Organic cotton is an industry that is just starting to make its way into the public eye. If you are unfamiliar with what it is basically it’s cotton that is grown without the use of chemicals.  Misleading advertisements about the “all natural” quality of cotton can make us wonder why organic cotton is a more skillful choice to make.  The truth of the matter is when cotton is grown it requires large doses of toxic chemicals.  Those chemicals in turn heavily pollute the soil, water, and air.  They also cause great health concerns to the farmers and their families.   

Globally, conventional cotton uses 25% of all insecticides and 10% of all pesticides.  In the U.S it takes nearly 1/3 of a pound of chemicals to grow enough cotton to make one t-shirt.  Less than 10% of the chemicals applied to cotton are accomplishing their tasks, while the other 90% are being absorbed into the air, water, and soil.

 Fifty-five million pounds of pesticides were sprayed on the 12.8 million acres of conventional cotton grown in the U.S in 2003 (4.3lbs/acre), ranking cotton third behind corn and soybeans in total amount of pesticides sprayed. 

Organic cotton utilizes sustainable farming techniques, such as, composting, manure, naturally derived mineral and plant fertilizers, crop rotation, and insect control using beneficial bugs and natural pesticides.  Unlike conventional cotton which is sprayed with chemicals 8-10 times per season eventually causing the soil to become sterile and devoid of both beneficial microbes and insects organic cotton farming replenishes and maintains soil fertility and helps to build a biologically diverse agriculture.

Conventional cotton textile manufacturing involves bleaches, formaldehyde, and other chemical finishes in which have been found to remain on cotton fabrics even after repeated washings.  Organic cotton products contain no such additives.  Conventional cotton also utilizes coal tar and petrochemicals in their dying process, which greatly contaminates the quality of effluent water.  Organic cotton utilizes either plant based or low impact eco dyes.  

Acreage estimates for the 2005 U.S cotton crop show approximately 6,577 acres of certified organic cotton were planted.  Up from 5,550 acres in 2004.  Demand for organic cotton from clothing manufacturers is increasing every year.  Currently Texas is the largest grower of U.S organic cotton.