Why Organic?

Cotton is a fiber woven throughout our world, and the way in which it is cultivated and grown bears significant impact on its environment, its communities and the individuals involved.

To appreciate the benefits and importance of organic cotton, we must first understand the conventional (non-organic) cotton:

Here are some facts on conventional, that is non-organic, cotton production:

• Roughly 5% of the world’s agricultural land today is used for farming cotton, the vast majority grown using significant quantities of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers
• Conventionally grown cotton is the 2nd most pesticide-laden crop in the world (after corn)
• The crop consumes 25% of the insecticides, more than 10% of the pesticides used worldwide
• 7 of the top 15 pesticides used on conventionally grown cotton in the United States have been classified by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) as potential or known carcinogens
• Conversion of conventional cotton into clothes uses numerous toxic chemicals at each stage - silicone waxes, harsh petroleum scours, softeners, brighteners, heavy metals, flame and soil retardants, ammonia and formaldehyde - to name just a few
• It takes roughly one-third of a pound of chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers) to grow enough cotton for just one T-shirt
• For the people who work to harvest the cotton: The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 20,000 deaths occur each year from pesticide poisoning in developing countries, and many of these deaths are attributable to conventional cotton farming

And let’s compare this to organic cotton:

Organically grown cotton is cotton grown in soil that has been certified free from pesticide for at least 3 years. And the cotton must be processed according to international organic standards. The standards also set strict guidelines for transportation and storage to avoid cross-contamination.

Some of the benefits of organic cotton

• Organic cotton farming have a lower carbon footprint as the entire process consumes less fuel and energy and emits fewer greenhouse gases
• Certified organic cotton farming also prohibits the use of genetic engineering, irradiation, sewage sludge, toxic and persistent synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. By its very nature organic cotton cannot be grown from genetically engineered seed
• Strict testing ensures the absence of contaminants like nickel, lead, formaldehyde, amines, pesticides and heavy metals
• Eco-friendly processing that does not compromise workers' health and helps reduce water and electric use and toxic runoff, e.g. non-chlorine bleach, silicon-free softeners and low impact, azo-free dyes.

Why is organic cotton specially important for our children?

Babies have the most sensitive skin so it is particularly in those early years that we have to protect them. Their skin is thinner and can more readily absorb toxins (residue from toxic chemicals used in conventional cotton agriculture and processing remains in the cotton fibre). Once absorbed by the skin, these toxins accumulate in the brain, heart, liver, kidneys and bones. This accumulation can cause a wide variety of health problems. Babies and children are particularly susceptible because of their immature livers, relatively low body mass, and the vulnerability of their developing brains and organs.

Updates

January 2010 - This month, we decided to come up with an eFlyer for you to share and download if you want to. Share this eFlyer with your loved ones to help them understand "Why Organic" is the way to go!!!