Welcome Guest!

Home / Greenshops Frequently Asked Questions

 

frequently asked questions:

What is bamboo?

Bamboo fabric is a natural textile made from the pulp of the bamboo grass. Bamboo fabric has been growing in popularity because it has many unique properties and is more sustainable than most textile fibers. Bamboo fiber resembles cotton in its unspun form, a puffball of light, airy fibers. Bamboo fabric is very soft and can be worn directly next to the skin. Many people who experience allergic reactions to other natural fibers, such as wool or hemp, do not complain of this issue with bamboo. The fiber is naturally smooth and round without chemical treatment, meaning that there are no sharp spurs to irritate the skin. Bamboo fabric is favored by companies trying to use sustainable textiles, because the bamboo plant is very quick growing and does not usually require the use of pesticides and herbicides to thrive. As a result, plantations can easily be kept organic and replanted yearly to replenish stocks. The process of making unbleached bamboo fiber is very light on chemicals that could potentially harm the environment. In textile form, bamboo retains many of the properties it has as a plant. Bamboo is highly water absorbent, able to take up three times its weight in water. In bamboo fabric, this translates to an excellent wicking ability that will pull moisture away from the skin so that it can evaporate. For this reason, clothing made of bamboo fiber is often worn next to the skin. Bamboo also has many antibacterial qualities, which bamboo fabric is apparently able to retain, even through multiple washings. This helps to reduce bacteria that thrive on clothing and cause unpleasant odors. It can also kill odor causing bacteria that live on human skin, making the wearer and his or her clothing smell more sweet. In addition, bamboo fabric has insulating properties and will keep the wearer cooler in summer and warmer in winter. The versatility of bamboo fabric makes it an excellent choice for clothing designers exploring alternative textiles, and in addition, the fabric is able to take bright dye colors well, drape smoothly, and star in a variety of roles from knit shirts to woven skirts.

How is organic cotton different from regular cotton?

Organic cotton is the version of its conventional counterpart grown without pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers or any other chemicals, and that makes it hugely different, especially considering that cotton (organic or otherwise) provides about half of all the world's fiber needs. Conventional cotton is one of the most chemically-dependent crops, sucking up 10 percent of all agricultural chemicals and 25 percent of insecticides on 3 percent of our arable land; that's more than any other crop per unit. That adds up to 1/3 of a pound of chemicals to produce enough cotton for a t-shirt, and 3/4 of a pound for a pair of jeans. And that's just not bad for the planet; 20,000 deaths occur each year from pesticide poisoning in developing countries, many of these from cotton farming, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). ~ www.treehugger.com

Are bamboo towels absorbent?

Bamboo is highly water absorbent, able to take up three times its weight in water. As in all plush, soft towels you want to make sure that you do not use dryer sheets. This diminishes the absorbency factor of all towels.

Are the laundry detergents made for HE/front load washers?

Yes. All of our laundry detergents can be used in both front load washers and top load washers.

If I am having trouble ordering can I purchase an item over the phone?

Absolutely! Please call 661.834.6477 and we would be more than happy to assist you over the phone. If we are helping other customers and you receive a voicemail, please leave a message and we will be paged and will return your call right away.

Have you tried all of these products?

Yes. Greenshops has a 5 page Supply Chain Questionnaire that all vendors fill out before we decide to even try the product. After we have reviewed this questionnaire and feel that it is a company that we would like to do business with, we then test out the product with our local testing group first. If it passes this final test, we then purchase the product and offer it for sale on our website.

Can I return something?

Yes. Please review our return policy to see what our guidelines are for this process.

Do the manufacturers of these products also maintain sustainable business practices?

Every manufacturer receives a 5 page Supply Chain Questionnaire that they are instructed to fill out before their product enters our store. In this questionnaire we find out all of that manufacturer's sustainable business practices. We post this information in the product descriptions under,Environmental Benefits. If you see the symbol for Socially Responsible you know that this company does what it can to give back to the community, has fair labor practices, no child or slave labor, fair wages or they may even have employee incentive programs in place to also give back to the community and volunteer. In the near future we will be posting the Supply Chain Questionnaire in this area with the companies very own answers.

Do you gift wrap and is so, is it from recyclable content?

Yes. All of our packaging materials are either reused (we are proud to say that we have never purchased one box since the company was started) or made from recycled materials. Our gift wrapping department has never had two boxes look alike, since we reuse everything that comes into our store. One gift wrap may be tied up with salvaged fabric in a beautiful bow, or we have also been known to make our bows out of 100% recycled tissue paper! You never know what your gift will look like but we can assure you that it will be original, gorgeous and 100% recycled!

Can I do a registry with you?

We would be honored to have you register with Greenshops! Please follow this Registry and get started right away.

Do you personally as a company give back?

At Greenshops, we are very committed to our local community and give back in multiple ways. Two years in a row, we did a Thanksgiving meal in a local park for the homeless and fed and clothed 200 people. Jennifer and Sasha are involved with many organizations within our community, such as Keep Bakersfield Beautiful Educational and Recycling Sub-committee, the Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce as well as our own non profit we started educating businesses and children on the importance of recycling. We offer donations to numerous community events such as the American Cancer Society, school programs and functions, BARC and many more. We also work closely with BARC to raise the awareness in our community and are currently manufacturing picture frames and planters made from recycled fence posts made by our fabulous friends at BARC.

How is wool bedding?

We find wool to be the best. It ranks far above all other products (including cotton and down bedding) in it's ability to resist dust mites. Even products that are labeled "hypoallergenic" (including down products that have undergone massive wash techniques to get rid of the dust and even synthetic hypo products) will not be able to be dust mite free for long. Once you take it home, it will naturally attract dust mites. Now let's examine the ecological footprint of wool. There is a great difference between domestic wool and wool that is imported. Many of the larger natural bedding companies use wool that has come from New Zealand and Australia. This outsourcing has depressed the sheep farming community for years due to cheap importing of foreign wool. Where you spend your money makes a difference- so be sure to buy bedding made with domestic wool . Our company uses wool that comes from our local Pacific Northwest bio-region. Another factor that makes wool the best is the process in which wool is taken from the animal. Down bedding comes from the meat industry. The bird is used for it's meat while the feathers are plucked for bedding. Sheep however, are not harmed in the process of shearing and they grow a coat of fleece annually. Lastly, we find wool to be superior in it's cozy quality and it's ability to regulate your body temperature. There is just something about wool that has people fall in love with it and all of your new wool products if cared for properly can be passed down from generation to generation!

Can I wash wool ?

Yes. All of our wool bedding can be machine washed using specific parts of your machine's washing cycle. We provide detailed washing instructions with your product. You will need a machine that allows you to change the settings once it has already begun. Many of the new front loader machines will not work because they do not let you manipulate the cycle once it has begun. If you only have a front loader, your best bet is to find a good friend and use theirs. If you do not follow the instructions correctly, your bedding will turn into felt! My dog/cat peed on my bedding. What do I do? It is best to first hand wash the specific areas where the pee is immediately. It is important to wash out this concentrated pee before attempting to wash the entire comforter. Next, follow the instructions provided with you product. In the soaking stage, add a bottle of natural enzyme inhibitors to the water and let your bedding soak for a good while. These enzyme products are available at your local health food store or natural pet store. Continue with the instructions provided.

Will I receive a tracking number when I purchase from you?

Yes. As soon as your order is processed, you will receive a tracking number. We use either the United States Postal Service (USPS) or UPS.

Do you send my information out to other sites?

No, never. Your information is strictly for our internal database and if you would like to receive our newsletter you have the choice to either opt-in or out for this service as well.

How are you an environmentally friendly company besides just selling eco friendly products?

Greenshops not only gives back to our local community but we also do numerous other environmentally friendly practices in our own business. First, when a box from one of our manufacturers enters our warehouse, everything in that box is separated and reused in some fashion. We are proud to say that we have never purchased one box since our company was founded in 2007. If for some reason we cannot use a particular item, then it is sent to the appropriate recycling area and we use BARC (Bakersfield Association of Retarded Citizens) for this.

All of our paper is reused for scrap paper, or shredded for our packing materials. We also print double-sided to cut down on waste. We do work with our manufacturer's to make sure that they send us invoices, packing slips, price sheets, etc by email format and not by mail. As you will notice from our own boxes that you receive, we do not include a packing slip or receipt. All of this is done electronically, saving thousands of trees each year!

For the minimal carbon emissions that we may produce in our warehouse, as well as the carbon emissions involved in shipping, we purchase carbon offsets from Carbonfund.org.

If I call the 661.834.6477 number will I be able to speak with a live person?

Our customer service hours are Monday through Friday 10am to 6pm and Saturday from 11am to 5pm. During these hours you will more than likely speak with one of us at Greenshops. If you call within these hours and do receive our voicemail that means we are busy helping someone else in our retail store location. However, we are instantly paged and we will call you back as soon as possible! Our personal commitment to you is to return your call within 30 minutes. Please also feel free to use the google chat that is available in the contact us area of our website which will put you in contact with one of us online, or you can also email us.

What are your hours of operation?

Our retail store is located in Bakersfield, CA and is open Tuesday and Friday 10:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. Our customer service hours for the website are Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturday from 11am to 5pm.

Will you respond to my emails?

Yes!! We are definitely one of those rare companies that actually respond!

Do you have an actual store and not just a website?

Yes, our store is located in Bakersfield, CA (Southern California) at 4821 Stockdale Hwy in Stockdale Fashion Plaza..

Is my credit card information protected when I place an order?

Yes. Our site it extremely secure and is protected by Comodo Authentic Site and Authorize.net.

2048 Bit SSL Certificate