Organic Cotton
What Does It Mean???
Is it Better?
Aside from organic cotton feeling awesome against you skin, it is also great for the environment and the farmers producing it! It takes 1/3 pound of synthetic fertilizer to grow 1 pound of raw cotton in the U.S., and it takes approximately 1 pound of raw cotton to make 1 shirt. Regular cotton crops cover 2.5% of the world’s cultivated land, yet it uses 16% of the world’s insecticides. This is more than any other single major crop…..definitely not good for “Mother Earth”.
Organic
cotton is grown in subtropical climates around the world. For any cotton to be labeled “organic” in
the USA, it must meet the standards established by the Organic Food Production
Act of 1990. Organic cotton growers are
required to use farming techniques such as crop rotation, green manure,
compost, and biological pest control.
Synthetic petrochemical fertilizers, pesticides, human sewage sludge,
and plant growth hormones are prohibited.
Since 1990
the yearly production of organic cotton has continued to increase rapidly, going
from 3.2 million pounds in 2004 to over 9 trillion pounds in 2014. The six largest organic retailers in North
America in 2011 were: Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Super Target, Subway, and Whole
Foods Markets. Walmart is the largest
grower of organic cotton in the world.
Although the production of organic cotton
has increased, it is unlikely that you’ll find organic fabric at your local
fabric store. I have searched many
avenue and back streets to find organic cotton - to no avail. Finally, on the internet I found the organic
interlocking knit that I use for My-S-Cap’s 3-Seam turban caps. It complies with GOTS (Global Organic Textile
Standard) certification guidelines, and only uses low impact dyes. It has a 40% stretch across grain which
means it will move when you move, making it ultra-comfortable against any
scalp. For many chemo patients, this
is extremely important.
Lastly, not all “organic cotton” is the
same. The OTA (Organic Trade Association)
standards have four levels of organic labeling ranging from 100% organic, with
all components including sewing thread be organically certified, to less than
70%. Whenever possible, look for terms
such as: “low impact dyes”, no chemical finishes or fiber-reactive dye, &
GOTS. Finding organic cotton items is a
challenge, but well worth the effort!
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See other 3 Seam Organic Cotton Headwear at www.myscap.etsy.com in 3Seam section. The red organic snood on the right is in the Snood Section.
