A lot of people ask me about organic cotton: “why is it better than conventional cotton? What’s the big deal? Isn’t cotton a natural plant . . . how can it be harmful? Are organic cotton products better for my baby?”

Organic cotton is superior to conventional cotton on all levels; it is better for your baby, it is better for you, and it is better for the earth.

Working with, not against,” nature is the principle behind organic farming. Organic cotton is harvested free of environmentally harmful pesticides and insecticides. Conventional Cotton, on the other hand, uses approximately 25% of the world’s insecticides and more than 10% of the pesticides, making it the second most pesticide-laden crop in the world after coffee. (source: Allen Woodburn Associates Ltd./Managing Resources Ltd., “Cotton: The Crop and its Agrochemicals Market,” 1995.) After conventional cotton is harvested with pesticides, it is often pretreated with peroxide so to make the dyeing process easier. Once dyed, garments are often washed in formaldehyde. The chemical wash gives garments a softer hand feel.

Bleaches, dyes, washes, pesticides and insecticides can wreak havoc on ecosystems. Polluted soil can become dry and erode. If chemical washes and dyes are not properly disposed of, they leak into nearby rivers and streams, severely disrupting local ecosystems. Biologists estimate millions of birds die from the effects of agricultural chemicals used in conventional cotton production and garment manufacturing.

From a humanitarian perspective, there are several reasons one should avoid purchasing conventional cotton. To start, cotton is a water-thirsty crop. It also tends to grow in third world countries where labor and human rights are often overlooked for the bottom line. Many third world countries don’t even have enough water for their citizens. When cotton-growing retailers usurp vital water supplies, water becomes an influential political tool.

As seen in this video, White Gold, from the Environmental Justice Foundation, cotton workers can be treated like slaves, many mothers with babies on their backs, or young children.

In addition to unjust labor conditions, cotton workers are exposed to a plethora of harsh chemicals. The Environmental Protection Agency considers seven of the top 15 pesticides used on conventional cotton as “possible,” “probable,” or “known,” human carcinogens. . (U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, “List of Chemicals Evaluated for Carcinogenic Potential,” 2001.) Daily exposure to such carcinogens is highly dangerous to cotton workers’ health. Organic cotton does not contain any such carcinogens. I think that’s enough bad news for today. I’ll check in tomorrow with information on how you can help support the organic cotton industry, a vast humanitarian and environmental improvement over the conventional cotton industry.

Posted on October 1st, 2007 by Olivia Zaleski