Image source: http://candycalderon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/3-683x1024.png
Many people are under the false assumption that because cotton is a natural product, all cotton clothing is safe. This may have been the case about fifty years ago because the cotton-growing industry mostly involved sustainable methods to produce cotton. Most of these techniques did not harm the environment, present hazards to anyone's health, and did not permanently deplete natural resources.
Unfortunately, conventionally grown cotton now employs the use of pesticides that threaten everyone's health as well as the health of the wildlife. Many of the chemicals present in pesticides have been linked to numerous forms of cancer. This should not be a surprise as these pesticides were originally developed as toxic gas during World War II. Furthermore, conventionally grown cotton uses about 3 percent of farmland around the world but it uses 25 percent of the world's pesticides.
There has been a lot of weight given to any product that is labeled as "organic." The term has gained an incredible amount of credibility among consumers as well as marketers but the question is why is organic better?
Using sustainable methods that do not do irreversible harm to the environment grows organic cotton. These methods actually replenish and maintain soil fertility and add bio-diversity to the agriculture. In order for the cotton to be organic in the U.S., it must meet strict U.S. regulations. It must meet requirements set forth in its growing methods, as well as shipping methods to avoid cross contamination. If adhering to these guidelines is not enough, an organic cotton field must be pesticide free for at least three years to be certified as organic.
Did you know that organic clothing can actually be more cost-effective than clothing made from conventionally grown cotton? Think about this when comparing the initial costs of two cotton shirts each made from both fibers: conventionally grown cotton lasts roughly 15 washes before it starts to break down. This is due to the way conventionally grown cotton is treated and handled prior to even being made into the shirt. It has been sprayed with pesticides, bleached, dyed, and softened and all of this abuse takes its toll on the fibers. Compare this to the approximately 100 washes prior to the cotton shirt made from organic cotton, it is more economical to purchase the organic cotton shirt.
Or course the use of organic products do contribute to the practice of sustainable farming and cultivating techniques which does leave a much smaller carbon footprint, the practicality of saving money is a point where we can all relate.
