Is organic clothing worth buying? Both organic and conventional clothes have their own pros and cons which you should be aware of.
If we want to live an eco-conscious life, we must make the right decisions when buying clothes. The sustainable fashion movement glorifies everything organic and natural as something better for the environment. Organic clothes are becoming very popular, especially when purchasing for a baby or a toddler. They are free of both pesticides and synthetic materials’ harmful substances. However, organic clothes are still not perfect. So, when going to your next shopping, you need to make an informed decision. Is organic clothing worth buying? Both organic and conventional clothes have their pros and cons, which we’ll present in the following article.
Regular cotton vs. organic cotton
First, let’s think about cotton, one of the most used materials for clothes worldwide. Growing organic cotton is definitely a more sustainable process. Still, regular cotton is more effective in terms of the use of land and water. So, it’s not all black and white. Nobody can guarantee that organic cotton is much more superior to conventional cotton. However, it’s vital to get the whole picture.
Conventional cotton farming uses GMO seeds to ensure they are bug-resistant. Moreover, regular cotton is usually machine-picked in order to manage the demand and supply, so it can’t maintain the purity of threads. On the other hand, organic cotton preserves every fiber’s purity since it is entirely hand-picked. As a result, long fibers make organic cotton softer, smoother, and comfier than the regular one. It has better quality in general, and it will be more durable if you take good care of your clothes. It’s hypoallergenic, so it won’t cause irritation for people with skin issues and skin sensitivity. Moreover, people with asthma are safe to wear it as well.
Caption: People with allergies and sensitive skin should consider buying organic cotton clothes.
Alt-tag: A man in a white cotton t-shirt.
Pros and cons of other organic materials
Keep in mind that there are other organic materials in addition to cotton, which are also popular in the organic clothing industry. They are:
- Hemp
- Bamboo
- Soy
- Wool
- And many more
There is no need for pesticides, fertilizers, or other chemicals when growing hemp. It’s also a great eco-friendly choice. Likewise, bamboo needs very little water to grow. It has very soft fibers, which makes it a perfect choice for clothing. If you find the clothes from organic soy fiber, bear in mind that they are not as durable as organic cotton or hemp. Organic wool clothes are great for wintertime as they keep you warm. It’s also known that wool can keep you cool on hot days. All in all, it’s your choice, and all of these are much better options than synthetic fibers.
Are organic materials superior to conventional ones?
Non-organic fabrics are produced using chemicals that harm not only our skin but also our environment. Meanwhile, organic manufacturers use only natural pesticides and insecticides to protect the plant from insects, fungi, and weeds.
Organic farmers use time-tested methods to grow numerous harvests, such as crop rotation, weeding, and composting. As a result, no poisons end up in the water, soil, or air. Furthermore, workers don’t have to breathe toxic fumes.
According to the World Health Organization, some of the compounds found in common, regular pesticides are even carcinogens. Unfortunately, that can affect anyone who produces and wears clothes, meaning all of us. It makes a large-scale problem. People who live close to conventional cotton farms may even drink contaminated water and experience various respiratory issues. Organic production doesn’t mess up water quality and biodiversity as much as traditional production. It contributes less to acidification and global warming.
Luckily, people are becoming more aware and conscious about the issues of non-organic and regular fabrics. Still, organic clothes are usually more expensive than regular ones.
Caption: Organic clothes are considered high-end because of their price.
Baby’s clothing and kid’s clothing
The clothing manufacturing industry uses artificial materials that are produced with excessive use of pesticides. By doing so, they induce rapid growth, and that results in allergic reactions, which is particularly problematic for infants.
Organic baby’s clothing is in trend since parents are aware of its benefits. Natural clothes provide a certain peace of mind for parents. Furthermore, they help reduce the chance of skin irritations, and they are suitable for children with eczema.
However, in reality, very few families can afford to buy clothes for their children in 100% organic fibers. Still, each natural piece they add to their young ones’ wardrobe makes a difference and sense. For example, you can make a concession and afford to buy organic cotton pajamas, sheets, and sleep sacks for your baby.
When it comes to everyday clothes for your newborn, opting for onesies is a reasonable choice. You need to find high-quality garments that will be good enough for your little one. By doing so, you’re decreasing the chances of any allergies and skin irritations for your baby or toddler. Also, you’ll be sure that your child wears something comfy and cozy.
If you decide to buy organic kid’s clothing, make sure to find reputable, ethical, sustainable brands. GOTS-certified organic clothes are safe to buy for your newborn baby, your toddler, and yourself.
Caption: Is organic clothing worth buying for our babies and kids? Certainly.
Be aware when buying organic textile
The Global Organic Textile Standard defines high-level environmental criteria for organic clothes (covering the processes of manufacturing, packaging, labeling, trading, distribution, etc.). So, always check if the piece of clothing you want to buy has already mentioned GOTS certification. That’s very important because the organic clothing industry is growing rapidly, and some companies are trying to make money by selling organic products but not really using organic or natural fibers at all. Instead, they use harmful dyes and toxic chemicals. You need to be sure that organic clothes you want to buy for your baby or yourself are also dyed organically.
All in all
After knowing all of this is and doing your own research, is organic clothing worth buying? That’s the question we should all answer for ourselves. Organic clothing is probably the best solution for our skin, our health, and our environment. Unfortunately, it isn’t a very feasible option for most people. However, there is always the option to find reasonably priced organic wardrobe essentials, even if they are already used. Buying second-hand clothing is very common these days. It saves money, and it protects our planet by reusing instead of having to buy new.
