We believe that it is essential to know exactly what we are putting into and onto our bodies, with particular regard to our babies’ and children’s bodies. With the expansion of the green market and new products being advertised every day, we are bombarded with choices. We think our customers should know all the facts in order to make informed consumer decisions.
Either click on a question or scroll to the desired information.
Questions:
Q: Is it really worth worrying about what ingredients are in your baby wipes and other baby products?
Q: What does “renewable and sustainable” mean?
Q: Is your packaging biodegradable and/or recyclable?
Q: Are your baby wipes flushable?
Q: Are Bum Boosa™ Bamboo Wipes compostable?
Q: Do you test on animals?
Q: Do you have other products?
Q: How do I find out where Bum Boosa's™ trees being planted?
Q: Will bamboo production put Panda bears at more risk?
Q: Why did you choose bamboo for your products?
Q: Have the baby wipes had quality-control testing?
Q: What steps does Bum Boosa™ take to be a "green business"?
Q: Does Bum Boosa™ want me to review the products??
Answers:
Q: Is it really worth worrying about what ingredients are in your baby wipes and other baby products?
A: Yes! We think so. It is important to realize that whatever you put on skin  has a very real chance of being absorbed into the blood stream with the potential to cause damage. There is reason to be concerned about the numerous toxic chemicals that we are exposed to on a daily basis. It may not be one product that will cause damage, but it is the build- up of small amounts of toxic chemicals that becomes the problem.
 If you are like most Americans, not only are you at risk from applying toxic chemicals that you are using on a daily basis, but so are our babies and children. Next time you are in a cosmetics aisle, take a peek at how many times you see the word or a word ending in “paraben” in the ingredients list on a baby lotion, baby shampoo, baby wipe, etc. You’ll see what we mean. An estimated 13,200 cosmetic and skin care products contain parabens. Studies implicate their connection with cancer. They have hormone-disrupting qualities -- mimicking estrogen -- and can interfere with the body's endocrine system.
Unfortunately because of the multitude of product choices out there now, consumers have to be their own advocates. The more consumers show their concern by buying safer and more natural products, the more common it will become to see ingredients lists with safer and more natural ingredients.
A Washington-based organization called Skin Deep has made it easy to calculate your risk of exposure to potentially harmful substances through the personal care products you use for yourself or your baby. Their rating system offers a means of quantifying the risks posed. Bum Boosa™ has voluntarily signed their Compact for Safe Cosmetics, and in doing so we have pledged to not only make our products safe, but to provide transparency to consumers about our products. Check them out at: www.safecosmetics.org
Below are just some of the more common ingredients you may see in baby care products that may be cause for concern (Click on each for details):
• Parabens
• Sodium laurel or lauryl sulfate (SLS)
• Phthalates
• Lanolin
• (PEG) Polygethylene Glycols
• Mineral Oil, Paraffin, and Petrolatum
• Fragrance
Q: What does “renewable and sustainable” mean?
A: Renewable refers to a natural resource that has the capability of being replenished. Sustainability refers to resources being replenished at a fast enough rate at which they can be used for consumption. Bamboo is a quintessential renewable and sustainable plant due to the fact that it grows back so quickly and naturally. Furthermore, it is a regenerating plant, which means it does not have to be replanted. This saves on gas-guzzling tractors.
Q: Is your packaging biodegradable and/or recyclable?
A: The packaging for the baby wipes is not biodegradable. However, the packaging does use 60% less plastic than the common hard plastic tubs that are used for baby wipes. We are currently generating ideas for reclaiming packaging for reusable purposes, such as for materials to make tote bags. We are always open to your ideas as to how to reuse them.
The container for the ointment is recyclable in most recycling centers. We are considering making a packaging change to a more commonly recycled material with greater post-recycling end uses.
The packaging for the bathroom tissue is made from 100% recycled content and is recyclable. It does not contain any plastic.
Q: Are your baby wipes flushable?
A: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Bum Boosa™ Bamboo Wipes are flushable because of their biodegradability. They biodegrade well in the septic environment. However, we have a strong opinion about flushability - We do not encourage anyone to flush anything that doesn't start to break down like toilet paper in the bowl. Read our detailed opinion and research by clicking the link below.
More Flushability Info: Click Here
Q: Are Bum Boosa™ Bamboo Wipes compostable?
A: Bum Boosa™ Bamboo Wipes may be compostable at well-managed commercial or municipal composting facilities offered in some cities and towns. Home compost units do not generate the temperatures needed to assure rapid biodegradation, and wipes carrying human feces have the potential of contamination in run-off water, or through edible plants in the garden.
Q: Do you test on animals?
A: No, we do not test on animals.
Q: Do you have other products?
A: Yes, we will! We are constantly researching the possibilities of additional products. Since our goal is to only make the very best, most natural products, we will continue to develop our product line conscientiously. To learn about upcoming products, sign up for our email newsletter by clicking the envelope icon on our Home Page.
Q: How do I find out where Bum Boosa's™ trees being planted?
A: Currently Bum Boosa’s™ trees are being planted in Brazil. We feel this region has suffered tremendous losses with deforestation. If you would like to plant trees in other regions around the globe, please visit www.treesftf.org to learn about their many programs.
Q: Will bamboo production put Panda bears at more risk?
A: No. The species’ of plant used for processing fiber is a different variety than the ones Pandas consume. Its Latin name is Phyllostachys heterocycla pubescens, but is commonly known as Moso bamboo. Deforestation, agricultural encroachment and road-building remain the biggest threats to Panda habitat.
Q: Why did you choose bamboo for your products?
A: Because it's the best, environmentally-friendly solution for the task! We invite you to read our Bamboo page for detailed information about bamboo. Below are the highlights of why we chose it for our products:
- Regenerated cellulose fiber made from bamboo is biodegradable;
- Bamboo is the fastest growing grass on the planet and can shoot up a yard or more a day making it and endurable natural resource. Bamboo is ready for harvesting in 2-4 years (as opposed to 40+ years for trees);
- Bamboo does not require replanting after harvesting because of its vast root network;
- Bamboo crops do not require significant amounts of water, in fact, rain water is sufficient for growth;
- Bamboo generates 35% more oxygen than an equivolent stand of trees;
- Using bamboo in our daily lives can have a major effect on the rate of deforestation of hardwoord forests in favor of growing bamboo forests for fiber and fabric production;
- Regenerated-cellulose fiber from bamboo is very soft. Many have described it as having a "cashmere-silk like" texture.
Q: Why do you import some of your products from China?
A: We import the products from China that are made with bamboo for a variety of reasons. The first is that the species of bamboo that is used for our products, Moso bamboo, is a sub-tropical species and to our knowledge, there are no Moso bamboo plantations in the United States. We have our products processed and made in China as transporting the raw bamboo to the US for processing and manufacturing would be so cost-prohibitive that customers wouldn't be able to afford the end products.
We have done a significant amount of research about our plantations, processing center, and manufacturing facility - nearly three years of researching key issues important to us as a model green business brought us to choose these folks. For instance, we wanted a manufacturing facility that offered fair labor practices and had very high standards. The facility that we chose not only provided documentation to this effect but a personal contact personally familiar with the facility verified the good, clean, fair labor reputation of the company. The manufacturing facility also makes products for European companies and is subject to inspections and consistently meets and exceeds the high European standards.
Q: Have the baby wipes had quality-control testing?
A: Yes. Although the package currently states otherwise, each shipment of baby wipes undergoes quality-control testing at an independent lab in the United States. They perform FDA standards of testing.
Q:What steps does Bum Boosa™ take to be a "green business"?
A: We endeavor to make as many aspects of our company as environmentally-friendly as possible. Below are some of the ways that we have incorporated these ideals into our business model:
- We plant trees with Trees for the Future for every individual item sold to help stop and reverse deforestation;
- We offset 35 tons of carbon emissions annually by purchasing carbon credits through CarbonFund.org;
- We ship in recycled and/or reclaimed boxes;
- We reclaim paper and other office supplies to keep them out of the landfill (which explains why your invoice/receipt/sales package might come on odd-colored paper);
- We use environmentally-conscious office practices and supplies;
- We maintain paper-free records as much as possible;
- We carpool whenever possible;
- We operate as much of the business as possible from home offices to reduce travel;
- We make efforts to reclaim our packaging for alternative reuse;
- We use satellite storage facilities to reduce trucking of products more than necessary;
- We aim to educate consumers about environmentally-responsible options and choices.
This is just a sample of some of our efforts. We are always open to new ideas on how we can become an even more environmentally-friendly business.
Q: Does Bum Boosa™ want me to review the products?
A: If you are interested in reviewing Bum Boosa™ products on your blog or website or other venue, please contact info@bumboosa.com. Unfortunately we are unable to honor all requests for product reviews. To improve the chances, please show that you have a minimum of 1,000 active followers - the more followers, the better the chance. A small fee will be required to cover shipping if approved. Please include your shipping address with your request so that we can calculate shipping costs. Thank you for your interest in our products!
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