We never thought that we'd be blogging about shower curtains, to be honest, we didn't think that there was much to say about shower curtains other than the fact that they are useful and can add a touch of vibrance to your bathroom. But, we're not talking about design aspects. According to a 2008 study by the Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ), the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition, the Washington Toxics Coalition , and the People For Puget Sound, vinyl shower curtains and shower curtain liners release up to 100 toxic chemicals associated with ill health.
Wow. Em, L and I have been sat around the table discussing shower curtains and we realised that it's ludicrous that we don't opt for biodegradable, eco-friendly shower curtains purely because they're not widely available. Yes, typing it now makes it an obvious choice. But as you readers know, life is busy enough as it is and sometimes the obvious doesn't occur or doesn't appeal for a multitude of reasons.
You can buy vinyl free shower curtains from stores like IKEA but why not opt for something that will be eco-friendly, healthy, and hardy. So, we did a bit of researching to check out your options:
1) Make your own.
We live on a meagre salary as individuals, as a group of people...well, it's still meagre. We love shopping but our splurges are mostly during sales or when we spot a bargain. We took the measurements from our previous shower curtain, bought some linen and we set to work (cotton, bamboo, hemp or any other natural fabrics would be just as good). We then oiled it using flax oil, if you are interested in doing the same a step-by-step tutorial for oiling fabrics can be found here. In case you end up with any remnants, oilcloth also makes a great tablecloth. Our shower curtain has lasted us over a year and is still going strong.
2) Hemp shower curtains.
Hemp is a sustainable crop that is capable of replenishing the soil with nutrients and minerals and is naturally resistant to most pests, once you get past the taste it's also a good way to get more essential fatty acids into your diet. Hemp shower curtains are expensive but very durable. According to various internet sources they insulate well, are naturally anti-bacterial and are easy to clean. It should be noted that although hemp is naturally anti-bacterial, untreated natural products will need to be cleaned every now and then.
Hemp shower curtains are available from Drapers Organic Cotton in the UK with prices starting from £45.
Rawganique offer worldwide shipping on a selection of sweatshop free organic hemp, organic cotton, soapnut, organic linen, and organic bamboo products including shower curtains.
We've not shopped with either of these stores, so if you have any feedback regarding Drapers Organic Cotton or Rawganique please let us know in the comments :)
3) Bamboo Shower Curtains.
Bamboo is also naturally anti-bacterial and resilient. But we can't find any stockists for Bamboo shower curtains anywhere. If you know of anywhere please let us know in the comments!
4) Cotton Shower Curtains.
We'll get onto the ethics of cotton in a later post. But for now, we're focusing on shower curtain options. Cotton is durable, comes in a number of colours and will absorb any splashes from the shower. Cotton shower curtains aren't as expensive as hemp curtains and are available from Satara home with prices starting from $30. Satara home only ship to the US continental states. As yet we can't find any suppliers based in the UK or EU.
5) Linen Shower Curtains.
Linen is said to be naturally water resistant, and it's density means that it is a durable fabric and will absorb any water splashes from the shower.
Linen Shower Curtains are available from Zara Home who offer worldwide delivery.
If any of you would like to see the report cited at the top of this posting it can be found here and here
If you have any house healthy tips let us know in the comments :)
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