Why Should You Choose Organic Cotton?
Regular cotton, or conventional cotton, is commonly referred to as the dirtiest crop on the planet. Growing regular cotton ranks as one of the world's top uses of pesticides and insecticides.
Unfortunately, when the conventional cotton crop is grown and manufactured, it can be bad for the environment, people handling it, and the animals nearby.
Then, the processing of regular fabric materials and apparel can use thousands more chemicals that end up emitting into the air, soil, and waterways we drink from. Wearing it can affect our skin, lungs, and health. In comparison, organic cotton is natural and eco-friendly.
The type of cotton you choose to wear matters. Cotton is used to make our towels, blankets, sheets, clothes, and even sanitary pads.
There are several types of cotton in today's market, and they all differ in how they are made and how sustainable they are. Examples you may see on product labels are:
100% Cotton (inorganic)
Blended Cotton (cotton mixed with other fabrics like polyester or spandex)
Recycled Cotton
Organic Cotton
100% Organic Cotton
Let's lightly take a look at:
The difference between organic cotton vs. conventional cotton
Benefits of organic cotton
Why you should choose organic cotton
The newest additions to Mercurii Baby's 100% organic cotton clothing line
What's The Difference Between Organic Cotton and Conventional Cotton?
When it comes to two products being made from the same plant, there are significant differences between organic cotton and conventional cotton. There’s even a difference between “organic cotton” and “100% organic cotton,”…but that’s a whole different post.
It’s helpful to know these things so you can make the best choices possible for you and your family, especially if you want to practice natural living and try to limit your toxin exposures. Let’s look at a few of the differences between these two textiles.
Natural Growth vs. Toxic Farming and Processing
One of the most natural materials you can choose to purchase is organic cotton. Most of it is grown using clean earth, rainwater, and sunlight. It has to pass certification testing to ensure the soil is without toxic substances and that the cotton is chemical-free.
Most conventional cotton is grown using irrigation systems, fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides that expose the farmers, soil, surrounding plants, and animals to these harsh chemicals, many of which are linked to potentially negative outcomes.
The use of weed and bug killers has encouraged “superbugs” and “superweeds” to develop that are even harder to deter from cotton crops without using harsh chemicals.
Processing organic cotton vs. regular cotton looks very different, too. People pick the organic cotton while machinery harvests conventional cotton.
The manufacturing of regular cotton uses bleach and genetically modified seeds to get that ultra-white color, while 100% organic cotton will normally have an off-white tint to it.
When conventional cotton is used to make fabrics and apparel, they use different dyes and chemicals like formaldehyde that can irritate our skin and lungs to try and prevent:
Wrinkles
Stains
Fading
Fire
GMOs
Cotton is a high-risk crop for GMO use. The seeds for regular cotton are genetically modified, whereas organic cotton is grown using natural seeds. GMOs promote the conventional cotton plant to produce more cotton fibers when its growing and to resist bugs and weeds.
The GMO cotton that is discarded is often used in animal feed and human foods. You may want to steer clear of a product if you check out an ingredient list and cottonseed oil is on there. More research is needed on the effects of GMOs, but the safest way to grow cotton is naturally.
Environmental Conservation
It’s well-documented that growing conventional cotton uses dramatically higher amounts of energy and water than organic cotton.
Most organic cotton uses rainwater instead of irrigation systems, using over 80% less water than regular cotton requires. It takes 1,320 gallons of water to produce a pound of regular cotton, so about 650 gallons for one cotton tee shirt.
Organic cotton farming uses over 50% less energy and is harvested without the use of machinery that can heavily pollute the air. How’s it taken from the ground, then? Farmers handpick each plant, ensuring the environment’s safety.
If these aren’t enough reasons to buy organic cotton whenever you can, let’s review a more extensive summary of the benefits.
What Are The Benefits Of Choosing Organic Cotton?
Why should you choose organic cotton? Because it’s safe and sustainable. It’s soft and amazing. Here are several other benefits of choosing organic cotton products.
Worry-free non-toxic products.
Ideal for sensitive skin and fragile new babies.
Hypoallergenic and reduces skin and respiratory allergy concerns.
Breathable and absorbs moisture, reducing the chance for yeast growth and infections.
It is produced with chemical-free safety standards.
Fair working conditions for cotton processors and farmers instead of exposure to chemicals
It reduces exposure to nearby animals from pesticides, insecticides, and GMOs.
Helps to save the environment with less acidic chemicals being distributed into water, land, and air.
100% cotton is biodegradable and recyclable.
Reduces the effect of global warming from greenhouse emissions.
Requires less water and energy than conventional cotton.
Why Choose Organic Cotton?
When organic cotton is harvested by hand, there’s someone behind those hands with a name and a family. Every time you buy organic cotton, you’re helping to support the economy, farming families who take care of and pick this cotton, and the cotton processors, compared to the machines that conventional cotton companies replace people with.
When you choose to purchase organic cotton, you don’t have to worry about pre-washing just to try and wash off formaldehyde and other toxic chemicals that off-gas into our lungs and onto our skin. Certifications are in place for organic cotton to ensure they remain free from chemicals, making it a worry-free garment to choose from.
Mercurii Baby's 100% Organic Cotton
Mercurii Baby is on a mission to provide organic cotton clothing, play mats, sheets, blankets, and more to your family.
Mercurii Baby’s 100% Organic Cotton products are GOTS certified, eco-friendly, and non-toxic. We have clothing to keep you cool and comfortable in the summertime yet warm and cozy in the cooler months.
Speaking of the cooler months, we’ve just released our new sweaters, hoodies, and jogging pant sets just in time for the season ahead. So many great colors to choose from, all made with natural dyes and 100% organic cotton. Check them out below!
Interested in learning more?
Toddlers, Too!
RESOURCES:
- https://ejfoundation.org/news-media/the-casualties-of-cotton
- https://www.nongmoproject.org/gmo-facts/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA_P6dBhD1ARIsAAGI7HDTr6nhW_AojWGHm5q5KWWFvVjbbPOoe-4e1kuaQdrWE0Wl1_fchW0aAkkwEALw_wcB
- https://www.organicconsumers.org/essays/beyond-monsantos-gmo-cotton-why-consumers-need-care-what-we-wear#:~:text=This%20means%20that%20GMOs%20and,kidney%20and%20immune%20system%20damage.
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/renewable-agriculture-and-food-systems/article/organic-cotton-production-may-alleviate-the-environmental-impacts-of-intensive-conventional-cotton-production/011DB7C5487BB768DE953A8BBDE658E2
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