chemical smell in fleece lambskins for baby? vegetarian alternatives to sheepskin?

1371 Views 2 Replies 2 Participants Last post by zen_bliss, Oct 22, 2003

zen_bliss

Discussion Starter · Oct 19, 2003

i have (ugh) been thinking about getting one now that it is getting cold, since i have not been able to find large animal-friendly wool fleece blanket. (it's amazing.. i haven't bought anything even trimmed with a teeny bit of leather for 6 years now i find myself making an exception for the babe -- first baby shoes, now this.) i looked at the bowron fleece but it has a strong chemical smell and i was shocked since these are so popular and marketed specifically for baby. i emailed several small organic farms (i'd much rather give them my money and know the animal had a decent life) but one of them said that frankly in their experience the skins treated by the nonchemical tanning process (mimosa tree) get 'slimey' and don't hold up to baby wear (spitup, leaks, etc) so they don't offer them. another said the ones they have are treated with a small amount of formaldehyde that is 'all washed out'.

so -- what do you think about the formaldehyde? i don't buy that it's all gone...

for those with the bowrons -- does the smell come out after a few washes? has anyone's babe had an allergic reaction?

or, has anyone come across a 'short' flokati (no skin) wool rug that seems good for baby?

if anyone is interested in the farms i contacted, LMK, and i'll post 'em.

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Sustainer

· #2 · Oct 20, 2003

I don't believe these are chemically treated:

http://www.organicbebe.com/lambskin_comforters.asp

Mine doesn't smell, nor does it get slimey.

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zen_bliss

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 22, 2003

well i do have a super sensitive sniffer

that's a bowron -- bowron fleeces are treated in a "42 step tanning process". they do meet heavily restrictive NZ guidelines and they say there is no chemical residue and they have been subject to rigorous testing to prove that they are nontoxic to babies. sounds great... but there's that smell! like some plastic items sold for babies -- they might pass some standards but they are so malodorous that i don't feel comfortable with. there's also a company called ecowool that i am trying to find out more about.

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