Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a reduced impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture. Third-party certification organizations verify that organic producers use only methods and materials allowed in organic production.
Recycling is the reprocessing of old materials into new products, with the aims of preventing the waste of potentially useful materials, reducing the consumption of fresh raw materials, reducing energy usage, reducing air (from incineration) and water (from landfilling) pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions as compared to virgin production.
Reclaimed lumber is used wood that has been taken for re-use, often from long-standing idle buildings, and is sometimes refinished for new purposes. Most reclaimed lumber comes from timbers and decking rescued from old barns, factories and warehouses and some companies have been known to source wood from less traditional structures such as boxcars, coal mines, and wine barrels.
VOC stands for volatile organic compound – basically, any organic compound that evaporates readily into the atmosphere. Here, the term ‘organic’ isn’t a good thing - it means a compound that contains carbon. Typical sources of VOCs include paints, varnishes, moth balls, solvents, gasoline, newspaper, cleaning chemicals, vinyl floors, carpets, adhesives, sealing caulks, air fresheners, and pressed wood furniture. For you, exposure to VOCs can mean eye, nose, and throat irritation, headache, nausea, dizziness, asthma exacerbation, cancer, and liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage. Environmentally, these compounds contribute to global warming and can also damage soil and groundwater.