why organic?

Cotton is woven through your life...

• in the thick, thirsty towel that dries you after your morning shower…
• in the favorite T-shirt and worn-to-perfection jeans you pull on, eager to start your day…
• in the personal care products you use, such as swabs, pads, and tampons…
• in the absorbent diaper that keeps your baby comfortable…
• cottonseed oil is in the snacks you munch on …
• and in the feed given to livestock that nourishes you…
• cotton makes the sheets you slip between at the end of a full day…
• and the pillowcase that cradles your head for sweet dreams…

Cotton is woven through your world.

• ...forming half the globe’s textile sales. Most cotton is not as environmentally benign as you might expect.
• Conventionally grown cotton consumes approximately 25% of the insecticides and more than 10% of the pesticides used in the world.
• Conventional farming devours roughly a third of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers to produce enough cotton for a single T-shirt.
• The production of cotton has a huge impact on the world you live in.

Cotton touches you in many ways.

• Organic cotton provides all the quality and texture you’ve come to expect from cotton products.
• Organic cotton feels good on your skin—and great on your conscience.
• Organic cotton is in many PRODUCTS:
  • Babies’, kids’, and adults’ clothing, from casual to high fashion.
  • Personal care items such as tampons, swabs, and cotton balls.
  • Home fashions, such as bedding, towels, cushions, and curtains.
• Organic cotton is in many PLACES:
  • At your local stores, from small boutiques to major retailers.
  • By mail order or on the web.
  • Find sources for organic cotton products at www.AboutOrganicCotton.com.
• HELP Organic Farming grow:
  • Buy organic cotton whenever possible.
  • Ask for it where you shop.
  • Tell your friends about it and where they can find it.
  • Educate yourself about organics.
  • Buy organic foods.
• And DON’T FORGET to:
  • Donate your used clothing to a good cause.
  • Use environmentally friendly detergents and body care products.
  • Save electricity—hang your clothes to dry.

Organic cotton is different. 

By choosing organically grown cotton you can reap all the benefits of cotton’s beauty, comfort and strength, while minimizing harm to people and the planet.

Seed preparation:

• Conventional >
  • Typically treats seeds with FUNGICIDES or INSECTICIDES.
  • Uses GMO seeds for approximately 70% of US-grown cotton.
• Organic >
  • Uses UNTREATED seeds.
  • NEVER USES GMO (genetically modified organism) seeds.

Soil & Water:

• Conventional >
  • Applies SYNTHETIC fertilizers.
  • Loss of soil due to predominantly MONO-CROP culture.
  • Requires INTENSIVE IRRIGATION.
• Organic >
  • Builds strong soil through CROP ROTATION.
  • Retains water more efficiently thanks to increased ORGANIC MATTER in the soil.

Weed Control:

• Conventional >
  • Applies HERBICIDES to soil to inhibit weed germination.
  • Repeatedly uses HERBICIDES to kill weeds that do grow.
• Organic >
  • PHYSICAL removal rather than chemical destruction.
  • Controls weeds through cultivation and HAND HOEING.

Pest Control:

• Conventional >
  • Uses INSECTICIDES heavily, accounting for approximately 25% of world consumption.
  • Uses PESTICIDES
  • Frequently uses AERIAL SPRAYING , with potential drift onto farm workers, neighboring wildlife and communities.
• Organic >
  • Maintains a BALANCE between “pests” and their natural predators through healthy soil.
  • Uses BENEFICIAL INSECTS, biological and cultural practices to control pests.
  • May use TRAP CROPS, planted to lure insects away from the cotton.

Harvesting:

• Conventional >
  • Defoliates with toxic CHEMICALS.
• Organic >
  • Relies mostly on the seasonal FREEZE for defoliation.
  • May stimulate defoliation through WATER management.