Get in touch with usWhen we talk about luxury textiles, we often focus on feel, durability, and aesthetics. But there’s an uncomfortable truth hiding in most homes: the environmental and health impacts of conventional cotton and synthetic fabrics are massive — and mostly invisible.
Conventional cotton is one of the most chemically intensive crops in the world. It accounts for 16% of global insecticide use, despite occupying only 2.5% of farmland. The pesticides and fertilizers used contaminate soil and waterways, devastate surrounding ecosystems, and harm the people working in or living near the fields.
It also uses a shocking amount of water — up to 20,000 liters to produce a single kilogram of cotton. In contrast, organically grown cotton can use up to 90% less water, because it relies on healthier soil, smarter crop rotation, and rain-fed irrigation systems. And crucially, it doesn’t poison the water table or strip the land of its long-term fertility.
Even after harvest, conventional cotton is bleached, dyed, softened, and finished using a toxic cocktail of chemicals. These residues often remain in the fibres — meaning your skin, and your children’s skin, absorb small doses every time they use that fluffy towel or soft-looking sheet.
Synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, and acrylic are made from petroleum. They shed microplastics with every wash — microscopic particles that end up in our oceans, our air, and even our bodies. These plastics do not biodegrade and have been found in human lungs, bloodstreams, and even placentas.
They may be cheap to produce, but they come at a serious cost: to marine life, to ecosystems, and to human health.
Communities near cotton farms often suffer from exposure to pesticide drift and contaminated water. Increased rates of skin conditions, respiratory illness, and even some cancers have been documented in heavily farmed regions. Meanwhile, synthetic textiles contribute to poor indoor air quality and potential endocrine disruption — especially in babies and young children.
At Jennifer’s Hamam, we believe in textiles that honour both people and planet. Our certified organic cotton is grown without harmful chemicals and processed without toxins, so nothing dangerous is left in the fibres. Our linen is sourced from trusted producers using the cleanest practices possible. And everything is woven by hand on old-style shuttle looms — no industrial shortcuts, no synthetic blends, no nonsense.
Because your skin deserves better.
Your water deserves better.
And the planet absolutely deserves better.