23
Mar, 2021

How to Wash and Care for Your Organic Clothes? (Part 1)

Do you have ecological garments in your closet but don’t know how to wash or take care of them so that they last longer? Today in the post, I will teach you how to care for and wash ecological clothing to look like the first day. Something as routine as washing clothes can have a tremendous negative impact on our environment, in addition to punishing and damaging our clothes. Garments deserve to be treated and cared for in a respectful way to extend their useful life.

In this post, you will find some tips to reduce the adverse effects of washing your clothes. It is used for both ecological garments and conventional clothing. You will learn how to put a washing machine more sustainably, thus extending your clothes’ life, saving energy, water, and money. The washing machine is one of the appliances that make our lives more comfortable and one of the most energy and water consumption. Also, in each wash, residues are generated from the detergents and softeners we use because their composition is highly polluting and non-biodegradable. If we add up all these impacts, we conclude that washing clothes have environmental consequences that we cannot ignore.

 

Read the Labels Well

Organic Fabrics: Need of a Safe Environment - TEXTILE VALUE CHAIN

To care for and wash organic clothing, first of all, read its interior label very well. The garments have a label that explains how that piece should be cared for and washed. It seems silly, but reading it before putting it in the washing machine will save us more than one annoyance. Who has not ever put a garment in the washing machine, and it has come out two sizes smaller? I know that they are often a nuisance and that it is almost inevitable to take a pair of scissors and take the initiative to cut them, but before doing so, read it carefully!

 

Wash Your Clothes Only When Necessary

Doing laundry during the Coronavirus outbreak - OsloMet

Before deciding to put the garment in the washing machine, see if it really needs it. Is it dirty? Perhaps with just airing it out for a while, there is more than enough. We must lose that habit of washing clothes with just one use and throwing them in the dirty clothes bin, but many times, that garment does not need to be cleaned. By reducing laundry, energy, and detergent, we prolong the garment’s life, its fibers remain intact, and it does not lose its color or shape.

 

Bet on Eco Washing Machines

North Carolina Town Asked Not to Do Laundry for 5 Days | PEOPLE.com

If you have the opportunity to get a new washing machine, before buying, look at its energy consumption. In the long run, washing machines with the A ++ energy efficiency system always become more profitable. Look at its energy label. It will inform you of the energy and water consumption values ​​of the appliance. Thus, you will quickly know the device’s energy efficiency and the sound power both in the washing phase and in the spin phase, avoiding noise pollution.

 

Fill the Washing Machine Without Overloading the Machine

How long can you wear clothes before washing them? Save water and energy by checking labels | South China Morning Post

Many of us think that to be greener, we must fill the washing machine to the brim, but this is not true. If you overload the washing machine, the only thing you will get is a poor wash since there will be no space for the clothes to move freely. If it is better, then it is fully loaded but always with enough leeway so that the clothes come out clean and you do not have to rewash them. The washing machines have a limit measured by weight, usually 8, 10, and 12Kg. Overloading the washer saves neither water nor energy, but it can damage components and shorten the washer’s life.

 

Check out the second part of this article for the complete list of ways to wash your clothes sustainably!

 

21
Sep, 2020

Keep Cool Without AC: Do Air Coolers Work?

The air cooler exploits the ability of water to produce cool air by evaporating, a physical phenomenon also referred to as “hydro-cooling” or “adiabatic cooling”.

The mechanism consists of a simple blower (fan) whose flow passes through a porous membrane kept permanently wet (filter). The water trapped in this filter evaporates under the effect of the air current while releasing cool air into the ambient air.

This well known physical reaction (latent heat), manifests its effects daily in our environment.

For example:
– after bathing, it is the heat that provokes this sensation of freshness on wet skin swept by the wind,
– it maintains the freshness of the water contained in a terracotta jars,
– it is also this same heat that contributes to the thermal regulation of our body by evaporation of perspiration…

In this completely natural way, the dry room air is sucked in at 35°C by the air cooler, which would have dropped by 10°C when it is blown into the room.

Please note: the increase in relative humidity in the room accentuates the feeling of coolness (temperature felt).

Advantages and disadvantages of the air cooler

Advantages


The air cooler offers many advantages:
– easy to use;
– basic mechanics (extremely rare breakdowns);
– no installation (no evacuation, only one plug to be connected);
– minimum maintenance (water tank hygiene);
– few consumables (10 to 15 liters of water per day);
– low energy consumption (< 100 W).

With no impact on the environment, it actively contributes to the healthiness of the premises by filtering the air it circulates.

Good to know: some models are equipped with an ionizer to purify the ambient air.

Disadvantages


The investment and operating costs of the air cooler are not comparable with those of air conditioning solutions (15 to 20 times less), but these units do not offer comparable performance. For example, it is not possible to program a set temperature.

The efficiency, which is maximum when the air in the room is dry, becomes mediocre when the humidity level rises. Like with a fan, the well-being is more evident in the air circulation area.

In contrast to air-conditioned rooms, it is advisable to activate room ventilation, for example by keeping a window open.

Selection criteria for air coolers


Air coolers are usually equipped with casters. This makes it easy to move them from room to room effortlessly.

The services you are looking for


All devices on the market combine several functions. It is therefore essential, first of all, to select the options that are useful:
– ventilation only;
– oscillation;
– tilting of the shutters;
– automatic humidifier;
– air purifier;
– ionizer;
– timer;
– remote control…

Room surface and volume


The evaporation capacity of the air cooler must be adapted to the volume of the room: in an oversized room, the increase in the ambient humidity rate quickly reduces the efficiency, undersized, the effect is close to that of a simple fan.

For the sake of simplification, the characteristics of most domestic appliances only mention the surface area of the room for which they are designed. This is due to the standardized ceiling height of our modern homes.

Note: for non-standard dwellings, the nominal volume allowed by each appliance (surface area x 2.5) must therefore be determined and compared to the room.

Water tank


Often related to the useful surface, the capacity of the water tank is a strategic element of choice. It is the tank capacity that dictates the frequency of tank refills, and therefore the autonomy of the appliance (10 to 12 hours seems to be an acceptable compromise).

Air flow rate


We have seen above, the influence of a blowing volume, compatible with the room, on the efficiency of the unit. Overbidding on the ventilation capacity can only be detrimental to the cooling performance of the unit.

On the other hand, it is useful to be able to adjust the speed of the blades. This allows the ventilation volume to be precisely dosed to adapt it to the size of the room (mobility) or to optional functions (ventilation only, natural ventilation, etc.).

Noise level


Many air coolers (especially in the entry-level segment) can generate noise that quickly becomes intolerable. For a better comfort, the lowest noise level (in dB) should be systematically sought.

Some manufacturing tips can be used to reduce the noise level: sleep program, alternating rhythms to simulate wind noise…

Price of the air cooler

For a 30m² (75 m³) mobile air cooler of standard quality, count between $100 and $300 including tax.

There are mini battery-operated units for less than $50 inc. VAT and, for camping, or RV activities, space-saving battery-operated systems starting at $800 inc. VAT.