| Conventionally Grown Cotton
Conventionally grown cotton is a very chemically intensive crop and consumes approximately 25% of the insecticides and 10% of the pesticides used for agriculture. Producing enough cotton for one T-shirt requires about a 1/3 to 1/4 of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers. According to the US Department of Agriculture, fifty-five million pounds of pesticides were sprayed on conventional cotton grown in the U.S. in 2003 and over 2.03 billion pounds of synthetic fertilizers were applied to conventional cotton in 2000. Synthetic chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticide use increases the likelihood of human exposure even if there is no direct contact with these substances. These chemicals leach into the groundwater and contaminate our drinking water and end up in our food supply. Their production requires use of non-renewable petroleum based ingredients and the manufacturing process, storage and transportation produces more potential pollution.
The US Environmental Protection Agency considers seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton in 2000 in the United States as "possible," "likely," "probable," or "known" human carcinogens. The US General Accounting Office has said "Exposure to pesticides can cause a range of ill effects in humans, from relatively mild effects such as headaches, fatigue, and nausea, to more serious effects such as cancer and neurological disorders. In 1999, EPA estimated that nationwide there were at least 10,000 to 20,000 physician-diagnosed pesticide illnesses and injuries per year in farm work. Environmental effects are evident in the findings of the U.S. Geological Survey, which reported in 1999 that more than 90 percent of water and fish samples from streams and about 50 percent of all sampled wells contained one or more pesticides. The concern about pesticides in water is especially acute in agricultural areas, where most pesticides are used."
The Definition of Organic and "Certified Organic"
The National Organic Standards Board of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines organic agriculture as "An ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony." Certified Organic means a verification process was performed by an independent state or private organization to ensure that the strict organic standards were followed in the crop or product's production. Organic standards regulate the farm production of the raw material, but the finished materials can be treated with synthetic chemicals and toxic dyes and still be labeled Organic. When choosing Organic products, it is important to know if the product was made from "Certified Organic" base materials and any potentially harmful finishing processes used to produce the final end product.
The Benefits of Organic
Cotton textiles make up half of the planet's fabric sales, therefore making a shift toward organic production will have a major beneficial impact on all of us by reducing toxic chemical human exposure and pollution to our air, water, food and land. Organic crop production is based on a system of farming that doesn't use toxic synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides to replenish and maintain soil fertility. Supporting Organic agriculture means toxic synthetic pesticide exposure can be reduced in our families and in our environment. It also helps to create a market transformation in which higher demand reduces costs and provides finished goods through more mainstream sources.
Organic Cotton Farming
- No synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, irradiation, sewage sludge or genetic engineering were used for the previous three years.
- Farmers use beneficial insects that are natural predators to pests, improve the soil through the use of organic compost and crop rotation and pull weeds mechanically or physically.
- Reduced soil erosion, retention of soil nutrients and no contamination from toxic pesticide use that can remain persistent in our environment.
The Cost of Organic
There are several factors that impact the cost of Organic products. At the present time, Organic textile products cost more than a comparable conventionally grown textile product. As demand for Organic products increase, the growing, manufacturing and distribution costs will decrease to a point closer to conventionally grown products. Here are a few reasons why Organic textiles are more expensive.
Economies of Scale - conventional product sales substantially exceed Organic product sales. The costs associated with the growing, manufacturing and distribution are higher due to the smaller quantities.
Organic Farming is more Labor Intensive - because Organic farming uses mechanical and human intervention rather than pesticides for crop maintenance, growing costs can be higher.
There are two costs associated when purchasing textile products:
The Purchase Cost - this is the cost you pay for your product at the retail outlet.
The Environmental Cost - this is the cost you don't see when purchasing the product. There is a real financial cost and a personal cost associated with the use and exposure to toxic chemicals. The financial impacts may be through increased health care costs or through toxic waste cleanup and treatment of our air, water and land. Personal costs are more devastating such as those from disease, birth defects and changes to our wildlife. |
