Those “tree hugging hippies” from the days of yore were truly on to something.  Just as organic and whole foods has caught on in the main stream, so too is organic clothing.  From Levi’s, to Nike, to Gap; to the high end fashion houses of Versace, Armani and Oscar de la Renta; to small independent boutique designers, everyone is going green; and for good reason.

Typical cotton production is one of the most chemically intensive of any crop in the world.  According to the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) forty-six insecticides and acaricides (compounds used to control mites and ticks) comprise 90% of the total volume of all pesticides used on cotton. Five of these are classified as extremely hazardous (known cancer-causing chemicals), eight as highly hazardous, and 20 are moderately hazardous.  Yet farmers are legally dumping tons of these known harmful agents into cotton production annually, and without pause. 

Chemical exposure doesn’t stop at farming.  Fabric treatments done through the manufacturing process add additional harsh chemicals to the mix.  According to Greenmoneyjournal.com, harsh chemicals used to resist flame, water, stains and soil, among many others, are often impregnated into the garment and are very difficult to impossible to remove through washing. 

Around the world, the use of pesticides in cotton production reeks havoc on cotton producing communities.  According to the European Conference on Organic Cotton and Biofach, at least 20,000 people in developing countries die every year from poisoning from agricultural pesticides, and three million suffer acute or reproductive after effects. 

If all of this is a bit too much for you, let me put it to you in layman’s terms:  it takes 1/3 pound of pesticides to produce just one cotton t-shirt.   So, for every pair of organic cotton jeans and t-shirt you buy, you save the planet from soaking up one pound of pesticides. 

Now I ask you, would you consciously dump a pound of pesticides on your child’s back each day?  I can only assume that your answer to this question is a resounding NO.  Yet, we expose our children—and ourselves for that matter—to several unknown harsh chemicals each morning when we dress them without ever giving it a second thought; and it’s because we don’t realize that we are doing it. 

There is a solution to the pesticide problem.  Buy organic. 

Organic cotton farming is the best way to prevent these cancer causing chemicals from tapping into our soil, water and air, and is the best protection against preventing chemical induced illnesses of farm workers and communities where traditional cotton fields are farmed; not to mention we save our children and ourselves from exposure to several unknown harsh chemicals at any given moment. 

The bottom line is that buying organic is simply better for all of us.

If the upside of health and environmental conservation isn’t a good enough reason for you to buy organic, maybe the quality of organic materials is.  Not only is organic cotton better for us, it’s much softer than conventionally grown cotton; thus, it’s softer on your baby’s skin—whether your baby is a 5-month-old or a 25-year-old.  Wrapping your family in organic cotton is like wrapping them in a blanket of silk.  And with new styles and designers popping up daily in the organic market, the fashion of organics is no longer a concern. 

Don’t stop with organic clothing.  Organic materials are popping up in products such as crib mattresses, towels, sheets, toys, cloth diapers, furniture and personal care products; and the list is growing daily. 

Organic products aren’t just for “tree hugging hippies” any longer.