Ever wondered why organic cotton has become so popular in recent years?
Cotton has been the most important textile crop to the human race for centuries, and that is not changing. Those fluffy white cotton balls may look clean, but growing them conventionally can be dirty business.
Insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, defoliants, fertilizer, and lots of water are used to grow conventional cotton. Conventional cotton uses more insecticides—the most hazardous chemicals to human health—than any other single crop. After cotton is picked from the field and arrives at the mill, toxic dyes and chemical bleaches are applied during processing. The chemicals used for growing and processing cotton poison the soil, air, and ground water, and they have been associated with higher incidences of cancer and birth defects in both humans and wildlife. Have an aversion to genetically modified crops? The majority of cotton grown today is genetically modified to kill insects and/or tolerate herbicides used to kill common weeds.
What is a conscientious consumer to do?
Fortunately, you do have a choice when purchasing cotton. Clothing, bedding, mattresses, towels, cloth diapers, and more are now made with organic cotton—which some say is softer than conventional cotton! Many of GroVia’s products (all-in-ones, soaker pads and boosters) are made with Certified Organic Cotton.
Organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or genetically modified seed. To supply nutrients and mitigate pests, organic farmers use crop rotation, cover cropping, trap cropping, and hand -weeding instead of chemicals. The seasonal freeze—not synthetic defoliants—removes the plant leaves so the cotton bolls can be harvested. Over time, these methods can improve soil fertility, as well as keep groundwater and rivers free of synthetic chemicals.
Organic cotton is also more socially conscious. Organic farmers don’t suffer the consequences of pesticide exposure, they incur less debt, and the market value earns them higher prices for their crops.
Organic cloth diapers mean chemical-free diapering, and chemical-free diapering means wrapping your baby in safe and soft cloth diapers that won’t harm or irritate their sensitive skin. It means doing your part to reduce the amount of toxins our environment, farmers, yourself, and most importantly, your baby, come in contact with.
Organic cotton is the most commonly used organic fabric choice for cloth diapering. Many believe organic cotton is softer, thicker, absorbent, and longer-lasting than conventional cotton (but you can be the judge of all that).
Like organic foods, organic cloth diapers also tend to be a little more expensive than conventional cotton and other types of cloth diapers, but you will still save more than you would if you were using disposable diapers. Organic prefold cloth diapers are a pretty affordable and convenient option if you are concerned about money. But, what’s really more important—money or your baby’s health and the wellbeing of the environment?
So when you can… choose a finer fabric like organic cotton for everything from organic cotton newborn diapers to an organic diaper bag!
