Are All Cottons Created Equal?

Many of us have heard of the dirty dozen foods that are “must buys” as organic. Meaning that the residual pesticides are greatest on those twelve foods. And,  if you buy them organic, you avoid putting chemical toxins in your body.

But what about the cotton we wear? Does it really make a difference if it is organic?

Consider this; your skin is your body’s largest organ. It is a living breathing organism, that perspires, dries, hydrates, moisturizes, burns, fades, scars and heals.

Cotton is an ideal material due to comfort and it’s ability to breathe with the body.

But, what I didn’t realize, and you may not know are the level of pesticides that are used in processing this precious commodity.

Here are a two jaw-dropping stats from our friends at White Apricot;

1. Traditional cotton is the second most pesticide-laden crop in the world! (accounting for roughly 25% of the world’s pesticide use).

2. It takes ¹⁄₃ lb. of chemicals (including cyanide, dicofol, naled, propargite and trifluralin – all known to cause cancer)  to grow enough traditional cotton to make just one t‑shirt. Whaat?

Organic cotton on the other hand “is grown in certified pesticide-free and herbicide-free soil, using organic farming methods, which produce healthier fabrics, preserve the quality of our water and prevent toxins from entering the human food chain in the form of cottonseed and other byproducts.”

In turn, not only does organic cotton produce a product that is healthier against your skin, the organic farming process eliminates the harmful fallout to our environment that traditional farming can cause.

So the obvious question is why wouldn’t everyone farm this way?

The short answer is that the outcomes and crop returns with organic farming are less certain and in turn more expensive.

Since chemical pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers are not allowed in organic farming, the labor becomes more intensive; crop rotation, beneficial insects introduced and monitored, composting, are a few of the methods used. All are extremely successful, but not without risk.

There is a lot of hard work that goes into ALL farmed products, but, I’m finding, and you may agree that organic farmers are a special breed, with a whole lot of heart!

I hope you will join me in making organic your number one choice.

If so, be sure that the products are GOTS or OTA Certified Organic. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misleading information out there. Products labeled “natural” “eco-friendly” “sustainable,” or even calling them “organic” when they aren’t may not be giving you the standard of quality they imply.

Unless it is certified organic by one of the established worldwide and national organizations, you cannot be certain of what you are getting.

All of the cotton used in the manufacturing of Lucky Duck Living t‑shirts is GOTS certified organic.  You can rest assured that you will enjoy a healthy fit and feel 100% of the time!

Now, comment below my lovely and if you liked this article be sure to share!

As always, I’m in your corner…

Love,
Thais

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