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Luxurious organic linen products for the environmentally conscious consumer

By June Allen Corrigan

It’s a heavenly sensation to wrap yourself in a Nandina towel. Just ask scores of hotel and spa visitors or habitués of fine bed and bath boutiques. They’ve all come to know and love this luxurious line of organic textile products brought to you by a Palm Springs based-company at the forefront of the green evolution.

Eight years ago, Nandina President Mathew Thomas was slightly ahead of the curve when it came to developing green products. Demand wasn’t great at the time, but he sensed a change was coming. So he and wife, Laurel, a former Hollywood costume designer, developed their signature line of bamboo and organic cotton towels. “When we started the company, most people weren’t talking about green anything. Most, if any, green products that were out there were pretty dull and drab and people had to give up a lot of style and comfort to make the switch,” he says. “So we decided to come out with a high-end luxury brand in a lot of nice colors to make the decision to go green a little bit easier.”

The real beauty of Nandina towels is that they’re created from organic and sustainable resources. Bamboo yarn is spun together with certified organic cotton to create Nandina’s proprietary fiber. Only natural or low-impact dyes are used to achieve a remarkably vivid range of colors. It all adds up to a linen line that meets or exceeds the highest standards set forth by Oeko-Tex and GOTS, the world leaders in textile testing for human ecology.

Adding further luster to the brand is the fact that Nandina towels are naturally hypoallergenic and mildew resistant. Absorbing water at almost double the rate of a traditional cotton towel, they virtually wick moisture away. Available in several patterns and surprisingly lightweight, they are inherently strong and durable. Devotees attest they only grow softer through multiple wash cycles.

You’ll find the brand at more than 200 retail outlets nationwide. Locally, such establishments as the spa at Bighorn Golf Club and The Willows Historic Inn in Palm Springs carry it. Nandina has expanded its product line in recent years to include other items like bathrobes, wash mitts, organic kitchen towels, and handmade olive oil soaps. Newer textile innovations include the aptly named Heirloom Collection, featuring certified organic cotton towels and robes woven on traditional, handoperated looms using only the finest-quality Bergama cotton. A thirsty 700-gram weight, “These are the best of the best,” Laurel says.

Trivia buffs will delight in learning Nandina is the botanical name for heavenly bamboo, an evergreen East Asian shrub that resembles bamboo. For others, the sensual delight of a bamboo towel or robe at the finish of a bath or shower may be knowledge enough.

Come familiarize yourself with the natural beauty and superior quality of Nandina linens — a healthier choice for you and the planet. Their showroom is open to the public and located just off Gene Autry Drive in Palm Springs. You may also visit their website at www.nandinaorganics.com.

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday by appointment only.

Nandina Organics
3700 Tachevah Drive, Suite 110, Palm Springs, CA 92262
760-328-9333 • Toll Free 888-9NANDINA (888-962-6346)
www.NandinaOrganics.com