumulate in the liver, kidney, bones, heart and brain. The effects on health can be significant when high levels of accumulation are reached. The effect is particularly serious in children due to effects on growth and their relatively low body mass.

Toxic chemicals from dyes also create severe environmental havoc. Large amounts of water are used to flush conventional synthetic dyes from garments and then this waste water must be treated to remove the heavy metals and other toxic chemicals before it can be returned to water systems, sewers and rivers. At least that is what should happen.

Low-impact, fiber-reactive dyes have become the dye of choice for many organic clothing manufacturers who want a diverse palette of vibrant colors. Depending upon the nature and degree of their chemical sensitivities, people with mild chemical sensitivities can often wear organic clothing with fiber-reactive dyes. Undyed, natural color or color-grown fabrics are the best choice for people who react to fiber-reactive dyes or who want only pure fabrics on their skin.

-from Michael Lackman, Lotus Organics