Why we believe in the power of organic.
At Lily & Mortimer we are committed to sourcing the highest quality organic cotton, not only because is it better for you and the environment but because it creates a natural softness that cannot be beaten.
“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself.”
These words may have been written by Franklin D. Roosevelt 80 years ago, but here at Lily & Mortimer we still feel they’re words worth living by. If you’re reading this, we have a sneaking suspicion you do too.
Maybe you think it takes the joy out of owning something beautiful if you know humans, birds, bees or any other creature suffered to grow the cotton it’s made from. Maybe you want your children to grow up in a healthy environment buzzing with wildlife. Or maybe you just want the softest, most lovingly crafted bedding to sink into every night. Whatever your reasons for being here, it’s great that we’ve found each other.
Here’s why we’re committed to offering our customers 100% organic Fairtrade bedding, sleepwear and babywear.
#1 Our customers deserve a little indulgence.
We know you want luxury without any environmental and human costs. Organic cotton offers exactly that. The long fibres make for a softer finish that retains quality. Some cotton sheets are finished with chemicals to stop them shrinking or wrinkling. We don’t do that. We want you and your family to have a luxurious night’s sleep free from unnecessary chemicals.
#2 Workers deserve the best. So do our land, rivers and wildlife.
Conventionally grown cotton only occupies 3% of the world’s farmland, but uses 25% of the world’s chemical pesticides. 77 million agricultural workers suffer poisoning from pesticides every year. Pesticide run off can be disastrous for wildlife – in 1995 floods in Alabama washed pesticides from a cotton plantation into Big Nance Creek killing 240,000 fish. Non-organic cotton damages soil quality, uses more energy and water, and releases higher levels of carbon dioxide. When we founded Lily & Mortimer we knew we could find a way to create beautiful products in a better way.
All Lily & Mortimer’s cotton is supplied by Chetna Organic, based in India.
Chetna’s mission is to improve the lives of farmers and to take better care of the environment, making them the supplier of our dreams. Chetna forms partnerships with small scale farmers and helps move them onto organic methods. Farmers are shown how to work with nature – using less water and maintaining soil and water quality.
As a result they enjoy increased productivity and a significant rise in income. Chetna helps them access sustainable funds rather than taking out risky loans, and connects them with seed banks so they don’t have to pay large corporations for their seeds.
We know that at times being a parent means compromise, but at Lily & Mortimer we never compromise. With our products you and your family can sleep soundly knowing your purchase didn’t cost the earth.