What Is It That Makes Silk So Irresistable?

We just received our first order of DreamSacks Silk Pillowcases and thought you may like to hear our take on a highly sought after fiber.

It has a luminesent color, it makes you feel great, and even gives you a pillowcase you can happily use all year round. It can be a great upgrade to any bedroom. Take our new pillowcase for example. DreamSacks makes a great lightweight and strong case that can provide you with a natural comfort solution.

For those that care about its aesthetic uses.

We hear, "They look and feel so great."

The color luminosity comes from the triangular fibers, a prism like configuration, that allow the light to refract off of it in different directions. The smooth feel of the fiber is created in the way it is "thrown" or weaved together. To get a crinkly fabric an artist will use what is refereed to as a crepe thread method. To get a sheer fabric, like the one in our shop, an artist will use a single thread method.

Legend will say, it makes you look youthful. It helps lessen wrinkles and keeps curly hair tame.

We have heard the tight weave of a pillowcase actually helps lower the amount of wrinkles you wake up with in the morning. The same goes for your curly locks, the smooth surface gives less friction when flipping around in your sleep. It is said to keep a your hair frizz free and shinny, for a longer period of time. Although we have no scientific proof, it seems to make sense!

For those that care about it's practical uses.

We will hear, "I love the way it keeps me warm in the winter and cool in the summer."

Silk acts like a terry cloth by absorbing up to 30% of it's weight in moisture, which is linked to regulating your body temperature. In the summer when you sweat, the moisture is absorbed into the fiber and off of your body allowing your skin to breath freely. In the winter the tight weave of the fiber keeps your body heat close to your skin to create a natural thermostat. The silk pillowcase feels even better on the Kapok pillow. We have it out ready to try!

Pictured above is our color selection. Also available Green Tea and Soft Blue.

Portland Fall Home and Garden Show

One of our healthy living resources, Eco Remedy, has asked us to be part of Serving Up Style-Designers Fighting Lupus to raise awareness, while showcasing new dinning trends in the market. You can find styles from modern to contemporary starting today, Thursday through Sunday October 3rd. Click here for more information on show hours and more.

Bed Bugs and organic mattresses

You might know that organic mattresses use organic wool to satisfy federal requirements regarding flamibility but did you know that that same organic wool is also a dust mite and BED BUG repellent. The lanolin in organic wool, which is a wax like substance produced by sheep as a water repellent, is not friendly at all to bed bugs. So If you are looking for another reason to purchase an organic mattress here it is.

Savvy Rest joins INC. 500 list

Read about Michael at Savvy Rest. It is a great read and of course Savvy Rest produces a great mattress.


http://www.inc.com/magazine/20100901/from-the-ashram-to-the-strip-mall.html

Organic Mattress Accessory Sale

Check out this promotion from OMI.

Terressentials

Hand crafted, USDA Certified Organic, skin care. Yes, this is one of the few body care products that has passed the strictest of organic standards. USDA Certified Organic, typically a food standard, does not allow synthetic preservatives or chemical processing of ingredients. With out this seal the work "organic" doesn't mean anything! We have the skin care to prove it!

This product replaces the harmful ingredients of typical skin care products with therapeutically pure contents. Instead of stearic acid, a saturated fatty acid, they use certified organic cocoa butter to create a thick creamy consistency in their lotions and soaps, and certified organic shea butter, that is one of the best organic moisturizing agents out there.

We carry a wide variety of products from lotion to anointing body oil. All options come in a full or sample size, so you can be sure to find the right scent for your body type. You can layer up your favorite scents for a lasting aroma all day long by combining the luxurious body wash in the shower with a dab of the richly scented anointing body oil for the day. They are both available in four scents; lavender, mint, lemon, and spice. We also have hand soap, lip protector, baby products, and fragrance free options.

You may be asking why we have decided to carry this product. Our answer to that question is a simple one, we find it important to not only sell responsibly made products but those that are good for your health. We found this product in one of our general research methods that keep us on the top of the organic curve. It is only fair to pass such a unique product on to our customers as well. Quite frankly many health stores won't carry this product on their shelves because it is too good. So good that it will make the other skin care products on the shelf look bad, we don't have that competition here. And it is just another way for us to provide a healthy solution for you. Why wouldn't you want a product that is so safe that the coco butter is used in chocolate bars and the peppermint oil is the same used in candy!

Luxurious bamboo bedding

What could be better than slipping under the covers and onto luxurious bamboo sheets. Silky soft this bedding feels oh so great. Bamboo Dreams from Ashland Oregon imports the best quality bamboo fabric found anywhere. Six solid colors to choose from. Queen sheet sets start at $215.

Wool Bedding

More wool!! We have just received our order of organic wool bedding. We now carry a wool mattress, 3 brands of wool toppers, wool mattress pads, wool comforters, wool dog beds, and various wool pillows. So what's up with wool?

The properties of wool
Wool has a very complex chemical and physical structure, which accounts for its uniqueness and versatility as a textile fiber. The fibers are made up of more than 20 amino acids, which combine to form long chains (polymers) of protein.

It's the internal structure of each woolen fiber — a three-dimensional corkscrew pattern, or helical 'crimp' — that gives wool its elasticity. The coiled springs of these molecular chains, with their permanent built-in 'memory,' makes the woolen fibers themselves coil-shaped and accounts for their enduring resilience.

Wool is superior to all other fibers in its ability to handle body moisture in both warm and cool environments. The porosity of the cells in the outer layers of wool fiber allows them to quickly and efficiently absorb and evaporate moisture. In fact, the fibers can absorb up to 30% of their own weight in moisture — ten times as much as any synthetic fiber — without feeling damp or clammy. The porous structure also explains why wool is such a good thermal insulator, not to mention the mesh of the fibers, which creates millions of air pockets that further help to regulate temperature and humidity.

Wool is a naturally strong fiber. It can bend back on itself 20,000 times without breaking. Compare this to cotton at 3,200 times, silk at 1,800, and rayon at only 75 times.

Due to its unique chemical structure and natural moisture content, wool is naturally fire-resistant. And despite its natural moisture content, wool's dry, porous nature repels mildew and dust mites
.
Did you know?

A wool mattress pad on your bed will eliminate dust mites, which can't survive in the natural lanolin of the wool.
A wool blanket can also help you sleep better. Tests have shown that the heart rate under a wool-filled comforter was always significantly lowered, while the humidity next to the skin was significantly lower 71% of the time.
What are other uses for lanolin?
Because it's an excellent water-repellent, lanolin is used on oil rigs as a corrosion inhibitor (an agent that slows down the rusting process). For the same reason, spare auto parts are sometimes coated in lanolin when they're put into long-term storage. And, of course, because it's chemically similar to many of the oils naturally produced by human skin, it's widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. In fact, when lanolin is mixed with suitable vegetable oils or soft paraffin, it makes a cream so good at penetrating the skin that it has been used as a 'carrier' to deliver pharmaceutical drugs subcutaneously (meaning just below the skin).

Lanolin can also be used as a lubricant and a leather finish and preservative. You'll even find lanolin in some varnishes and paints.

Pillows, Pillows, Pillows-ORGANICALLY

THE best selection of natural and organic sleeping pillows in the Portland Oregon area is right here at Eclectic Home. Wool, Cotton, Natural Rubber, Kapok, Buckwheat, Millet-we have them all in stock and on the beds so that you can test them out. By popular demand we now have a line of premium down pillows made here in the Northwest. Stop by the store to get yourself fitted for the perfect sleeping pillow. You deserve it and it is something that you will enjoy each and every night/day.

New Mattresses on the showroom Floor

We now have more OMI mattresses on the showroom floor. The Terra, a plush pillowtop mattress, is great for side sleepers looking for that luxurious organic feel. The Classic innerspring is a firm organic mattress without natural rubber. The Classic is perfect for people looking for a firm natural mattress without latex. The Classic is the COOL alternative for hot sleepers. And we have the Sierra mattress on the floor. The Sierra is an organic choice at a modest price.

Savvy Rest Of Portland Oregon

We are now the Savvy Rest Dealer for the Portland Oregon area. Savvy rest organic mattresses have the same high standards as our other brands. The Savvy Rest Serenity mattress is easily customizable with a zip open cover. Choose dunlap or talalay layers or a combination of both to create your dream bed. Stop by to see the most extensive selection of natural beds and mattresses in the Pacific Northwest.