Cotton is the most heavily pesticide-intensive crop grown in the United States. Growers typically use about 1/3 of a pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to produce enough cotton for just one t-shirt. Due to financial incentives, they use many of the most hazardous pesticides on the market including Methamidophos, Phorate and the extremely toxic herbicide – Paraquat. Cotton pesticides are often intensive broad spectrum organophosphates – originally engineered during World War II as toxic nerve agents. The havoc these chemicals wreak on our environment is daunting. Killing or harming nearly every insect in their path- including the beneficial ones. Its residue contaminates nearby water ways, the air and soil, then leeching into and polluting the ground water for years and eventually making its way to our faucets. Are there remnants of these toxins in our linens and clothing? If not, it’s likely due to conventional cotton’s extensive bleaching process which is also tremendously harmful.  

ORGANIC COTTON IS THE SOLUTION…

Organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, greatly reducing damage to the environment and human health. Whey you buy organic cotton products, you are not only providing healthier items to your family, you are also supporting a sustainable method of farming. Sustainable cotton production does not pollute the air, or the ground and surface water. It does not poison farm workers and their families or the surrounding communities, and it improves soil quality for future generations.   

To learn more about cotton and its effects on health and environment: click here