Traces of Toxic Chemicals Found on Popular Brands of Apparel

Do you know that because of the different technological innovations, many of the products and services today are bringing harm to the environment? Global warming or climate change is still among the hottest issues when mother earth is concerned.  According to various environmental studies, the rate of warming continues to increase because of the malpractices of the people who are supposedly the prime caretaker of nature.

Just recently, a number of popular US clothing manufacturers were named after their products were traced positive for the toxic chemicals called nonylphenol ethoxylates. The said chemical, which is according to research is used as detergents in industries including the production of natural and synthetic garment, has hormone-disrupting properties that mimic female hormones, alter sexual development, and affects reproductive system of both human and animals. Natural and synthetic textile are among the essential items needed by embroidery digitizers.

Greenpeace International, the group that led the research, identified some of the clothing brands that have great contribution in the discharge of hazardous chemicals into the waterways in China and across the world. Below are some of the some of apparel brands found to be tainted with toxic chemicals.

Adidas - The second-biggest sportwear manufacturer in the world. The company products include sports footwear, bags, shirts, watches, eyewear, and other sports- and clothing-related goods.

Abercrombie & Fitch - an American retailer that focuses on casual wear for consumers not just in America but around the globe. Abercrombie & Fitch product collection promises creativity, innovation, and quality.

Polo Ralph Lauren - Founded by Ralph Lauren. The company specializes in luxury casual/semi-formal clothing for men and women as well as accessories, fragrances, home (bedding, towels) and housewares.

Converse - an American shoe company that become famous for its all-time great "Chuck Taylor All Star" style that has served as a symbol of uniqueness and rebellion. The company, which now a subsidiary of Nike, has also a collection of  kids, men and women's wear, bags, and accessories.

Lacoste - Founded by French designer René Lacoste, the company is known for its high-end collections of clothing, footwear, perfume, leather goods, watches, eyewear, and most famously tennis shirts. Home line of sheeting and towels are also now included in their products.

Calvin Klein - One of the world's well-known brands when it comes to classic, American style of apparel for men and women. The company likewise produces elegantly chic handbags and footwear as well as high quality perfume, watch and jewelries.

Uniqlo - A Japanese fashion brand that tells uniqueness in clothing. The company produces high quality unisex  casual apparel for men, women, and kids but are offered at low-cost. The clothing designs are mostly simple but non-committal.

Meanwhile, clothing brands like Puma and Nike pledged to eliminate all toxic chemicals from their manufacturing processes by 2020.

The research team purchased 78 brands of clothing from 18 countries around the world and the samples of branded clothing subjected for analysis were mostly made in China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Philippines.

friendship is always the best...

A Nation Free

Today is a time for fireworks and fun

But we shouldn’t forget its reason.

This is one of the most important days

of the entire summer season.

Today’s the day our nation became free

and the date of the country’s birth.

For so many years we have grown to be

one of the best countries on earth.

Sources:
Poem -  mywordwizard.com
Image - designtreasure.com

Interesting Tidbits about Marrying in the Month of June

June – the month that can be spelled also as marriage!

Many couples out there prefer to wed in the month of June than any other month of the year. For instance in New Jersey, about 15% of couples from the mentioned place exchanged their vows in the month of June. This is revealed from the survey conducted by a certain wedding planning resources in New Jersey about the most popular wedding month.  

Wondering why there are more brides chose to dress in their custom embroidered wedding gown and walk down the aisle in the month of June? Well, maybe because they are just following what used to be a tradition. Some people believed that this particular month is named after Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage. For them it is among the reasons why June becomes the perfect time to tie the knot. Another interesting tidbit about marrying in the month of June is it is the ideal time for conception as births would not interfere with the harvest time. Meanwhile, for those who lived during the 15^th and 16^th centuries, brides prefer to wear wedding gown and veil (comes with beautiful custom embroidery designs) in June because it coincides with their “annual bath.” The so called annual bath happens in the month of May hence, for people saying “I Do” a month after the annual bath is a good idea because they will still smell relatively sweet and fresh.

Love is...

How to Make Your Time More Productive?

The economic crisis that began in 2008 is not yet over. This year, a lot of Americans are still unemployed and it is probably enough justification that we are still badly suffering an economic dilemma. The Bureau of Labor Statistics of United Stated recently released its April 2011 survey on employment rates in the United States. From their statistics, it revealed that despite the number of long-term unemployed persons (those who have no job for about 27 weeks and beyond) declined to about 43.4 percent, in April; the number of persons who have no work for the past 5 weeks of April also gets higher, estimating to 242,000.

If people only know how to spend their wisely, I don’t think there will be jobless individuals. There are so many activities they can engage in so as to make their lives more productive at the same time enjoyable. One of them is finding a good hobby.

Learning a new craft or restarting an old one is one of the best options for unemployed person to turn those miserable empty hours into valuable one. They can try digitizing embroidery designs, blogging, painting, or cooking as long as they have the skills. If none, all they need is to think about what interests them most and find some technical or vocational schools that will help enhance their talents or ability.

Another option is getting involved in charity events. There are so many charities out there looking for volunteer workers. And volunteering to them is also one way of spending your time wisely. Isn’t it fulfilling if you know you are the reason for the big smiles of other people?

The abovementioned options are, I must say, beneficial to individuals who are planning to spend their time wisely because these will surely open up new work opportunities for them.

Gifts for the Persons Close to My Heart

There's only a week to wait before Christmas. Gift giving is one of the traditions that most of us practice. This is one way of sharing the blessings we received throughout the year. And today, I have just finished wrapping the presents for the persons close to my heart. Are you excited also to know what I bought for them? Here they are:

For my mom and dad, who are always busy in their work, I will give them massage and spa gift certificate. After all the hardships and sacrifices they went through just to make me and my siblings good, treating them to a day of relaxation is just right. 

For my grandma, who often bakes cookies for us, I will surprise her with one of the custom embroidered vintage aprons that I accidentally found last week while I am shopping online. 

For my sister, who is always conscious with her looks, I decided to buy her a pretty mirror and comb as well as a lip gloss and blush on      

For my brother, who works as marketing assistant, I bought him a cool necktie.

For my sweet and cute niece, she’s been requesting me for a pink teddy bear stuff toy.

For my lovable and smart nephew, who is a preschooler now, I will give him a school bag with his favorite cartoon character superman.

For my best friend, who cannot live without her camera, I bought her a personalized case for camera.

For the man I faithfully love, who is an avid fan of U2 band just like me, I bought a concert ticket for two so we can watch our favorite band performing live.