Our Sustainability Standards

Our Zero Waste Philosophy

We strive to be as Zero Waste and carbon neutral as possible. As part of this initiative, all of our manufacturing byproducts are reused, recycled, or composted.

• We refrain from using paper throughout our process, and any paper marketing tools that we do use (like our tags) are printed on 100% natural and recycled, unbleached paper.
• We source from as local as possible to reduce emissions, and we’ve also upgraded our production facility’s insulation to reduce energy consumption.
• None of our raw materials ever go into a landfill.
• Fabric and wool batting are cut efficiently to minimize remnants.
• Our ReKindle Program up-cycles small pieces of fabric and wool into useful products.

The zero waste philosophy continues even after the bedding has reached the consumer. Your used natural and organic bedding items can be recycled or composted when they reach the end of their useful life.

What Do We Do With The Waste?

In large scale manufacturing, there is more product waste because it can be very time consuming to work through all of the remnant pieces. 

We believe in letting nothing go to waste. Our scraps are either repurposed for other products, donated, or available for sale on our Raw Materials Page when inventory allows. 

• Plastic and cardboard tubes are saved off the bats and sent back to our wool supplier to be reused until the end of their useful lives
• Organic wool comes with a mesh backing that is saved for schools and other organizations requesting crafting materials
• Plastic tubes are saved for donation to the Hands On Children's Museum or offered to the general public for use for free
• Large pieces of scrap are saved to use in custom builds
• Smaller pieces are shredded and used in shredded latex pillows
• Plastic wrapping of latex cores is saved to re-use as plastic protection in transport
• Paper waste is saved and used for scrap paper when possible. What little is left is shredded and used in a worm farm, or recycled. 

For the details, read our blog post and learn all about our commitment to being zero waste and plastic free.

Zero Waste: Interweaved into our Product Design

Each stage of our production process has a plan for what to do with the remnant pieces.

• Larger yields might be used for crib size products
• Next, yields are used for pillows
• Even smaller yields are cut into fabric strips that are used in packaging our products
• The smallest remnants are bagged with our “pet bed scrap” which will eventually be shredded and used as an upcycled fill material in our clearance pet bed scrap.

Similar to fabric, all of our wool cuts have a next life plan

• Largest pieces are used for toppers/comforters
• Mid sized pieces are used for crib products
• We work towards our pillow wrapping wool
• Pillow fill
• Finally we end up with “scrap” wool  that is used to fill our “ReKindle” products, sold as raw materials, or re-run into new wool batting

Sustainable Practices in Every Step

How we make our natural bedding is equally as important as what we make. Every aspect of how we do business, what we make and how we make it has gone through careful consideration and conscious choice-making.

• Permaculture principles applied through every fabric of this company.
• Raw materials sourced from credible & high quality mills
• Careful consideration of all vendors we work with
• Pledged to using only natural, local materials
• Commitment to manufacturing in the USA
• Vigilant to our strive-to-be Zero Waste philosophy
• Promise to our employees: creating a outstanding work environment

Our Eco-Friendly Packaging Pledge

Packaging is often one of the main areas in a business where waste harmful to the Earth abounds. With packaging peanuts, plastic wrap, or plastic bags usually being the most cost-effective option, most businesses opt for this instead of spending a little more to minimize their plastic pollution. 

We choose to ship our products using as little waste as possible to minimize our impact on the Earth. We do this by packing your items in a cardboard box with no other packaging materials unless requested. Our customers always have the option of adding a compostable Bio Bag at checkout, for extra protection against moisture or potential tears in the boxes during shipping. For larger items, we may add some extra protection in the form of upcycled plastic from our supply chain. 

When ordering materials for a product-based business such as ours, they can sometimes arrive with unwanted plastics. Though we thoroughly vet our supply chains and only order sustainable materials, some materials just need extra layers during the shipping process to protect from tears and stains. Though compostable and recyclable options are out there, a lot of manufacturers simply cannot afford to make the switch. 

So, we make sure to give any plastic packaging materials that come into our warehouse a new life. By upcycling these materials, we can avoid sending them to the landfill. 

What is Upcycling vs Recycling?

Upcycling is a great option for minimizing waste. Materials or items that were originally landfill-bound get to be re-purposed in a creative way, and their lifespans are, therefore, lengthened. This gives the material more meaning and use than it would have as a single-use plastic (or other material).

Recycling, on the other hand, involves breaking down the waste in order to create something new, whereas upcycling utilizes it in its current state. Because of this, Upcycling is often regarded as more environmentally friendly than recycling. It uses fewer resources, water, and energy, and is less expensive. What's more, many materials can't be recycled at all or have very limited options. Upcycling gives those materials a chance to be reused that they otherwise would not have gotten. 

How can I Upcycle or Recycle the plastics I receive in packaging? 

With any upcycled plastics that you receive in your package, we encourage you to continue upcycling the material, or to recycle it at your nearest facility. 

Click Here to find a recycling drop off near you

Here are some ideas for upcycling uses: 

• Wrap your paintbrushes to keep them from drying out between uses
• Extend the life of your fresh bouquet by wrapping the stems in a damp paper towel, then the plastic wrap. 
• Trap pesky fruit flies with a small cup and a few pieces of fruit. Use plastic wrap to cover the top and poke a hole in the middle. The flies find their way inside the cup but have trouble escaping.
• Wrap the stems of your bananas to keep them from browning too fast.
• Avoid shampoo, conditioner and body wash spills with a piece of plastic wrap. Remove the lids or caps, place a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the bottle, then secure the lids back into place.
• Remove jar & bottle labels easily by wrapping it with a damp paper towel and some plastic until residue softens. 
• Get rid of drafts in an old house by putting some bunched up plastic wrap into cracks to help keep the cold out. This is especially useful for wooden windows that have warped over time.

Cradle to Cradle: Highest Quality Natural Materials 

Holy Lamb Organics products are created with a “Cradle to Cradle” model, with the end of life in mind. For us, this means the materials in our products are biodegradable at the end of their useful life.

We create bedding that does no harm. You may return your bedding to the earth by recycling, composting, or re-purposing it -- doing no harm to the land, animals or people who live here.

We’re a small company that ONLY offers a line of natural bedding --not a big company that offers a line of green bedding. We use only:

• Natural materials, no synthetics.
• Organic cotton fabrics.
• Top of the line wool grown by small USA sheep farmers who participate in ourSustainable Wool Program.
• Discover more about ourorganic cotton andPremium Eco-Wool™.

We use Cotton, Wool, and Latex to build our bedding.

Our Organic cotton is grown in India, then milled and finished in a GOTS-certified facility in Pakistan.

Our Premium Eco Wool is sourced from a co-op of small sheep farmers in the PNW, and our GOTS-certified organic wool is sourced from New Zealand. 

The latex we use is Dunlop Latex and is sourced from Sri Lanka. Read more about our latex.

Green Building Practices:

We use natural building products, FSC lumber, and salvaged building materials for renovations to our manufacturing facility.

• In 2009, our building was insulated for thefirst time, and it was built in 1902!
• We chose a green insulation product called Aircrete for insulating the walls instead of fiberglass. It’s made of natural materials so benign you can eat it!
• In 2018, the company had very similar energy output as in 2017, which is why the decision was made to replace the windows in the Little Bit, the main energy offender. This greatly reduced our energy consumption
• Salvaged building materials are purchased from local reused building materials stores in our community.
• Sustainably harvested lumber is sourced locally, particularly from a leading forest stewardWild Thyme Farm an FSC™ (a certified sustainable permaculture tree farm with a 150 acre immaculate forest).
• Our woodwork is finished with non-toxic products.
• Installed energy efficient LED bulbs for all of our lighting.

We have many policies at our facilities to help us reduce our environmental impact in our facilities, including:

Lower Energy Consumption

• Turning off lights to conserve energy
• Scheduled sleep and screen saver modes for devices
• Energy efficient light bulbs
• Lowered room temperatures

Waste Reduction

• We recycle and compost at all of our facilities
• We only use chemical-free, natural products in our workspaces, from the trash bags to toilet paper!
• Employees use glassware & cloth napkins to eliminate waste 
• Eliminate unnecessary printing and copying to reduce paper use
• Use sustainable options for what paper we do use
• Avoid using any plastics in marketing materials
• Offer ‘mattress haul away’ in which they are recycled and thus removed from landfill
• Package items minimally, using only cardboard, paper tape, and a biodegradable bag when requested. 

Our Sustainable Values and Ethical Standards

Holy Lamb Organics is a woman & veteran-owned small business that strives to provide natural, sustainable, handmade products for every customer and superior friendly customer service. We are transparent with our customers about our materials, production and supply chain, and offer personalized support through every step.

Our value-based business foundation is rooted in sustainable choices for everyone involved. We've considered each step in our manufacturing process and have minimized our eco footprint right from the start. 

In business since 2000, our eco footprint is actually still shrinking. Why? We’re continually measuring and striving to make it smaller by applying Permaculture principles to everything we do. Here’s a look at what we do differently:

Accountability and Certifications

At Holy Lamb Organics, accountability is the cornerstone of our operations. We recognize that accountability extends beyond mere compliance with regulations; it encompasses a deeper commitment to ethical practices, sustainability, and transparency. From sourcing the finest organic materials to crafting our products with meticulous attention to detail, we hold ourselves accountable at every stage of production.We prioritize the well-being of our customers, employees, and the environment, ensuring that every decision aligns with our core values of integrity and responsibility.

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a globally recognized certification that has both environmental and social standards. These standards apply to every step of the supply chain, down to the sheep and cotton farms! Read more about it here.

Our organic products are GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified, ensuring that every step of our production process meets the highest organic standards, from raw material sourcing to final product. Beyond that, our GOTS certification guarantees fair labor practices from farm and fabric mill, all the way to our facility.

But we didn't stop there -- Our OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certification guarantees the purity and safety of our products using thorough laboratory testing of every material used in our OEKO-TEX® certified products. Through these certifications, we strive to foster trust and accountability in every aspect of our business operations. Read more about our Certifications. 

Chemical & Fragrance-Free Facility:

We guarantee that our facility is a dedicated fragrance-free environment. A good percentage of customers count on us to deliver fragrance-free products. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a concern for many of our customers and employees.

• Our employees come to work using only natural and fragrance-free products.
• All of our cleaning products are guaranteed to be natural and safe.
• We ask our customers when visiting our showroom to be fragrance free.

Responsible Business Conduct Policy 

Businesses can play a major role in contributing to economic, environmental and social progress, especially when they minimize the adverse impacts of their operations, supply chains and other business relationships. 

By following our Responsible Business Conduct Policy, we address potential adverse impacts and develop a broader commitment to ethical business conduct within our supply chain and operations. This commitment aligns with ongoing regulatory developments requiring greater respect for human rights and the environment in business operations. 

We follow a 6 step Due Diligence Framework to assess and ensure we are doing our due diligence as a USA manufacturer to monitor and improve our business practices.

Steps Outline: 

1. Identify & Assess Risks across operations and the entire supply chain. 
2. Complete Self Assessment 
3. Cease, Prevent, & Mitigate - Come up with a plan to cease, prevent, or mitigate Risks.
4. Track Implementation & Results 
5. Communicate to All 
6. Remediate Accordingly - Readdress the Risks and Prevention Plan to determine if it is effective. Each Risk remains under review by the Sustainability Committee until it is considered eradicated.

Documentation and Tracking: 

Our Due Diligence Process is performed primarily through our Sustainability Committee. Our Sustainability Committee meets Quarterly to review, assess, and plan for our Sustainability initiativesThis Committee also oversees the company’s Ethics, Policies, and Community Involvement. 

They do so by following our Sustainability Committee Meeting Framework. This form is filled for each meeting, and is saved as a pdf per meeting, and then added to an online drive folder. The completed form from the previous meeting is reviewed at the beginning of each meeting and used to direct and influence the topics of the current meeting. 

Goals and achievements discussed in the meetings are recorded and tracked using our Sustainable Goals Tracker. Here, we break down the risks, their scopes, and our plan to cease, prevent, or mitigate. 

Our Meeting Framework and Tracking includes:

1. Updates on Sustainability Initiatives

• Progress Report on Current Sustainability Projects
• Discussion on milestones reached or changes achieved
• Identification of challenges and proposed solutions

2. Environmental Impact Assessment

• Review of Environmental Footprint Analysis
• Discussion on reduction strategies for Energy, Water, and Waste in production processes and the facility usage
• Brainstorming new ideas for minimizing Environmental Impact

 3. Supplier and Material Sustainability

• Assessment of Supplier Sustainability Practices
• Discussion on Sustainable Material Sourcing
• Actions to Enhance Supply Chain Sustainability

4. Community Engagement and Social Responsibility

• Recap of recent community outreach efforts - education, events, emails/posts about sustainability, etc
• Planning for future community engagement activities
• Discussion on supporting socially responsible causes
• Address company Diversity & Inclusion efforts

 5. Employee Engagement and Education

• Review of Employee Sustainability Programs
• Strategies to enhance employee education on Sustainable Practices
• Ideas for encouraging employee involvement in Sustainability Goals

 6. Goals Setting and Action Plan

• Setting/checking in on short-term and long-term Sustainability Goals
• Defining actionable steps to achieve Goals
• Assigning responsibilities and timelines

Empowering Others

If you've read this far, we thank you for your interest in our commitment to sustainability. We encourage other business and organizations to adopt a model of “target zero waste" by:

• Reducing the need of materials
• Considering the byproducts of everything entering the facility
• Building with end of life in mind

If you or someone you know would like to get involved with Holy Lamb Organics, please always feel free to reach out to hello@holylamborganics.com.