Materials

I have recently ditched tin foil (aluminium) and cling film (plastic) and just use baking paper for cooking and glass storage for food. I’m also trying to avoid polyester (plastic/petroleum based) and opt for organic cotton where possible. Not a material, but with any new products I buy I am avoiding the term ‘fragrance/parfum’ as this can be any concoction of endocrine/hormone disrupting chemicals that do not need to be disclosed. Have a listen to ‘The Diary of a CEO’ podcast - No.1 Toxicologist … so many eye openers in here about the toxins in everyday products💔💔

TEXTILES Safe: linen, cotton, wool, leather, fur, jute, hemp Unsafe: man-made (polyester, acetate, lycra...) and semi-manmade (bamboo, lyocel, tencel, modal, rayon, bamberg...) I used to think plant-based were safe but apparently the fibers are so processed that they behave like plastics. So not something you want on your skin. If you want to be more strict look for certifications like Oeko-tex. Even on safe fibers the dyes can contain toxins (lead, chromium...) Watch out for miraculous treatments, like "doesn't wrinkle" or fire retardants (on most home textiles) that contain toxins. Difficult with home textiles that, by law, tend to contain toxins... Nicolas Olea (researcher in USA and now Spain) advises: - air the house for 10 minutes twice a day - hoover often (don't broom – most micro plastics and toxins would get trapped in dust)

KITCHEN Safe: stainless steel, cast iron, food-safe ceramics, glass, wood Watch out with cast iron: ensure it's the one without enamel coating and no fancy colours. It can contain lead or cadmium (Le Crusette still uses lead and cadmium). Brands like Lodge have safe ranges. Look for the rough untreated cast iron. Avoid vintage. Lead Safe Mama is a good resource on heavy metals. Avoid: plastics, silicone, anti-adherent coatings, aluminium... The key with these materials is: - avoid contact with food - avoid warming them up Personally, I have plastic and silicone lids but I always wait for the containers to be fridge cold before I put them on. On baby items outside of Europe watch out for lead-free and cadmium-free paints.

Nicolas Olea is my best resource, even if he writes in Spanish he references international research, so you could read through that. Other things to watch out for: - house paints and DIY materials - MDF and other 'fake-wood' items - makeup - personal hygiene (sanitary pads, tampons, deodorant, soaps, and creams) It's difficult to avoid everything, just walking into a city we are inhaling so many pollutants. But it's possible to progressively swap items that you may use daily and take different habits. For example, I swapped deodorant for a salt one (Salt of the Earth) and after a couple of years I've noticed I don't even need that. When you take care of your body it can re-balance itself.

Thank you so much! This is exactly what I was looking for. I think the hardest part of switching products is finding the right resources. Like it just seems that anything can be called natural as long as it contains water. Im super intersted in that deodorant though. Gonna be checking that out.. now :)