Organic cotton is cotton that has been grown for at least three years without chemical pesticides, defoliants, or fertilizers. Fertilizers that are used include compost, manure, naturally derived mineral and plant fertilizers, and crop rotation. Insect controls involve the use of beneficial insects and natural pesticides certified for organic crops. Organic cotton is also processed without oils, chemicals, and pesticides.
Because of the rapidly developing bodies and immature immune systems, babies and children can benefit greatly from pure, organic cotton products. Organic cotton feels softer, smells cleaner, and is less likely to trigger allergies.
The sustainable farming practices used to grow organic cotton do not pollute groundwater, surface water, soil, or air. In fact, soil quality is actually improved by the production of organic cotton. Organic cotton is safer for farmers, for you, for your baby, for the environment, and for all the other creatures with whom we share this amazing planet.
When you purchase organic cotton products, you send a message with your money, a "dollar vote", that says:
- you will not tolerate conventional cotton production, with its dangers to human health and the environment, and that
- you support sustainable farming practices.
Where is organic cotton grown?
In 2000-2001, organic cotton was grown in 12 countries, with Turkey and the United States leading production. At that time, organic cotton was also grown in India, Peru, Uganda, Egypt, Brazil, Israel, Senegal, and Greece.
Currently, most of the organic cotton we've seen is grown in Egypt, India, Turkey, Peru, China and the United States.
Why should I buy US-grown organic cotton?
We feel very passionately about supporting US-grown organic cotton for environmental, ethical, and economic reasons. First, we live and work here in the USA so it makes good economic and environmental sense to support US-grown organic cotton. All the same arguments used in support of the local food movement apply also to other consumer goods, including organic cotton products. The carbon footprint is lower because less fuel is used for transport of locally-produced goods.
Second, the United States has much stricter environmental laws than many other countries, including some countries where organic cotton is currently grown. It is important to check which agency certified the organic cotton as certification requirements vary.
The Global Organic Textile Standard, or GOTS, was created to provide a universal definition for organic textiles. This comprehensive set of guidelines covers all aspects of the production of organic cotton textiles, from field to product labelling. However, it does NOT deal much with labor issues.
For foreign-grown organic cotton especially, we recommend checking the producer's labor standards. Again, independent, third-party documentation is a much better indicator of these standards than just some company representative's word.
Why are so few companies using US-grown organic cotton?
Even though consumer demand for US-grown organic cotton has skyrocketed over the last few years, the supply has decreased significantly during that same period. The main reason for this is simply overseas competition. It is much cheaper to produce organic cotton in India or Turkey, for example, than it is to produce it in the United States. Without commitments from buyers to pay them for their organic cotton crops, farmers have been forced to turn to other more profitable crops.
Another difficulty the industry faces is the dismantled state of the US textile industry. Many sewing operations and textile mills relocated offshore years ago, so apparel and bedding companies buying US-grown organic cotton have few options for textile mills and sewing facilities. Because there is less competition, the prices for these services are higher.
Many industry analysts believe the way to improve the situation is to focus on creating more work for the mills and sewing shops. With this revised infrastructure in place, using US-grown organic cotton would be much more feasible for many companies. This very approach has been taken by many of our suppliers, including Heart of Vermont, Pixel Organics, and Lapsaky. All of these companies currently use foreign-grown organic cotton, but ensure the cotton is milled here and their final products are produced here in the USA.
As consumer demand for US-grown organic cotton increases, and work for US mills and sewing operations increases, we hope and expect to see an increase in the amount of US-grown organic cotton on the market.
For your easy reference, we maintain a list of Baby Products Made in the USA from US-grown Organic Cotton.
Conventional cotton is often promoted as a "natural" product; however, it is one of the most heavily sprayed crops, utilizing more than 25% of all the insecticides in the world--yet it is farmed on only 3% of the world's farmland (source: Organic Consumers Association "Fact Sheet on U.S. Cotton Subsidies and Cotton Production". In the USA alone, an estimated 800 million pounds of pesticides are used on cotton each year. In addition, conventional cotton textile manufacturing involves bleaches, formaldehyde, and other chemical finishes, as well as other chemical processes. Almost 1/3 pound of synthetic chemicals is utilized for each pound of conventional cotton.
Traces of these chemicals remain in the finished product, even after repeat washings. The chemicals used to grow conventional cotton may have serious adverse effects on human health and the environment.
What is transitional cotton?
Transitional cotton is cotton that has been grown organically, but for less than three years.
What is green cotton?
Green cotton is conventionally grown cotton that has been processed without bleaches, dyes, and other chemicals like formaldehyde finishes. It is also known as untreated, unbleached cotton.
