Cotton is a popular type of textile, which includes various types. Organic cotton is not only of high quality, but also has a completely environmentally friendly production process. This material is recommended for use on newborn babies.
Features of production
Organic cotton production is organized in such a way as not to have a negative impact on the environment. When it comes to conventional varieties, a large number of chemicals are used, including insecticides to protect against insect pests.
One of the features of cotton cultivation is that its processing is more intensive than other crops. The chemicals used are divided into the following groups:
- Pesticides.
- Insecticides that protect against insect pests.
- Weed control is carried out in various ways, including the use of dangerous herbicides.
There are statistics showing that a quarter of all insecticides are used in the cotton growing process.
Chemicals help to increase the harvest. Over the past 30 years, the area of cultivation of such crops has remained the same. At the same time, the harvest has increased 30 times.
For your information! In cotton cultivation, genetically modified seeds are used (55% of the total amount), which are highly resistant to herbicides.
Chemicals are used not only in the growing process but also in the production of cotton fabric. Examples of such use are bleaches and dyes.
Now we will talk about eco cotton, what it is and what are the features of its cultivation and use:
- There is no use of chemical fertilizers. Instead, organic matter (such as manure or compost) is used.
- To combat insects, natural products are used.
- Ecologically clean areas are chosen for cultivation.
- Crop rotation is used to increase soil fertility. To do this, several types of plants are grown in turn on the same plot of land.
- Herbicides are not used to control weeds, but manual weeding is used.
- The cotton bolls are picked by hand, and those that are not yet ready are left to ripen.
- No genetically modified seeds are used during sowing.
If all these rules were applied during production, only then can the material be called organic. In this case, the label "organic" is put. If some rules are violated, "fair trade" is indicated.
The label "organic cotton" is put if the content of such cotton is more than 95%. If it is more than 70%, then the label "made with organic" is put.
The production of this material is concentrated mainly in China, India and Turkey. It is also made in Paraguay, Peru, Mali and Senegal.
Description and properties
Now we need to understand that this is organic cotton. Its use is suitable for those who suffer from allergies and small children. Regular cotton, although it has important advantages, can nevertheless cause painful reactions of the body.
When organic cotton fabric is used to make clothes, no bleach or dyes containing chlorine are used. The dyes used are natural. Usually only light colors are used, and sometimes the natural color is left - brown or green. Drawings are made only on the outside of the clothes.
Recycled cotton has a higher strength than regular varieties. It is not only hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly, but also more wear-resistant.
Organic cotton fabric has a longer service life compared to other types of cotton. It can withstand more than 100 washes without any damage. For comparison, it should be noted that regular cotton begins to lose its appearance after 5-6 washes.
Pure cotton has 10% higher breathability than regular fabric.
This fabric is much more pleasant to the touch - it is softer and more delicate.
Important! However, despite its differences, organic cotton is difficult to distinguish from regular cotton in appearance. In order to be sure of its quality, it is necessary to provide the appropriate certificate.
Advantages of bio-fabrics
Fabrics that are grown without the use of toxic chemicals have important advantages:
- They are more durable and less susceptible to wear.
- For small children and those who suffer from allergies, these fabrics will not cause harm.
- They are soft, gentle and pleasant to the touch.
Such materials do not harm the environment.
Newborn clothes made of organic cotton
For small children, organic cotton is used to produce:
- Panties, T-shirts.
- Diapers, undershirts and rompers for newborns.
- For older children they make dresses, pants, shirts, and T-shirts.
These products are more expensive than those made from regular varieties, but they are more comfortable and provide better safety for babies.
The demand for environmentally friendly materials, despite their relative high cost, is constantly growing.
Caring for organic textiles
High quality organic cotton requires adherence to the rules of material care. If used carefully, this will allow you to use things made from this material for a longer period of time.
Sometimes machine washing is allowed. This is allowed only if there is information about it on the label. In this case, all conditions indicated on it must be observed.
Typically, the rules for washing organic cotton products include:
- Temperature limits for washing are 30 or 40 degrees.
- Delicate wash cycle can be used.
- A more gentle approach is to use liquid detergents.
- In some cases, only hand washing is permitted.
- It is necessary to ensure that the washing machine uses the minimum number of revolutions during spinning.
When washing, you need to consider that cotton will shrink after washing. This does not happen with those woven materials that undergo special treatment.
Important! Organic cotton shrinkage can reach 5%. To take this into account in advance, you need to select a clothing size with a reserve of the appropriate size.
Is cotton harmful?
The world produces 20 million tons of cotton annually. This amount is enough to cover 40% of humanity's needs for natural textiles.
Cotton is known for its advantages. It has high mechanical strength of fabrics, good wear resistance, heat-protective properties, and provides air exchange. This material is of high quality for humans. However, for nature, the production of such fabrics is a certain burden.
Cotton growing requires a lot of water. It takes between 7,000 and 29,000 liters to grow just one kilogram of cotton. There is a point of view that water consumption in the production of this material was one of the main reasons for the drying up of the Aral Sea.
In order to protect crops and provide them with nutrients, massive use of insecticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers is necessary. 10% of the world's pesticide use is related to the cultivation of this plant. In the fight against insects, insecticides applied to this crop make up a quarter of those used worldwide.
At the same time, the volume of chemicals used is growing. This is due to the fact that insects over time become resistant to the substances used against them.
A significant portion of the substances used are highly toxic.
The use of genetically modified seeds results in the spread of protein Cry toxins and Bt toxins, which have harmful effects on some organisms.
During bleaching and dyeing, substances containing sulfur and heavy metals are used. Some of them enter the environment, polluting it.
Therefore, when talking about whether cotton is harmful, it can be noted that it is a useful and practical material for humans. However, growing and producing fabrics from it has a negative impact on nature.
Organic cotton is not only a healthier material, but also a practical one that deserves the attention of consumers.
