4 irresistible characteristics of BiMoo tablecloths
Do you know the difference between BiMoo bilingual educational tablecloths and most tablecloths that you find in stores? Discover the characteristics that make these tablecloths totally irresistible.
1) OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified
What exactly does it mean for a tablecloth to be OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified? It's simple: this certification guarantees that each component (fabric, print and thread) has been tested and contains no harmful substances.
The test criteria are globally standardized according to the highest standards. They are updated at least once per year based on new scientific breakthroughs or legal requirements for controlled substances.
In summary, the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification represents a guarantee of safety for BiMoo tablecloth users, from little ones to grownups.
We will spare you all the details on the process for obtaining this certification, but we will say that it is quite a bit longer and more complex than obtaining your driver's licence!
2) Made from recycled polyester
In Canada, you can find recycled knitted fabric, like that used to make leggings. But did you know that it is impossible to get recycled woven fabric? Yes, IM-POS-SI-BLE! We searched everywhere, in vain.
BiMoo was faced with a difficult choice: to make its tablecloths in Quebec with non-recycled polyester OR outside the country with recycled polyester.
We chose the second option. So yes, BiMoo tablecloths are made in China. BUT, we also chose to obtain the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification in order to ensure maximum safety and exceptional quality in our tablecloths.
And since we are 100% transparent, we wish to present the advantages and disadvantages of recycled polyester. But first, you should know that about 50% of the clothing in the world is made of polyester and that this fabric is made from polyethylene terephthalate. So yes, the majority of the clothing you wear every day is made from crude oil.
Recycled polyester, on the other hand, is obtained by melting plastic that already exists (i.e. plastic bottles sent for recycling) and spinning it into polyester fibre.
The advantages of recycled polyester:
- Gives a second life to plastic objects, a material that is not biodegradable;
- Prevents plastic from ending up in the oceans and landfills;
- Requires far fewer resources than virgin polyester.
The disadvantages of recycled polyester:
- Recycling plastic has its limitations. For example, with the mechanical recycling process (without chemicals), the fibre may lose some of its strength and sometimes must be mixed with virgin fibre.
- Recycled polyester does not absorb dye evenly. Some fabrics will require water, energy and chemicals. As a result, recycling also has an impact on the environment.
3) One product: two purposes
Normally a tablecloth has just one purpose: to protect a table during meals. BiMoo tablecloths, however, also have an educational purpose. Parents, educators, teachers, remedial teachers and speech-language pathologists use them daily to help children, among other things:
- Save time and make mealtime easier;
- Develop their vocabulary both in French and English;
- Develop their physical and motor skills (i.e. putting their right foot on the ostrich, their two elbows on the tiger or their left hand on the zebra);
- Develop their cognitive abilities (i.e. name a difference between two drawings, state if the colour is similar, the same or different).
Thanks to these tablecloths, children can learn while having fun. What more could anyone want? Well… since the tablecloths are made of a high-quality fabric, they also remain beautiful for several years! They generally resist well to stains, and keep their beautiful colours and shape even after numerous washes and dries. The perfect product to avoid overconsumption and give back to others when children have grown up.
4) Illustrated by Quebec artists.
As Julie Blais, President of BiMoo puts it so well: "Our illustrators are the essence of our products. Without their creation and inspiration, nothing is possible. "
In fact, all BiMoo tablecloths are illustrated by Quebec artists.
Pierre Girard, known under the pseudonym PisHier, works as an illustrator, painter and cartoonist. He is constantly surprising others with his ideas and creations, and is behind the illustrations on the emotions tablecloth.
Geneviève Tardif is known for her colourful universe, her simple lines and her everyday images as the backdrop for her works. This artist, who expertly uses watercolour, felt pens and coloured pencils, illustrated the sea tablecloth.
Rémy Simard is an illustrator, cartoonist and the founder of the Kami-Case publishing house, which specializes in comic books. This Lac-Saint-Jean native illustrated the jungle tablecloth.
Isabelle Charbonneau shines across Quebec with more than 100 illustrated books and her contribution to several major projects, including the family planner. This comic book addict illustrated the professionsandnumbers tablecloth.
Adopted Quebecer Irène Lumineau is a graphic designer and illustrator. When she creates her small and large paintings, she draws her inspiration from the colours of her travels and takes an optimistic and aesthetic look at the world around her. She illustrated the vegetables tablecloth.
Lastly, Mylène Villeneuve wants the image she creates to tell a story. Passionate about illustration, portraiture, oil painting and 2D/3D computer graphics, she illustrated the alphabet and safety tablecloth.
Let's sum up the special features that make us fall in love with BiMoo bilingual educational tablecloths:
1) OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, meaning they’re safe.
2) Environmentally friendly, made from 100% recycled polyester.
3) Practical and promote child development.
4) Illustrated by local artists, encouraging local art.