How often do you think about that cotton on your back? Most of our clothes are made of cotton aren’t they? Guys undershirts and girls’s underthings - often times cotton is what is in closest proximity to our bodies. For this reason alone, it is important to know what may be in the cotton that we’re wearing.
The following information is taken from the website Mantis Graphics.com:
“Organic apparel printing offers another environmentally friendly screenprinting method. Using organic cotton that is grown with safe, nontoxic, non-chemical pest repellants such as manure and herbs, protects the ground, our food, and all animals — including humans. Additionally, organic cotton is pure and has not been genetically altered or modified. Organic growing employs ecology and environment sustaining techniques including: crop rotation, cover cropping for weed control and harmful insect trapping. To ensure quality and organic standards, QAI (Quality Assurance International) inspects and verifies all products.
Meanwhile, conventional cotton is one of the most widely manufactured fibers today. Conventional cotton is grown with toxic chemical pesticides and fertilizers which remain on the fibers even when they are manufactured into wearable apparel — these chemicals have been scientifically proven to negatively affect health.
In the United States:
- Nearly 10% of all pesticides sold for use in agriculture were applied to cotton in 1997. ACPA
- Over 2.03 billion pounds of synthetic fertilizers were applied to conventional cotton in 2000 (142 pounds/acre), making cotton the fourth most heavily fertilized crop behind corn, winter wheat, and soybeans. USDA
- Almost one-third of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers are used to grow enough conventional cotton for a single T-shirt. SCP
- The Environmental Protection Agency considers seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton in 2000 in the United States as “possible,” “likely,” “probable,” or “known” human carcinogens (acephate, dichloropropene, diuron, fluometuron, pendimethalin, tribufos, trifluralin). EPA”
Taken from Bambino Land.com:
“25% of the world’s pesticides are sprayed on cotton, causing devastation to our land, air, water and the health of people living in conventional cotton-growing areas. The simple act of growing and harvesting the one-pound of cotton fiber needed to make a T-shirt takes an enormous toll.
When cotton is grown organically, it is done without the use of chemicals or harmful pesticides. Sustainable and organic growing methods support biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, improving the quality of the soil, using less water and helping to prevent groundwater pollution. Organic farmers rely on crop rotation to replenish and maintain soil fertility. Mechanical cultivation and botanical or biological means are used to control pests and weeds.
A field must be pesticide-free for at least three years to be certified organic, 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. In the U.S., cotton labeled as organic has to be certified by an independent agency recognized by the USDA’s National Organic Program.”
Sources:
Image: Wikipedia.com
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