Just when I thought I knew everything there was to know about being vegan and all the nasty ways slaughterhouse products try to contaminate your life …
I recently found out the most conventional fabric softeners use softening agents made from tallow (rendered fat from slaughtered animals). Nothing like rubbing a little animal fat on your clothes for that snuggly feeling. Why didn’t I know this?
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The good news is, I had long ago sworn off conventional fabric softeners because most conventional product companies test their products on animals and use chemicals that are bad for the environment. So, now I just have one more reason to stick with my Seventh Generation fabric softener which is eco-groovy, is leaping bunny certified (the strictest possible non-animal tested standard), and comes in a recyclable container that can actually be recycled.
Now, let me go off on a tangent here about the recyclable containers. This is a pet peeve of mine. Most containers have some sort of recycle symbol on them indicating that they are recyclable … somewhere in the universe.
The thing is most recycling centers only take #1 and #2 plastic, so if there is any other number on there you typically can’t really recycle it or you will think that you can and the recycling center will just remove it and send it to the landfill, incinerator, developing country, or whatever. That’s misleading.
Let me just finish up by plugging another great household product company that makes “fat-free” fabric softener, is leaping bunny certified, and has some (maybe all) plastic containers that can actually be recycled … Method products. Everything you need to have a compassionate and clean home can be ordered online, plus their site is pretty neat.
Stay clean, and say no to fat clothes!
Blogging off,
Monica