#SmallBusinessFridays: ITO is a sustainable lifestyle brand
The average person spends a third of their life sleeping. Lucky are those who have a roof over their heads. Even luckier are those who have beds and get to sleep on good bed linens.
This is the philosophy behind ITO Bed and Bath, which offers lines of earth-friendly products for bed and bath. The product ranges include bed linens, towels, loungewear, intimate wear, active wear and sleepwear.
"My search for greener and healthier everyday product alternatives started when I got married. My husband and I envisioned a home that was created in the foundation of a more eco-friendly lifestyle --from kitchen and home-cleaning items to laundry and personal products," said ITO Bed and Bath co-founder Laarni Reyes Pasimio-Carandang.
In 2017, Laarni and her friend Bennett, with whom she shares a passion for fabrics, founded ITO.
The name, which came from the Japanese word for thread or yarn, was also inspired by Laarni's late mom, who was called "Mommy Ito" by her grandchildren. Laarni's mother, who she said is her biggest inspiration in life, also loved to sew. The name was, not surprisingly, the perfect fit.
Why bamboo fabrics?
"We've had our travels abroad, and we haven't seen any locally made fabric made out of bamboo. We were amazed at how soft and cool it was, and how it would be perfect for the Philippines' weather given how warm and humid it is here," said Laarni.
"Bamboo is a sustainable resource. Unlike other woody plants, bamboo reaches maturity after only 3-5 years. With a biomass generation rate unsurpassed by any other plant and tensile strength greater than steel, the versatility of bamboo outmatches most tree species," she added.
Laarni and Bennett looked at and tried different fabrics and bedsheets from all over the world. They teamed up with the best producer of bamboo lyocell sheets in China, where ITO sheets are manufactured.
"We flew there to inspect the process as well as the conditions of the factory. We made sure that our partners are Oeko-Tex certified and compliant, making our sheets free from harmful chemicals throughout the entire manufacturing process," said Laarni.
All ITO products are made from very breathable fabric, which dry 50% faster than most cottons. It is also more resistant to absorbing odors and is naturally thermo-regulating. No chemicals are used in the manufacturing and dyeing process. The thread count starts at 300, which is generally equivalent to around 800 thread count cotton. For bamboo lyocell sheets, thread count isn't the most important thing to consider given that the quality of fabric, because of its softness and silkiness is much better than cotton even at a lower thread count. The fabric has a texture similar to that of silk.
The shade names of ITO's products, such as Ocean Green and Providence Blue, also make them unique.
Laarni and Bennett plan to expand their fashion lines with new products. They've recently come up with a sports bra and knitted throw blankets. They're also looking at expanding the brand's availability aside from the brand's online channel, Rustan's and Nest Manila.
For more information about ITO Bed and Bath, go to their website, Instagram and Facebook page.:
