Should We Buy Organic Cotton Clothing? by Jane Thurnell-Read

Being concerned about pesticides on cotton may seem trivial compared with food, but it has been estimated that 25% of the worlds total pesticide consumption is applied to fields of cotton. We just do not know the effect of wearing cotton with pesticides in it next to the skin, particularly for babies. By buying organic cotton clothing and bedding and towels, you will be helping people involved in cotton production as well as yourself. You will also be helping to stop environmental pollution, so please search out wherever possible organic cotton.

Here are some facts that I hope will show you what the implications are of chosing regular cotton rather than organic cotton:

Hazardous pesticides associate with cotton production are known to contaminate rivers in USA, West Africa, Greece, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Brazil and Australia.

In some countries child labourers work in the fields during and immediately after spraying. Children are particularly vulnerable to pesticide poisoning because of their lower body weight. In India and Uzbekistan children may be involved in applying the pesticides. Let’s take care of our own children and those that we don’t know by reducing our dependence on cotton grown with pesticides.

Safety procedures and protective clothing may not be in place in a lot of the places where cotton is produced.

Even people who do not work in the industry may be contaminated because of the close proximity of their homes to cotton plantations.

Waste products from cotton production are feed to animals. This allows these pesticides another way to get into the food chain.

Copyright 2008 Jane Thurnell-Read. This article is based on information from The Deadly Chemicals In Cotton, a report by Environmental Justice Foundation in collaboration with PAN UK.