Organic Materials

Incomparable Purity

Cotton grown in industrialized countries is commonly saturated with pesticides and herbicides. The plant also absorbs all the chemicals that modern fertilizers deposit in the soil. In addition, machine-picked cotton is often full of impurities, oil, leaves, and dirt.

If all the cotton in the world were grown organically, the use of insecticides would be reduced by 25 percent. Working toward that end, Janice's buys only hand-picked and chemical-free cotton. The crop is cultivated in a centuries-old traditional cooperative manner in the Canete and Chincha valleys high in the Peruvian Andes. No defoliants, herbicides, pesticides, or synthetic fertilizers are used to control plant growth, fight pests, or fertilize the crop. No synthetic chemicals are used to strip the leaves in preparation for the harvest or during the manufacturing process. Hand-picking ensures that the resulting cotton fiber is the cleanest, purest, most resilient available. The fiber is then woven in Germany and Switzerland (again, to the highest standards) into the fine, soft fabrics that we use in all our mattress products.

Benefits

All of the cotton used in Janice's organic mattress batting, filling, and fabric is the cleanest, most pure organic product available today. Our cotton is

• Void of toxic chemicals that might be inhaled during sleep
• Comfortable and soft, so that skin is never irritated
• Absorbent and breathable, maximizing air circulation and minimizing perspiration
• Machine-washable to accommodate a busy lifestyle
• Strong and resilient in shape, color, and texture-a must for aesthetics, functionality, and excellent return on investment

KRAV stamp of approval

Europe's oldest and most esteemed certification agency, KRAV of Sweden (www.krav.se/sprak/english.htm), has certified the organic cotton used by Janice's. Their seal of approval is not only a guarantee of organic standards, but also that the social rights of cotton producers are respected.

OKO-TEX 100–certified

Janice's wants to offer you a fresh-air sleep experience. Neither you nor your loved ones should be breathing any harsh chemicals during sleep. Therefore, all the wool used in Janice's batting is certified to the Oko-Tex 100 standard (www.seamegypt.com/Manuals/ecolabell/App1–3.PDF) through the Öko-Tex GmbH certification organization in Germany. Moreover, we do not permit the use of plastic, baling twine, or mothballs during shipment of our wool.

Benefits

The quality organic product achieved by treatment with only vegetable-based agents for washing, lubrication, and static control is just the start. Janice's wool is also

• Naturally flame-retardant
• Absorbent (it can absorb 30 percent moisture and remain dry-excellent in cases of “night sweats”)
• Resilient in form and shape, for comfort and for aesthetics
• Cool in summer, warm in winter (as light as a duvet, and easier to clean)
• Naturally repellent to dust mites

Organic Cotton is Easy on the Skin

We start with organically grown and harvested pure cotton. Absolutely no green cotton is used in our organic mattresses. Chemical-free and certified to the highest standards available today, our products allow you to sleep and to breathe naturally.

Organic Material – Wool Lends Warmth and Dryness

All Janice's organic wool batting and fill is 100 percent pure. Our wool is processed without chemicals, dyes, or oils, meaning that it contains no residues from the processing-just time-honored warmth and absorbency.

Incomparable care

Janice's wool comes from a small island in Texel, Netherlands, where a family-run business takes exceptional pride in its organic production methods. The sheep are carefully bred and live a stress-free life. During the summer months, the animals graze on land that has never been used for agriculture, guaranteeing that it is free from contaminants such as pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic fertilizers. In winter, a well-ventilated, climate-controlled barn with clean floors is stocked daily with fresh bedding and a non-rationed organic food supply. The animals are also checked daily for continued health. The resulting fleeces-shorn from live animals, carefully sorted, and washed with only hot water and vegetable-based soaps (no detergents, chemicals, or chlorine bleach)-contain wool fibers that are strong and springy. The fleeces are then processed without the use of oils or bonding agents into wool that retains between 4 percent and 6 percent lanolin, a natural dust-mite repellent.

Organic Material – Natural Rubber

Janice's uses only the finest grade A natural rubber for the support core at the center of our organic mattresses, futon beds, and overlays. Natural rubber is an ideal choice: it is flexible, yet stable, for superior comfort. And, like Janice's organic cotton and wool, the rubber is absorbent and resilient, contributing to excellent heat and moisture regulation.

Incomparable sustainability

Janice's rubber is harvested by tapping the milk (sap) of Hevea brasiliensis (the common rubber tree). The trees grow in North Malaysian plantations especially selected for their high-quality product. No herbicides are used in these operations, because sheep graze the plantations and control growth.

Janice's also arranges for the Hevea milk to be processed close to the plantations, because the raw product destabilizes when kept too long. Other manufacturers avoid the problem by adding chemicals. Janice’s’ pledge to bring you the purest products possible means that the rubber milk harvested in the morning is molded into sheets by mid-afternoon and is soon shipped to our Canadian mattress plant. By having our rubber manufactured where the trees' milk is harvested, we also help to sustain the local economy. Jobs are created without depleting the natural resources of the country-a kindness to ourselves and the planet.

Natural methods only

An injection system produces the purest natural product-for mattress cores that will keep their shape. Only air, natural soap, and natural vulcanization agents are used. At the end of the mattress life cycle, the rubber breaks down, because it is a natural, biodegradable substance. Benefits

It's a little known fact that Hevea milk contains an antibacterial substance that is a natural dust-mite repellent. The rubber also exhibits

• Superior durability and elasticity (for mattress longevity)
• Retention of shape and firmness (for even support)
• Flexibility combined with stability (for continuous sleep comfort)
• Excellent heat and moisture regulation
• Superior air circulation (for preventing the growth of molds and mildew)

Organic Material – Renewable Canadian Wood

All Janice's box springs and foundations are hand-constructed in our plant from seasoned, untreated, carefully selected natural woods such as spruce, poplar, and ash.

Incomparable selectivity in harvesting and manufacture

The wood used in all Janice's beds is obtained by the sustainable harvesting method (called jardinage in Quebec). This method is a selective process in which a government-trained forestry specialist inspects trees in designated areas. The age and number of trees per acre that can be harvested are specified. Once approval for cutting has been given, other forestry personnel inspect the cutting operation to protect the forest from intrusive damage. If damage is found, it must be rectified immediately to restore balance.

Janice's foundations are made exclusively of kiln-dried spruce. The slats are strong, yet flexible, providing perfect support and unmatched comfort. These superior wood-framing techniques are then united with steel for further comfort and support. High-gauge steel support coils in mattresses are covered with a thickly quilted organic fabric pad. Extra-strong border wire is then used to reinforce the coils, holding them in place, so that the sides of the mattress are prevented from sagging.

Benefits

Obansan, the wood, is never treated with synthetic glues, dyes, or finishing sprays at any stage of production. Your home environment is therefore protected from the toxic “off-gassing” that accompanies the use of these harsh chemicals. Janice's cabinetry techniques also

• Eliminate cracking noises through the use of extra-strong wood slats
• Eliminate creaking noises owing to sound, fitted, supportive box-style frames