When we think of organic products, most of us probably think about food, and the fact that we don't want to ingest any chemicals.
But as it turns out, chemicals are used in all kinds of farming, including fibers for fabric, and ingesting chemicals is not the only threat they pose.
Inorganic cotton farming is one of the most toxic practices in agriculture, and it's referred to as the "dirtiest" crop; accounting for only 2.4% of the world’s farmland but using 6% of the world’s pesticides and 16% of its insecticides (source).
Because cotton is tricky to grow, it's become common practice to use an excessive amount of chemicals. Not only do these chemicals have a gross impact on the environment, but they also have an alarming affect on the health of the farmers and the residents in the surrounding neighborhoods.
While organic cotton only accounts for around 1% of all cotton worldwide (source), it's clear that its not only achievable, but that its benefits are insurmountable.
Environmentally speaking, it requires around 90% less water, 70% less power, and produces about 40% less CO2 than inorganic cotton. (source).
While these numbers are extremely important, it's safe to say that its most important benefit is the health and safety of the farmers and residents that are exposed to it.
Current data is hard to come by (because there is a definite lack of research on the topic), but in 2006 it was noted that "Seven of the 15 pesticides commonly used on cotton in the United States are listed as “possible,” “likely,” “probable” or “known” human carcinogens by the Environmental Protection Agency." (source).
Every year deaths and hospitalizations occur from pesticide poisoning among cotton farmers (source).
Don't wait for regulations to get stricter or governments to become more involved - stop the cycle now by buying only organic cotton. Look for the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification to ensure it's been verified organic throughout the entire supply chain.
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