It’s easy to understand the benefits of eating organic food, but why should we care if our clothes are organic? Let's shed some light.
The organic cotton movement is creating much positive change in the world. It is more than just a trend, it’s a revolution. As the demand for clothing made of organic cotton increases, more farmers are converting their crop and discontinuing the use of poisonous pesticides. It’s important to understand the impact these harmful chemicals have on our earth and bodies.
We all know of cotton as “the fabric of our lives”, but we may not be aware how much it actually does affect us. Cotton meets 50% of the world’s fiber needs, and experts estimate about 9 million pounds of the crop were grown in the United States alone last year. Most of this cotton was grown conventionally with the use of poisonous pesticides…tons of it.
Cotton is one of the most pesticide using crops on the planet. It accounts for about 10% of the world’s pesticide use, and 25% of the insecticide used. If you are wearing a t-shirt and jeans, you can estimate about a pound of poisonous chemicals were used to produce your look (imagine the amount it took to create your entire wardrobe). Out of that pound of poison, about 99.9% of it ended up going somewhere besides the pest it was intended for. Where?
The majority of chemicals used to grow cotton end up polluting the air we breathe, or contaminating the ground water, and runoff. The impact these poisons are causing our environment are horrific.
The impact on our bodies is just as bad. With all the cotton products in our lives we are all exposed to these toxins at some point. It’s time we step up and demand change.
The organic cotton revolution has primarily been driven by consumers. The more we demand organic cotton, the more farmers will respond to that demand by discontinuing the use of harmful chemicals. In fact, many farmers are happy to switch to organic since the price per barrel gives them a better profit. As long as the demand continues to rise, the revolution will continue.
Do your part. Buy organic.