Why choose clothing made from organic cotton?
Organic cotton is a popular fabric. Cotton itself has been used for clothing for years, cotton feels comfortable, is breathable and dries quickly. That is why so much clothing is made of cotton. But what exactly is organic cotton? And why is it important to choose clothing made of organic cotton? We like to tell you that.
What is Organic Cotton?
Organic cotton is grown without toxic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Instead, biological methods are used. For example, other insects are used to combat harmful insect populations. In addition, the soil is not exhausted, because rotational cultivation is done so that the soil retains the important nutrients. Less water is also used in the production of organic cotton. But there are even more differences between organic cotton and conventional cotton. For example, the seeds that are used for organic cotton are natural GMO-free seeds, for many conventional cotton GMO seeds are used. In addition, people wait for the moment that the cotton plants lose their leaves on their own. With "normal" cotton, the plant is often killed with poison to speed up the process. Read more about organic cotton production at aboutorganiccotton.org Because no unnatural fertilizers are used, organic cotton grows more slowly. That's why you pay more for organic cotton, just like you do for organic strawberries, for example. 😉
Why is it important to choose organic cotton?
It is important to choose organic cotton because the negative environmental consequences of normal cotton production are very large. About 25 percent of the pesticides used worldwide are used on cotton. Some of these chemicals are labeled as the most toxic in the world. They cause health problems such as birth defects, reproductive disorders and weaker immune systems. In many countries, cotton is still picked by hand. You can imagine that these toxic pesticides can therefore easily affect the health of the employees on the plantation. The pesticides also end up in the (ground) water and the chemicals deplete the soil, so that more and more unnatural fertilizers are needed. The chemical pesticides normally used in cotton production don't just kill the insects that eat the plants, which already has a detrimental effect on the entire ecosystem, because insects are at the very bottom of the food pyramid. But also other insects, including the all-important bees. Bees are indispensable for the pollination of cotton plants but also all other crops that grow. Read more at pbs.org. But not only insects are killed by these pesticides. Birds also die in large numbers from the heavy pesticides.
What is GOTS?
GOTS is an international certification of organic cotton that was established in 2002. The label guarantees that the production of the cotton is done in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. GOTS stands for Global Organic Textile Standard. The label originated as a collaboration of major players within organic cotton: Organic Trade Association, Japan Organic Coton Association, International Association of Natural Textile Industry and Soil Association (UK), JOCA (Japan), IVN Naturtextil (Germany) and Soil Association ( United Kingdom). The checks are carried out by independent control bodies. Read more at global-standard.org.
How do you wash your organic cotton clothes?
Have you purchased an organic cotton garment? Doing well! You can wash organic cotton the same as conventional cotton. Always look at the label inside the garment for exact instructions. But in general it is best to wash cotton at 30 degrees. Washing at a low temperature is also good for the environment!
