Your responses to my previous post inspired me to delve a little bit further into the 'organic clothing' issue - to figure out what the arguments were for them. As I had previously mentioned, I was really uneducated as to why I would want to spend more money to buy organic clothing. So I googled it. And I found a bunch of links (I'll reference some at the end of this post). I couldn't really find anything when I searched for things like "is organic clothing a waste of money" or "is the need for organic clothing a hoax" but the hits for organic clothing might be stronger and I have to admit I didn't look THAT long and hard.
Here, in a nutshell, is what I gathered from what I read are the main reasons for buying organic clothing:
1) It takes a lot of chemicals to make a shirt with non organic cotton. A lot of chemicals = bad
2) Chemicals in your clothing can harm you (I have a bit of a hard time believing those chemicals don't wash out so this definitely isn't the strongest argument for me)
3) Buying organic, in any capacity, is good for the environment because it means less chemicals and pesticides being used. By buying organic you are helping lift the people who are trying to do our world better. They are having a hard time affording to do what they're doing and need support to be able to keep doing it.
So my personal interpretation is that more than a healthy living issue, buying organic clothing is a eco-friendly thing to do. It's a lot more expensive, but that seems to often be the case with being socially responsible. Has it made me want to go out and buy organic clothing? I might consider paying the cost for an item or two if it were something I really liked.
Here are some of the links I found - some are of course written by people selling organic clothing ;) I love to hear more on your views on this :)
http://www.rawganique.com/whyoc.htm
http://www.ethicbaby.ca/natural.html
http://www.pr.com/press-release/17068
http://environment.about.com/od/fashionandentertainment/a/organic_cotton.htm
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3 comments:
Thanks for the information on this topic. I asked Tiffany at NatureMoms.com/Blog to address this issue, also.
I'm hoping to see a blog post up on her site soon. Had you asked me a year ago if I would be eating organic, buying organic, and living a more green lifestyle I would have said no.
Until I became educated (still have a long ways to go) I had no idea how many bad things we are putting on our tables, bodies, and into our kids. Not to mention what is does to the eviroment.
I'm hoping one day organic will be the norm and there won't be a need to spend AS much as we have to now. Sometimes I wonder if organic costs as much as it does because the companies know we're willing to pay it...or if it really costs a lot more to make/grow?
Either way, I'm willing to pay more for the important things in life...just wish I didn't have to ;)
I completely agree with eating organic, but clothing? It is not worth the extra cost to me. Those chemicals are not sitting in our clothing. They are bad for the environment, but it really isn't stopping the clothing from being made if you don't buy it.
What helps is buying used clothing, if we all buy less new, then there will be less waste.
But I make all my purchases based on saving money.
i totally agree, the chemicals and pesticides that are used and are above FDA approval is unacceptable, especially since it can harm us, and our enviroment, and if we do not take care of our world, then who knows what will happen, its our job to take the responsibility to take care of it. poeple would be shocked to know about everything the put into your clothing when it is made, and also your food to preserve it,flavor it etc... its unreal. i would love to be all organic but being a teen its alittle hard because of the whole money issue, but if the demands go up for more organic clothing and even food prices will come down! this is a very important issue i hope everyone will take seriously.
=]
oh and in response to the 1st comment, through research i have found out that it costs more because in order for the products (food included) to be organic alot of manual labor is required so it costs more, im sure there are other reasons but thats one =].
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