In the next few blogs, we’re going to discuss why it’s so important to think about what we buy and bring into our homes for our health and that of our families. There are so many areas that affect our health. I know we all are pretty diligent about taking vitamins, eating the right food, choosing organic when we can, and trying to stay away from seed oils. Those are things that affect us and are really important for our health.
Now, let’s look into everything that we have inside our homes. Do we really know what any of these things are made of? Do we have any idea of how they could be affecting our endocrine systems which can lead to skin rashes, and so much more?
When I started this journey, I was not feeling well, and I started to take a deep dive into everything that could be affecting my health. I’m looking at this as a really positive outcome from something that really scared me. Once I started to heal, I thought to myself: what am I selling in my business that could be affecting someone else’s health? I reached out to a lot of my vendors and talked to them about what kinds of finishes and processes they use on the materials that I was buying for my shop.
I learned a lot.
What was very exciting was that many of the brands and items that I was selling in my shop were in fact, non-toxic. All of my private label bedding and bath that I have designed are certified non toxic with OEKO-TEX certifications. That means the sheet or towel has no harmful chemicals that could affect anyone’s health. The bedding and bath fabric are super soft without a hint of toxic chemicals!
This was so exciting to discover and started my journey into looking at all the different kinds of home products we offer.
The skin is the biggest organ and absorbs so many dyes and chemicals. Think about when you’re having a really bad night of sleep or you are super hot while you’re sleeping, your pores are wide open and anything that is made of polyester or acrylic is being absorbed into your skin.
I started thinking about my sleeping pillows. What’s inside of them? I know that there are feathers, but what are those feathers being cleaned with and what am I breathing in every night? Once again, I reached out to my manufacturer who makes all of our sleeping pillows and was incredibly surprised and delighted that all of their processes are natural, organic, and clean.
Now that I’ve conquered the bedroom, let’s move into some other rooms.
Our number one selling item in our shop is our signature candle and bath products. Looking into this was super important to me because I know there’s a lot of people that have asthma and different breathing issues. I discussed this with my candlemaker who also makes all of our wonderful bath and body items and found that everything that we use including cotton wicks have no negative effects on anyone’s health. This was a big moment for me because we sell so many candles to our customers and I wanted to make sure they were clean and healthy in their homes.
Now what about the furniture we watch TV on every night and the bed we sleep in?
I came to find out there were some problems here. Most sofas, and anything that has a soft, cushy feel to it most likely has a polyester foam filling in it or wrap. This was really upsetting to me because that’s where our families spend so much time feeling as though they are safe in their homes.
What I am particularly concerned with is what chemicals are documented or suspected of having negative effects on thyroid hormones, estrogen/androgen signaling, reproductive development, and metabolism. These chemicals can possibly come from the upholstery’s chemical treatments and the furniture’s foam.
I worked hard with my manufacturer to create a totally clean, non toxic sofa. We were so careful in how it felt and looked! I am so excited to have created this product that we all feel good about in our homes.
I am very proud to say that the wood furniture that we have been producing for years have no toxins in them. They are made of solid wood and the stains and paints have NO VOCs (volatile organic compounds). VOCs are what you smell when you get a new carpet, freshly painted rooms. This can be hazardous to your health and I strongly recommend asking for paint and furniture that have no VOCs in them.
The great news is that if you shop in our store or online, you will find sections that show you all of our clean products. While I wish the entire industry would move in this direction, there are still some decor items that people want that don’t necessarily fit that bill. I hope one day to be able to have a completely clean, non toxic home shop.
For now, look for our logo in the store that shows you what items are non-toxic and shop online in our clean home area. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly. My email is elizabeth@elizabethlamont.com.
I’m an interior designer in the Pacific Palisades focusing on bringing healthy homes to our clients one home at a time!
Remember to live beautifully and healthfully!
Xx Elizabeth
