International Organic Day – Cotton – soft & cosy but complicated!
We all know organic is good. But could this International Organic Day, 22 September 2018, be the day you go organic? Have you ever wondered why more and more parents are turning to organic clothes for their children?
Cotton is one of the most chemically treated crops in the world, accounting for 25% of the insecticides and 10% of the pesticides used worldwide. These toxins are harmful for farmers and workers, us as consumers, and entire wildlife eco-systems.
The rate at which little ones grow can mean buying them clothes feels like an endless task. Top of the list for new parents and parents-to-be, though, is often the fabrics used; the safest and softest materials possible to protect delicate newborn skin. For this reason, many brands use organic cotton, produced without the use of the pesticides or chemicals that can irritate skin or exacerbate allergies. The absence of chemical fertilisers in the organic farming process also helps minimise harm to the environment.
Many farmers give up organic production because of poor pay and low income. Quite simply, they do not get paid for the considerable investment that the move from conventional to organic production entails. To help more farmers make the transition to organic cotton production and enable us more easily to purchase organic cotton, KappAhl has decided to join the Organic Cotton Accelerator, OCA. OCA’s tackles challenges along the entire chain by ensuring that growers are supplied with seeds that are not genetically modified, that the cotton is produced without the use of chemicals and fertilisers, and that the farmers receive fair wages.
Our cotton is organic. That means it is more sustainably grown without genetically modified organisms (GMOs), chemical pesticides or artificial fertilisers.
The easiest way to identify if your children’s clothes follow the same principles as Newbie is to look out for official certification, such as The Soil Association, or Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS). GOTS means no chemical pesticides or fertilisers can be used in production and farmers must work under safe conditions with an agreed minimum wage.
Choosing organic kids clothes helps us to do our part to reduce the amount of pesticides used, but also to help protect our baby’s delicate skin.
