{"id":24112,"title":"Why buy ORGANIC Cotton?","description":"Why to choose organic cotton clothing over conventional cotton? Cotton is a thirsty crop - it requires 10,000-20,000 litres of water to produce one kg of conventional cotton. Organic cotton uses significantly less water, is free from pesticides and other harmful chemicals and supports safe farming.","content":"

I remember when I was a teenager starting to buy my own clothes, my mum would say to best buy cotton clothing. Well, right she was, and still is, that cotton is in many cases the better choice over man-made synthetic fibres, in particular virgin polyester clothes.<\/p>

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BUT, we have to go one important step further.
Today\u2019s recommendation has to be:<\/h3>

Choose Organic Cotton over Conventional Cotton!<\/p><\/blockquote>

Why is that?<\/h3>

\"Being a natural fibre, this crop looks so innocent. Isn't it organic anyway?\u00a0
Also, why does it have to be organic in the first place? After all, we don't eat cotton...\" <\/p><\/blockquote>

No, we don\u2019t eat cotton - however, cotton seed oil is extracted and added to processed food [4] - but we wear it on our skin, earth is growing it on its soil and farmers are harvesting and processing it with their hands. Conventional cotton farming has detrimental effects that you should be aware of before making your next purchase decision. So, good that you are here!<\/p>

The benefits of organic cotton are not necessarily visible to the end user. This makes it easier to ignore - but, let\u2019s shed some light into the dark. Here are some of the main reasons to choose organic cotton clothing over traditional cotton.<\/p>

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1. Reduced Water Footprint<\/strong><\/h3>

We know that water scarcity is one of the top ten global risks to society. We also know that cotton is a thirsty crop that requires 10,000-20,000 litres of water to produce one kilogram of traditional cotton. Or, to put it in t-shirt terms, a conventional shirt requires 2,700 litres of water to be made. [2]<\/p>

Organic cotton on the other hand uses techniques that save significant amounts of water.<\/p>

\u201cA life cycle analysis found that organic cotton reduces water consumption by 91% compared to conventionally grown cotton.\u201d [1]<\/p><\/blockquote>

Still, organic cotton requires a lot of water. This is why it matters where it is grown.\u00a0Teemill\u2019s\u00a0(our manufacturing partner) organic cotton fields are in the North of India, where farmers benefit from the monsoons that fill reservoirs that supply almost all the water needed. Being rainfed, not irrigated, means that organic cotton isn\u2019t competing with local water resources.<\/p>

2. Safer Conditions for Farmers and Garment Workers<\/strong><\/h3>

Working with nature instead against it allows organic farmers to use natural techniques to grow healthy crops.\u00a0Teemill farms for example use co planting and insect traps along with a special ingredient - cow poo. There is no use of toxic hazardous pesticides or artificial fertilisers.<\/p>

\u201cOrganic cotton benefits human health by eliminating hazardous toxic pesticides from water, soil and air, reducing incidences of poisoning, and illnesses arising from chronic exposure, particularly in low-income countries where access to healthcare is often limited.\u201d [1]<\/p><\/blockquote>

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In fact, every year 200,000 tonnes of pesticides and 8 million tonnes of synthetic fertilisers are needed to produce conventional cotton.<\/p>

\u201cLong-term or chronic exposure to some of the chemicals and dyes used in the manufacture of cotton have been found to cause cancer and disrupt hormones in both humans and animals.\u201d [1]<\/p><\/blockquote>

However, organic cotton products certified to meet the Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS) ensure that only low impact chemicals are used. Toxic heavy metals, formaldehyde, aromatic solvents, nano-particles and anything that\u2019s been genetically modified is banned [1, p. 17].\u00a0 Also, wastewater has to be treated properly before being released. At\u00a0Teemill, our manufacturing partner, 95% of wastewater is actually recirculated and recovered. The filtered water is crystal clear and in fact in a drinkable condition, before being reused for the next batch.<\/p>

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<\/p>

3. Be an Advocate for a Healthier Planet and Life<\/strong><\/h3>

Organic cotton might be on average a bit more expensive than conventionally grown cotton. However, with this choice you invest in water conservation, better soil and fair and safe working conditions for the garment industry. In the UK there are two independent organic certification standards: the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and the Organic Content Standard (OCS). Look out for certificates such as GOTS, Organic Soil Association or OCS. With the first two, you are guaranteed to buy items made from organic textiles AND under ecologically and socially responsible conditions. The OCS standard verifies that the item is made with organic fibres. For your reference, you\u2019ll find our manufacturing partner Teemill Tech Ltd. listed\u00a0here<\/u><\/a>\u00a0on the GOTS public database. [3]<\/p>

Summary<\/strong><\/h2>

Organic cotton requires significantly less water than conventional cotton, is free from harmful chemicals, contributes to healthy soil, as well as safe working conditions.\u00a0

Remember that you are the kings and queens of this economy. Demand what is good for the planet, and you\u2019ll get it. We also need a mindset shift. Stop calling or seeing yourself as a \u201cconsumer<\/em>\u201d. Regarding yourself as such is exactly part of the problem. Acknowledge that\u00a0your values<\/u>\u00a0have an impact. Do not consume<\/em> your clothes, choose them wisely, love them and care for them like a piece of art.\u00a0<\/p>

Yours,
OilOnShirt<\/p>

Resources<\/strong><\/p>

[1]\u00a0https:\/\/www.soilassociation.org\/thirsty-for-fashion\/<\/u><\/a>
<\/u>[2]\u00a0http:\/\/aboutorganiccotton.org\/<\/u><\/a>
<\/u>[3]\u00a0https:\/\/www.global-standard.org\/public-database\/search\/database\/search_result\/19000.html<\/u><\/a>
<\/u>[4]\u00a0https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/agricultural-and-biological-sciences\/cottonseed-oil<\/u><\/a><\/p>","urlTitle":"why-buy-organic-cotton","url":"\/blog\/why-buy-organic-cotton\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/why-buy-organic-cotton\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/shop.oilonshirt.com\/blog\/why-buy-organic-cotton\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1674223938,"updatedAt":1679855253,"publishedAt":1674224568,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":221508,"name":"OilOnShirt"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/d2zqrfhp4upraq3yegsbvod7aq2primfpsf6xffybfgva9nr.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/d2zqrfhp4upraq3yegsbvod7aq2primfpsf6xffybfgva9nr.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/d2zqrfhp4upraq3yegsbvod7aq2primfpsf6xffybfgva9nr.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"OilOnShirt | Organic Cotton Clothing | Why buy organic cotton?","metaDescription":"Why choose organic cotton over conventional cotton clothing? Organic cotton uses significantly less water and is free from pesticides, but there is more.","keyPhraseCampaignId":4060,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":38618,"title":"Celebrate Earth Day: Act Now for a Greener Tomorrow","url":"\/blog\/earth-day-act-now-for-a-greener-tomorrow\/","urlTitle":"earth-day-act-now-for-a-greener-tomorrow","division":221508,"description":"Discover impactful ways to celebrate Earth Day this April 22nd. Join the global movement to restore our planet. Read on for inspiration!","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/daw9ewmiq4xas5n8ys3ulvijx7scooqkxowxjet4lq6wjalt.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/daw9ewmiq4xas5n8ys3ulvijx7scooqkxowxjet4lq6wjalt.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":26698,"title":"How to Create Stunning Custom Print T-Shirts with AI","url":"\/blog\/how-to-create-custom-print-shirt-designs-with-ai\/","urlTitle":"how-to-create-custom-print-shirt-designs-with-ai","division":221508,"description":"Create what doesn\u2019t exist (yet)! We started out with a humble vision: wear your own art on sustainably made clothing. Now, nearly 2 years later, we are still on the same mission, but with mind-blowing new technology under the hood. Learn how to create your unique print design in seconds, with AI.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/r601jbtos8sbvg7lyzykbskjl97gjfeypt0ndrgdrht1swyc.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/r601jbtos8sbvg7lyzykbskjl97gjfeypt0ndrgdrht1swyc.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":24110,"title":"Sustainable clothing materials for Summer & Winter","url":"\/blog\/sustainable-clothing-materials-for-summer-winter\/","urlTitle":"sustainable-clothing-materials-for-summer-winter","division":221508,"description":"Weather is still guiding our decision making on what to wear. Textiles are the vehicle to deliver on those needs. Read on to discover some of the best sustainable fabric options for summer and winter.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ngeku7ot96imzjxqsdtyd4v2nbskeanh7bhsgxc8zxykl02c.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ngeku7ot96imzjxqsdtyd4v2nbskeanh7bhsgxc8zxykl02c.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}