Made to last

Every day I take steps to make ByAlex more sustainable. To reduce the climate impact and make the production process more fair and transparent. And to give you the opportunity to choose more and more products with a conscious story. You can find those products on this site.

The super soft ByAlex fabrics for the foam, play and yoga mats and homeware items are high quality and made to last. Now you may be wondering; "but Alex, your fabrics are made of polyester. Wouldn't organic cotton be a more sustainable option? Isn't that better for the planet?"

I'd like to explain why, contrary to the assumption of many, this is not correct.

Polyester versus organic cotton

It has become a trend to get in on the organic trend. But just because something is organic doesn't mean it's actually better or good for the planet. Brands are very quick to add labels to their products because they know that consumers want to work toward a healthier planet. But these brands sometimes forget to mention the finer details.

The production of organic cotton demands a lot of water, in this sense it is even more harmful than the production of polyester. If we could save the areas currently used for bio-cotton production, more crops could be grown, harvested and we could help reduce famine around the world.

Yes, polyester is made from petroleum

Polyester is not an innocent material, nor will we ever advocate it. Nevertheless, a lot of thought went into choosing this material as the basis for all my products, viz;

* it does not need to be treated with additional chemicals or bleach
* it is much stronger than cotton, so it will last a lifetime (nerdy info: this fabric has a Martindale of > 60,000, which cotton fabrics simply cannot achieve)
* It does not shrink in the wash
* you don't have to iron it (saves you an extra chore)
* After washing, the cover does not have to be put in the dryer (saves energy)
* it is SUPER soft

Stop Microwaste laundry bag

Finally, you may be wondering about the microplastics that enter the water when you wash the covers. There are particles that can enter the water that will make the plastic soup worse, but for that, Guppyfriend (stop Micro-waste) comes to the rescue!

By putting the cover in a Guppyfriend Laundry Bag before washing them in the machine, you stop microplastics from entering the plastic soup. The small particles are collected in the bag and you can then dispose of them in a sustainable way. A great solution!

Oh yes, almost forgot. the ByAlex fabrics are breathable. So it's safe to sleep on it and therefore also for your baby when he or she is lying on their tummy and practicing to get the heavy little head up.

See, your (future) play mat, yoga mat or ergonomic sitting balls are good for the planet and safe for you and your kids!