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Much of our clothing is organically-grown cotton.  Why?

One of our newest lines of clothing is Sage Creek Organics.  The following information is from the Sage Creek website.  It is a good overview of arguments for buying and wearing organic cotton...

ORGANIC COTTON AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Eating food and wearing clothes grown without unnecessary chemicals is both good for you and the environment. Organic farmers work with nature. Trees, hedges, and wide un-farmed field edges are important on organic farms. These provide habitats for natural predators such as beetles, spiders and birds which control pests. Farmland birds have declined by up to 95% since the introduction of pesticides into farming. Organic farming offers a real alternative and buying organic food supports a living countryside.

Organic farms have...

• 44 per cent more birds in fields
• More than five times as many wild plants

Organic farming bans artificial fertilizers which pollute our waters. Organic farmers fertilize their fields by rotating their crops, using composted manure, and planting crops which naturally feed nitrogen to the soil. source: the soil association.

WEAR ORGANIC

Of all organic fibers, organic cotton is one of the most popular. Here are some facts about the growing organic cotton industry.

What is organic cotton?
Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture. Third-party certification organizations verify that organic producers use only methods and materials allowed in organic production.

The benefit to the consumer, especially our babies, is the softness and quality that only organic cotton can provide, it is truly unmatched and one of the top reasons people choose organic cotton for their delicate baby's skin. The cotton that is grown in conventional ways is compromised and weakened by the chemicals used in growing, processing and dying of the cotton, all these things break the fiber down and create a weaker, inferior cotton garment, that is why you get a softer, stronger, better cotton using organic. A great choice for you and an important choice for our environment.

Cotton and the Environment
Acreage estimates for the 2001 U.S. cotton crop show approximately 11,459 acres of certified organic and transitional cotton were planted in the United States. Internationally, Turkey and the United States are the largest organic cotton producers.

Demand is being driven by apparel and textile companies that are expanding their 100% organic cotton program and developing programs that blend small percentages of organic cotton with their conventional cotton products.

Here are some reasons why organic cotton production is important to the long-term health of the planet.

Cotton uses approximately 25% of the world's insecticides and more than 10% of the pesticides (including herbicides, insecticides, and defoliants.). (Allan Woodburn)

Approximately 10% of all pesticides sold for use in U. S. agriculture were applied to cotton in 1997, the most recent year for which such data is publicly available. (ACPA)

Eighty-four million pounds of pesticides were sprayed on the 14.4 million acres of conventional cotton grown in the U.S. in 2000 (5.85 pounds/ acre), ranking cotton second behind corn in total amount of pesticides sprayed. (USDA)

Over 2.03 billion pounds of synthetic fertilizers were applied to conventional cotton the same year (142 pounds/acre), making cotton the fourth most heavily fertilized crop behind corn, winter wheat, and soybeans. (USDA)

The Environmental Protection Agency considers seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton in 2000 in the United States as "possible," "likely," "probable," or "known" human carcinogens (acephate, dichloropropene, diuron, fluometuron, pendimethalin, tribufos, and trifluralin). (EPA)

In 1999, a work crew re-entered a cotton field about five hours after it was treated with tribufos and sodium chlorate (re-entry should have been prohibited for 24 hours). Seven workers subsequently sought medical treatment and five have had ongoing health problems. (California DPR)