our planet - organic cotton clothing

Organic cotton - more facts

Cotton is great for layered clothing as well as being the world's most popular fabric, but conventional cotton manufacturing processes has long raised some serious health concerns. The high levels of insecticides and pesticides in growing cotton has given rise to very slow but gradually demand for organic cotton clothing free of pesticides and carcinogens.

Did you know:

• Every t-shirt made from conventionally grown cotton needs 1/4 pound of harmful chemicals

• Conventionally grown cotton accounts for more than 25% of worldwide insecticide use and 10% of the pesticides.  Pesticides used on cotton are among the most hazardous

• In parts of the US in particular California apparently, 5 of the top nine pesticides used on cotton are cancer causing

• Children are more rulnerable to pesticide-related health problems than adults.  Millions of children in the US receive up to 35% of their estimated lifetime dose of some carcinogenic pesticides by age 5 through food, contaminated drinking water, household use, and pesticide drift

• It takes one pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to conventionally grow the three pounds of cotton needed to make a T-shirt and a pair of jeans

• Farm workers working in conventionally grown cotton fields in the US and around the world suffer from an abundance of toxic exposures and related health problems.  Pesticides used on cotton cause acute poisonings and chronic illness to farm workers worldwide.  Acute respiratory symptoms and other health effects in communities surrounding cotton farms are correlated with high use of defoliation chemicals

• According to the USDA, over 50 million pounds of pesticides were used on U.S. cotton fields annually.

Organic cotton on the other hand is full of positives benefits for both ourselves and the planet.  Besides the quality-of-life benefits from organic cotton. For example:

• Organic cotton uses no harmful toxins or synthetic fertilisers

• The quality of clothing produced from organic cotton is also substantially higher than conventional cotton

• Organic cotton is produced without the use of harmful chemical bleaches or dyes, it is also allergy free  

• Organic cotton plants produce longer-stable cotton fibers which in turn yield stronger yarn and more durable fabrics

• Natural fertilizers only are used

• Ladybugs are left to get on with the job of insect control

•  Pesticide-free long-stable cotton also feels softeragainst the skin as well as being more breathable .

Thanks to organicclothing.blogs.com for some of those facts. If you get a chance check out their blog it is full of facinating articles on organic cotton.

ZooZoo2 are committed to reducing environmental impact through the use of natural organic cotton together with more environmentally-sound dyes.

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