STEP #26

Do Your Bathroom in Hemp

Who would have thought our shower curtains put us in danger? If you have ever noticed the strong chemical smell of a new polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic shower curtain, you were smelling the 108 different chemicals that outgas in the first 28 days of use and for a very long time thereafter. Many of these avoidable toxic chemicals, like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), phthalates, organotins and metals cause damage to the liver and central nervous, respiratory, and reproductive systems as well as developmental damage. The Center for Health, Environment & Justice recently recommended removing vinyl shower curtains from store shelves because of PVC’s negative health impacts.

Trading in the PVC shower curtain for one made of hemp, which is durable, antifungal and anti-bacterial is another step toward health and eliminating petrochemicals from your life.

Before synthetics, hemp was the favorite fiber for many materials, and we’ve come full circle, opting for natural products over chemically based synthetics. Hemp shower curtains from www.rawganique.com are made from organically grown European hemp without heavy metals or harsh chemicals. “Our hemp shower curtains are as natural, pure and sustainable as can be,” says Rawganique’s website.