The Story Behind Under the Nile Organic Egyptian Cotton
by Annie Wiesman
Sep 28, 2018
Healthy and eco-conscious living have never been easier and, simultaneously, more complicated.
What I mean is that we have a wealth of information and products available to us that allows us to make health-conscious choices for our families in regard to food, cleaning products, skin care and clothing. But at the same time, it can be difficult to sort through all the regulations and labels to find out what actually is what it says it is.
However, one company in the baby space has taken the guesswork out of it for us. If you haven’t heard of Under the Nile, allow us to introduce you; once you hear their story, we're sure you will love their soft, organic clothes as well as their business philosophy.
The Story of Under the Nile
As with many of the best companies that begin when someone seeks to find an answer to a pain point, Under the Nile was started by a mom and dad unable to find clothes that wouldn't irritate their young children's sensitive skin. Twenty years ago, Janice and Mohamed Masoud went to Mohamed’s home country of Egypt looking for a manufacturer to create organic clothes made out of the best Egyptian cotton in the world.
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But they didn’t stop with just locating the best Egyptian cotton they could find. The Masouds’ goal was “to enrich the planet and the lives of everyone involved with every stage of our business, from cotton to customer.” It was important to them to find a company that cared about the environment and their employees as well as the product they produced.
Fair Trade and GOTS Certified
What the Masouds found was a certified Fair Trade facility in Egypt. What does Fair Trade mean? It means “clean, safe and healthy working conditions, as well as dignity and respect for all workers.” Here’s what else Under the Nile has to say about it:
- "All our organic cotton is grown on a biodynamic farm - a farming process that essentially treats soil, crops, animals and humans as a single system in a sustainable way."
- "All of our workers are promised safe, clean and healthy working conditions, in addition to healthcare, on-site daycare and school for their children, and daily organic meals made from food that's grown right there at the farm."
- "We also promote social justice, gender equality and diversity through female empowerment initiatives, community support, education and more."
Additionally, the manufacturer is certified by the Global Organic Textile Standards that is “the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain.”
Under the Nile is not only turning out a line of clothes, blankets and toys that are beautiful, soft and safe for your children, they are also concerned about the environment and the people involved with the production process.
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Under the Nile Core Products
Here are some of the products central to Under the Nile of which you can feel good about exposing your children:
- These super soft Egyptian Cotton Blankets were named "The Best Blanket in the World" by Esquire Magazine!
- The Organic Hand Loomed Rugs are made from the leftover clothing scraps.
- These extremely soft Long John jammies are perfect for sleeping or lounging.
Whatever Under the Nile product you purchase, you can be assured that your child will be comfortable, cozy and safe. And your heart can feel good about investing in an earth-friendly, globally-conscious company.
Annie Wiesman
Annie Wiesman is the co-author of “Education Begins at Birth: A Parent’s Guide to Preparing Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers for Kindergarten.” She is a former kindergarten teacher turned stay-at-home mom who enjoys traveling, hiking in the mountains, and creating memories together with her husband and little girl.
