Organic Cotton
Although many people are becoming conscious about what they put in
their bodies, they do not take necessary precautions for what they put
on their bodies. Pesticides and other chemicals can not only damage
our bodies as they are ingested, but also as they are absorbed through
the skin. This proposes great concerns as most of the cotton grown today
is loaded with pesticides and chemicals. Cotton uses the most pesticides
of any product farmed. As the crop is growing insects and other pests
pose a large problem, and because of this a crop can be sprayed with
chemicals more than six times. These chemicals and toxins not only go
into the clothing made from the cotton, but damage the environment through
contaminating water, air, earth and ultimately animals.
As people are exposed to chemicals, toxins and pesticides, through
the clothes they wear, these chemicals build up in the body and systems
are not able to flush them from the body. As there are too many toxins
for the body to be able to clear out, it begins to store them in organs
and fatty tissues. Health problems such as cancer can develop. Because
cotton is on of the most widely worn fabrics, its effect is far reaching.
Organic cotton farms produce not only safer material, but also help
the environment in a significant way. To make just a single t-shirt
it takes about one-third of a pound of chemicals. Multiply those amounts
by the acres and acres of traditional farms and the thousands of t-shirts
on store shelves and it is easy to understand the volume of damage produced
by these chemicals. In contrast organic farms take natural preventative
measures to prevent insect destruction. Organic farms are required to
use crop rotation, weed burning or cover crops to prevent weeds, and
the use of animal manure for fertilizer.
Not only is the material itself a problem, and the what it takes to
create it, but the dyes used on cotton to make fabric is another concern.
Toxins in the dyes effect skin, other organs and the bodies systems.
Individuals who suffer from skin problems such as eczema, are especially
benefited as they are even more prone to skin problems due to chemicals
and dyes. Babies are also a concern as their skin is thinner than an
adults and harmful chemicals are more readily absorb into their bodies.
As their bodies are smaller and their systems are still growing, the
effect of harmful chemicals and toxins even more of a threat for them.
There used to be much more limited variety of colors to choose from
when buying organic clothing and that was a draw back to those who are
more fashion conscious. Today, there is a large selection of both colors
and styles to choose from, making organic clothing more environmentally
friendly, safer for the body and more appealing. Another benefit is
the deepening of color as the clothes are washed. Unlike cotton colored
with chemical dyes, organic dyes do not fade as you wash them, but instead
deepen in color, increasing the quality of color as the items is worn.
Some people, although they eat organic, find purchasing organic clothing
inconvenient and more time consuming. Public demand has a large impact
on the availability of products both produced and sold. Stores that
have had their organic products fly off the shelf, want to continue
to supply those demands. Ultimately the people will decide what is made
by their choices as they shop. Choose organic and more organic will
be produced, helping the environment as well as your own health.
About the Author
Francesca Black works in marketing at Organic Items http://www.organic-items.com
and Pilates Shop http://www.pilates-shop.net
leading portals for organic products and natural excercise.