Regular Vs Organic Cotton

I'm sure you've been told organic cotton is better than regular cotton but you may not know the reasons why. Today, I'm going to list a few key reasons and hopefully not bore you too much!

When growing organic cotton, no pesticides, insecticides or herbicides are used. These chemicals harm the environment, wildlife and farmers. The exposure of these pesticides causes poisoning and in many cases, cancer. It can contaminate local water sources, harming those living in surrounding areas, animals and affect food crops. Even once this cotton has been picked, these chemicals can harm all of those on the production chain, from weaving to sewing. Organic cotton is a lot better for farmers, the rest of the production line and the environment. 

While I'm on the topic of chemicals, regular cotton uses heavy chemicals to treat the fibres after being picked whilst organic cotton does not. This again, negatively impacts the health of workers and the local environment but also us as consumers. The residue of these additives can be found on our clothing, causing rashes and other unpleasant reactions.Organic cotton is much friendlier to skin. 

Organic cotton is handpicked rather than machine picked like regular cotton. This, along with no use of pesticides means the fibres are actually stronger, so overall, the organic cotton clothing will outlast those made of conventional cotton. Handpicked cotton has a softer texture and is also a safer method for farmers. 

One of the most important differences between organic and regular cotton is the amount of water used. Regular cotton is found to use 11 times as much water as organic cotton to grow its crops. Rainfall is the most common water source used for organic cotton crops.

So there you have it, a very brief guide to the differences in organic and standard cotton. Organic cotton is softer, lasts longer and keeps the environment and farmers healthy. Between organic cotton and regular cotton, it's an easy choice right?!