Why Organic Cotton is Better
(Page 2 of 3)
June 3, 2008
By Peyton Baldwin
In many countries, cotton is still hand picked; therefore anyone working in those fields is exposed to extreme amounts of toxic chemicals. The chemicals can also affect others in the community once they have seeped into the water supply. With so many products made from cotton, we are all exposed to these chemicals at some point. Even some baked goods, cookies and salad dressing contain cottonseed. A pair of jeans contains three-fourths pound of chemicals and a t-shirt has one-third pound of chemicals. That means if you are simply wearing jeans and a t-shirt you are wearing over 1 pound of chemicals!
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Water use is another issue with conventional cotton production. Crops use intensive irrigation and some estimates say cotton crops are the largest water user among agricultural crops.
Go Organic
Besides helping the environment, there are other benefits from organic cotton products. Working environments are better for those on farms and small-scale farmers save money by not having to buy large amount of pesticides. Consumers benefit too, some suggest that organic cotton products are softer and easier on your skin. Recent awareness of these benefits has increased demand of organic cotton and thus, lowered its cost.
Many companies now have organic cotton products. The Gap has introduced a baby Gap organic collection and in 2007 released a new line of men’s shirts. Women can find a variety of jeans and skirts made with organic cotton from Levi’s Eco. For your home, see Bed Bath & Beyond’s organic products. The Organic Cotton Directory is a great resource for finding other organic products.
