Organic Cotton

Christine Carson | Date posted: June 1st, 2011

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I have been hearing more and more about organic cotton but I’ve always wondered how it’s different from its non-organic counterpart?

It seems that the differences start right from the seeds the cotton is grown from. Organic cotton plant seeds are not genetically modified or chemically treated. They’re grown in soil that is rich in organic matter, and organic farming methods such as crop rotation and beneficial insects are used.

(Compare this to conventional cotton plants, which, once planted, require massive amounts of water and large amount of fungicides, insecticides, pesticides and other chemicals to treat the soil and keep the plants pest- and disease-free.)

Organic cotton is then harvested, processed and finished using non-toxic methods. Unfortunately, the same is not true for conventional cotton for which a variety of potent chemicals are used and toxic by-products are created.

The differences in growing and processing organic cotton make it a healthier choice when it comes to the environment. But, as you might expect, it is costlier to produce, so you will have to pay more for it.

But you may be willing to shell out more pennies for it given the fabric’s benefits. Organic cotton is very strong and very soft. On the downside? It is prone to greater shrinkage, has not been chemically treated to resist wrinkling, and the colours may not be as dramatic as with conventional cottons.

If you decide to opt for organic cotton, check if a regulatory third party has certified the fabric as organic so you can be confident that from start to finish, only earth-friendly, nontoxic processes were used to make that lovely bolt of fabric.

Christine Carson

Sewing has always been a part of Christine's life, One of her earliest & fondest memories is that of her mother sewing in the family room. Christine started making doll clothes by hand at a...