Why Organic Cotton?

Cotton has been cultivated for about 4,000 years. Only in the past 50 years have cotton crops been cultivated with pesticides. (IFOAM)

It is estimated that it takes approximately 1/4 to 1/3 pound of chemicals to grow enough cotton to make just one T-shirt.

Cotton is the most pesticide dependent crop in the United States. (USDA) In one year alone, 811 million pounds of pesticides were used on U.S. agricultural fields — 50 million pounds on cotton alone. (USDA)

The EPA has found 98 different pesticides in the groundwater in 40 states, contaminating the drinking water of over 10 million residents. (Greenpeace)

35% of quail living near cotton fields sprayed with methyl parathion had enough insecticide in their bodies to cause sickness or death. (NC Coop Ext. Svc.)

Cottonseed, the by-product of ginning cotton fiber, accounts for 60% of the yield from each harvest. The cottonseed is where the most concentrated amounts of pesticide residues remain. Some of this cottonseed is made into oil–the oil you read on the ingredient labels of many cookies, cakes, and snacks. This chemical cottonseed also ‘enriches’ the butterfat in dairy, and marbles the beef that you eat.

In the U.S. today, it takes approximately 8-10 years, and $100 million, to develop a new pesticide for use on cotton. It takes approximately 5-6 years for weevils and other pests to develop an immunity to a new pesticide.

Why Bamboo?

Unlike other anti-microbial fabrics, which require a chemical treatment, bamboo fiber clothing is naturally anti-microbial and requires no harmful chemicals. It contains an agent, “bamboo kun”, that prevents bacteria from cultivating on it.

Bamboo is of the world’s most prolific and fastest growing plants, and is able to reach maturity in about four years, compared to the typical 25 to 70 years for commercial tree species in the U.S. Though most people are generally familiar with this beautiful and graceful plant, the average person is usually astounded when learning that there are more than 1000 documented uses of bamboo.

Bamboo is nature’s most sustainable resource, is grown without pesticides or chemicals, is 100% biodegradable, and naturally regenerative.

In Asia, bamboo has been used in the traditional hand-made production of paper for centuries. Now, through modern manufacturing processes, bamboo pulp is capable of producing bamboo fiber for use in yarn and fabric. Certain species of bamboo have the tensile strength equivalent to that of steel.

Bamboo is planted and grown on family-owned farms that have been in agricultural use for generations. None of the fiber comes from tropical forests. Over 2.5 billion people work with or depend on bamboo as a natural resource.