Begriffe aus der Welt der Naturtextilien

Glossary

Term definitions from A to Z

Short fibres that have come off during the combing process of waste silk spinning and the short and tangled fibre particles of the innermost and outermost sheathing of the silk moth cocoon yield semi fine to rough natural silk yarns – bourette silk – which is of mostly irregular and knobby appearance. This silk is duller, but also more full-bodied than silk waste.

Washing

Normal wash cycle

Gentle wash cycle

Special gentle wash cycle (delicates)

Hand wash

The numbers in the wash tub correspond to the maximum wash temperatures that must not be exceeded. The bar below the wash tub demands a (mechanically) more gentle treatment (gentle wash cycle). It identifies wash cycles that are for instance suitable for easy-care and mechanically sensitive items. The double bar identifies wash cycles with further reduced mechanics, e.g. for wool.

**Ironing**

hot ironing

moderately hot ironing

do not iron hot, caution when ironing with steam

do not iron

The dots identify the temperature ranges of irons with controller.

**Tumbler drying**

Drying with normal thermal stress

Drying with reduced thermal stress

No tumbler drying possible

The dots identify the tumbler (tumble dryer) drying stage.

**Bleaching**

Chlorine bleach and oxygen bleach permitted

Only oxygen bleach permitted/no chlorine bleach

Do not bleach

**Professional textile care**

No dry cleaning possible

No wet cleaning possible

The letters refer to dry cleaning and provide an indication of eligible solvents. The bar below the circle demands for a restriction of the mechanical stress, the added moisture and/or the temperature during cleaning.

This symbol can identify items that can be treated with wet cleaning methods. It is added as second line under the symbol for chemical cleaning. The bars under the circle demand for a restriction of the mechanical stress during wet cleaning (see washing).

Organic virgin wool is characterised by the respect for animals and human beings. The merino sheep can live in a healthy and stress-free manner according to their needs and their species. Pastures must be selected in accordance with the climatic and ecological conditions that suit the merino sheep, the use of pesticides is forbidden both on the pastures and on the animal. The animals reproduce in a natural manner and interventions with the animal, such as tail docking or mulesing are forbidden. In short – the sheep are living a happy life.

The virgin merino wool that is used in ENGEL wool products comes from controlled organic animal husbandry. With the controlled biological origin, harmful substances such as pesticides and herbicides are avoided and therefore can‘t be found in ENGEL clothing in the first place. That’s why these items have been granted the highest award of the IVN, the quality mark NATURTEXTIL – IVN CERTIFIED BEST.

This term refers to the seed hair of the cotton boll, which bursts open when fully ripe. It grows in a tropical and subtropical climate. Cotton from ENGEL is strictly hand-picked, always originates from controlled organic cultivation and is therefore free of pesticides, artificial fertilisers and herbicides. Apart from a considerate treatment of nature, a fair cooperation with the producers is guaranteed. Natural cotton is very skin friendly and therefore particularly well suited for sensitive skin, but at the same time extremely durable and hard-wearing. Moreover, textiles made of natural cotton wool are anti-static and colour-fast and can be washed in the washing machine at high temperatures.

When buying clothes made of untreated cotton, you should always order a somewhat larger size, as they will shrink by approx. 3 % to 5 % during washing. We do not recommend the use of commercially available all-purpose laundry detergents containing optical brighteners, bleaching agents, phosphates, etc. as they cause colours to fade more quickly, take a heavy toll on the textiles and in addition, overload sewage waters with chemicals.

is the general term for all textile finishing methods, which change the visual appearance, which are the wear or care properties of a commodity following weaving or knitting. A distinction is made between mechanical and chemical finishing.

Mechanical finishing with water, steam or pressure, without the use of chemicals, includes washing, sanforisation and napping. Conventionally produced textiles are frequently subjected to chemical treatments. Chemical treatments can be the mothproofing agent Eulan, super wash finish to prevent felting, dirt- and water repelling finishing, matting to prevent a high gloss effect and furthermore the crease-resistant, and anti-pilling finishing, to name a few.

These treatments produce a structural change of the natural fibres through the application of salts or the coating with synthetic resins. This causes adverse health effects and pollution of the environment. Untreated ENGEL products made of cotton, wool or wool/silk are exclusively subjected to mechanical finishing, which means they are washed, possibly sanforised or napped and gently processed further.

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is recognised as worldwide leading standard for the processing of textiles made of biologically produced natural fibres. The standard defines environmental requirements throughout the entire textile production chain on a high levels and at the same time demands compliance with social criteria. ENGEL offers products that are certified with the GOTS. To be able to continue these certifications, we must be recertified by an independent organiation every year to guarantee a transparent, fair and ecological production.

Further information can be found here.

Elastic, double-faced flat or circular weft-knitted or warp-knitted knitwear, which on both sides of the fabric only exhibits plain stiches but is not ribbed. Two plain-plain knitted fabrics are joined together in such a manner that a plain stitch on the front is opposed by a slightly offset plain stitch on the rear. This results in an exceptionally fine and smooth loop structure. The fabric has a very supple appearance.

Products carrying the seal “IVN certified BEST – Natural textile” are produced according to the highest possible ecological standards and thus clearly even surpass the requirements of the GOTS. Products that are certified with the IVN Best must be produced from 100% controlled organic natural fibres.

Further information can be found at naturtextil.de

Mulesing For climatic reasons, sheep, particularly the very woolly merino sheep, are subject to infestation with the blowfly, especially in Australia and New Zealand. The fly thrives mostly in regions with permanently green ground cover, i.e. regions with frequent rainfalls. The climate is rather continental and only exhibits slight seasonal fluctuations, except for the South of Australia.

Animals are infested by flies and their maggots. The flies settle down in the warm, humid skin folds of the anal and genital areas that are soiled with faeces and urine and are poorly ventilated. It is an optimum climate for the fly to deposit the eggs here, which then develop into maggots. These maggots migrate into the skin and subcutaneous tissue and virtually eat the sheep alive. This leads to serious inflammations and often also to the death of the sheep. Especially at high outside temperatures, the maggots propagate quickly. To prevent these inflammations and worse, they are subjected to the excruciating “mulesing”. In Australia, the skin folds around anus, vulva and tail of the lambs are cut away with sharp scissors without anaesthetisation to prevent an infestation with fly maggots. These wounds receive no further treatment but are left to heal on their own and scar over. No more wool grows from the scar tissue, it remains sleek and fold-free so it can‘t no longer attract any flies. It cannot be ruled out that sheep have been mulesed even when dealing with Australian wools from certified organic animal husbandry. The criteria for certified organic animal husbandry are regulated by the NASAA (National Association of Sustainable Agriculture Australia Ltd.). Although mulesing is basically forbidden by the Organic Standard of the NASAA there are exceptions, which permit the use of mulesing under an extremely limited range of circumstances.

According to our research, mulesing can be applied at farms practising conventional animal husbandry; these are often located in rainy regions. Australia wants to find alternatives in breeding and in the (allopathic) treatment to be able to refrain from mulesing.

Some countries in South America have already developed laws and control systems for ecological farming that are geared to the requirements of their target markets (Europe and USA). This includes for instance Argentina. Thus, South America has the largest volume of wools from controlled organic animal husbandry and their production is guided by the EU directive on organic farming. Due to the climatic conditions in Patagonia – there are large differences in temperature between summer and winter, day and night and it is very windy – the Argentinian merino wool is curlier than the Australian wool as it needs to protect the animals from cold and wind. For the same reason, there are no “blowflies” in Patagonia so that the mulesing problem is not even of relevance here. ENGEL uses only Patagonian wool from controlled organic animal husbandry for all its woollen products. All wool products from ENGEL are certified with the quality mark “NATURAL TEXTILE – IVN CERTIFIED BEST”. This is a guarantee for mulesing-free wools. ENGEL uses only wool from controlled organic animal husbandry for all its wool and wool-silk items.

Quality mark for natural textiles granted by the International Association of the Natural Textile Industry (IVN).

The quality mark NATURAL TEXTILE IVN CERTIFIED BEST is a premium label for clothing that is produced according to the currently highest ecological standards. The GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD (GOTS), the international standard label for ecological textiles, is used to label textiles that meet the basic requirements, also at a technically high ecological level. Only companies complying with the strict production guidelines of the IVN receive permission to label their products with this quality mark. Compliance with the criteria is continuously and consistently checked and evaluated at every level of production and for every substance used.

GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD

This is the minimum standard that textile products, certified by the IVN, must comply with. It is the internationally established standard label for ecological textiles.

A product must consist of at least 90% natural fibres if it is to bear the GOTS label, a maximum of 10% may consist of synthetic fibres or viscose. The use of up to 25% synthetic fibres is only permitted for socks, leggings and sports wear. Irrespective of this, at least a total of 70% of the fibres must originate from plants or animals from certified organic farming (Controlled organic animal husbandry and biological cultivation). Ecological fibre cultivation refrains from chemical or synthetic pesticides and fertilisers. Species-appropriate husbandry is prescribed. Organic production protects soil, water and air, preserves biodiversity and refrains from the use of genetic engineering. For the treatment of fibres, it is important to restrict certain chemical processes: bleaching is only permitted with oxygen, chlorination of wool is not permitted. Mechanical or thermal methods, however, are unproblematic. Only substances that do not pose a risk to either health or environment and that have been approved by the certification requirements may be used for colouring and printing the fabrics. Colours containing toxic heavy metals, aromatic solvents or the dangerous azo dye group are taboo. Conventionally produced textiles are provided with functional properties, such as “crease-resistant”, “water-repellent” or “anti-pilling”. However, for natural textiles, this “equipment” may only be achieved through thermal and other physical methods. Synthetic substances are only allowed for softening, fulling and felting. Problematic substances such as toxic heavy metals, formaldehyde, aromatic solvents, chlorophenols or certain halogen compounds are forbidden in the entire production process. All substances must be biodegradable and may not pollute soil, air and water. Components and accessories such as applications, padding, lining, cords and shoulder pads are made of natural fibres or viscose. The metal of zips must be free from chrome and nickel to avoid allergic reactions. To ensure the quality of textiles, appropriate requirements regarding the colour fastness to light, perspiration, saliva and washing as well as the shrinking properties have been prescribed. All final products must comply with residue limits in respect of a comprehensive list of health-threatening and environmentally harmful substances. The “International Labour Organisation” defines criteria that apply as minimum social criteria for the GOTS: prohibition of forced labour, prohibition of child labour, abuse or discrimination, fair pay, occupational health and safety and freedom of association.

NATURAL TEXTILE CERTIFIED BEST

The certification of the IVN stands for the highest possible ecological standard and surpasses even the requirements of the GOTS. The basic difference is that the textiles must be produced from 100% certified ecological fibres. The list of approved colours and tools is shorter than that for the GOTS, for example, when it comes to colours containing heavy metals, no exception is made for copper. Mercerising, i.e. the finishing of cotton yarns with caustic soda to increase the gloss, is forbidden. Optical bleaching agents are also not permitted. As far as components and accessories are concerned, no padding, embroidery threads or viscose ribbons are permitted; these must also consist of natural fibres.

Source: IVN

Nickel is a silvery-white metal and the most frequent trigger of contact allergies. It is estimated that approx. 2 million people in Germany are sensitised to nickel. Besides, inhaling inorganic nickel compound leads to an increased risk of lung cancer. This is why ENGEL only uses nickel-free materials for press studs and other closures.

In the textile sector, “organic” is not a protected term so that when you encounter this term it is not guaranteed that the products were manufactured according to ecological guidelines. The same applies to terms such as “natural”, “nature”, “healthy” or “ecological”. To be sure about organic products, you can pay attention to certifications such as “controlled organic cultivation” and the quality marks “NATURTEXTIL-IVN ZERTIFIZIERT BEST”, “GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD (GOTS)”, “BIOLAND” and “DEMETER”.

organic cotton only permits natural fertilisers and prescribes a cultivation with crop rotation (e.g. with grain or different types of vegetables such as sweet corn, beans, peanuts). That means that cotton is cultivated without chemical fertilisers and without the use of pesticides according to biodynamic guidelines. Thus, only soils are cultivated that have not been treated with chemicals for several years. Weeds are removed by hand, while pests are controlled through mixed cultivation and the introduction of beneficial insects. Biotopes that are set up, for example hedgerows and trees, serve as nesting sites for birds and small animals. Green manuring and alternating crop rotation enliven the soil and produce bigger harvests. Depending on the degree of ripeness of the cotton bolls, harvesting is carried out in 3 to 4 manual picking processes.

It is understood that in controlled biological cultivation, the spraying of defoliating agents and a mechanically executed harvest are not permitted. For its cotton clothing, ENGEL exclusively uses cotton from biological cultivation. Our clothing has been granted the highest award of the IVN, the certification NATURAL TEXTILE – IVN CERTIFIED BEST.

More and more children and adults suffer from neurodermatitis. Therefore it is essential to avoid allergens as early as possible, especially during the first months of life. Not only the large skin surface, but also the initially weak immune system lead to a high sensitivity of babies' and children's skin to harmful substances.

Toxin-free clothes rule out the danger of absorbing contaminants through the skin to a great extent. For this reason we produce clothes from natural textiles for premature children. In cooperation with the association for premature babies at the children's clinic Reutlingen, ENGEL developed the first clothes for premature babies in 1988 under the slogan »Made-to-measure clothing«. This range of clothes is specifically aligned with the needs of the tiny ones and involves romper, bonnets, pyjamas, wraparound bodies and sleeping bags, starting already with a size 38 and 44. The products are available in soft wool-silk blends or in fluffy virgin wool terry.

Sleeve cut, where sleeve and shoulder portion consist of one part. The raglan seam runs from the neck ring across the breast and diagonally across the back to the armhole.

is obtained from the cocoon of the wild silk moth. It designates the long staple fibres that are spun to tussah silk using the spun silk spinning method.

The silk thread is an animal protein fibre that is won from the cocoon of the silkworm. Its structure and properties are similar to wool fibres. The extraordinarily long fibres of natural silk, their tensile strength, yarn count and their characteristic touch turn them into one of the most precious and valuable textile materials. Silk has the gift to regulate the temperature and is particularly skin-friendly, so it is also very suited for people with sensitive skin.

Silk can absorb 40 % of its own weight in moisture. It regenerates – like wool – in fresh air and does not need to be washed that often. It is recommended to hand wash items in warm water without rubbing. Avoid excessive direct sunlight during drying as this can cause the fibre to get brittle and lose its strength.

The skin is our largest and most important sensory organ. It serves us humans as protective shell, senses soft touches just as much as pain, pressure and temperature and regulates our entire heat and moisture balance. Depending on the degree of physical exertion, the skin releases 1 to 2 litres of fluid every day to cool the body through the sweat glands.

Our clothing needs to absorb this moisture – the sweat – and transport it outwards so it can evaporate. If this procedure is not working correctly, an unpleasant heat and moisture build-up occurs. This is for instance the case with clothing made of synthetic fibres or with synthetic disposable diapers.

The “venting of the skin”, i.e. the removal of moisture and the protection from cold, essentially depends on the textile fibres (animal or plant), their processing (woven or knitted) and the air layers between skin, under- and outerwear.

In general, animal “hair”, such as wool or silk warms better than plant fibres or synthetics, while an insulating air cushion is more easily formed by knitted fabrics than by woven materials.

An unpleasant smell is caused by bacteria, which very quickly form in the sweat. Plant and synthetic fibres form a good breeding ground for these bacteria. Animal fibres such as wool and silk absorb the smell and give it off again when aired, which means that they make it difficult for bacteria to settle.

Wool fibres are protein fibres, and their composition is similar to the human skin. Only the hair of sheep is referred to as wool. All other animal hair, whether obtained from lamas, vicunas, goats, angora rabbits and camels, is not defined as wool although they are all very similar in structure. These are all protein fibres that consist of keratin (horn). Wool fibres have a characteristic structure due to their fine scales that are layered in a tiered structure. When treated incorrectly, these outer scales can become so entangled that the scales firmly interlock, that means the wool turns mat. Virgin wool describes wool fibres that are won by shearing living sheep. Only the primary processing may be referred to as pure virgin wool. Virgin merino wool comes off the merino sheep; it has a fine curl and is supple and soft.

Wool is very elastic. It is dirt- and water-repellent. Wool provides a temperature balancing and heat-regulating effect. It keeps you warmer than any other material. It regulates skin perspiration and the exchange of oxygen. It can absorb up to 1/3 of its own weight in moisture without feeling wet. Thanks to the dirt-repelling habit, frequent washing is unnecessary as wool regenerates itself in combination with oxygen-rich air, i.e. by airing outside.