It makes sense to eat organic – the food you eat actually goes INTO your body, so best to minimize on the chemicals right (?) But why bother with stuff you put ONTO your body – especially when organic clothing is usually more expensive and not as widely available as conventionally grown and synthetic fabrics.
Your skin is your body’s largest organ – and while its important to be aware of what you ingest, inhale or inject into your body – it is just as important to be aware of what you put on – as much of this gets directly absorbed into your body via your skin.
The vast majority of conventionally grown cotton for example is now genetically modified, using vast amounts of water as well as chemicals. Cotton production is now responsible for 18% of worldwide pesticide use and 25% of total insecticide use. These chemicals are passed into the bloodstream of the people growing the crops and to those wearing the clothes made from non-organic cotton. These chemicals make their way into our food chain (via the soil and through cottonseed oil) and into our water supply.
Organic cotton, hemp and bamboo is usually rain-fed, not irrigated, so it uses a lot less water. Organic crops, as you probably know, are grown without the use of pesticides and insecticides. Farmers use methods that maintain, restore and even enhance the soil and ecosystem.
Top Benefits of Organic Clothing
- No chemicals and GMOs
- safer for those producing the crops
- safer for those wearing the clothes and is hypo-allergenic
- improves land quality and preserves water contamination
- Organically farms usually have better working conditions
- Organic clothing lasts longer as it is not treated with harsh chemicals that break down fibers. Remember conscious consumption is all about cost / wear
- The organic cotton industry is growing at double digits year on year (based on the Organic Trade Association) and is estimated at over $16 billion annually. This is making organic choices more mainstream and affordable. You just have to know where to look.
The Article Why Bother with Organic Clothing? appeared in DearEarthPeople
