Buying organic clothing is one area that isn’t discussed too much, unless you’re highly environmentally conscious. Nevertheless, organic clothing is just as good for the environment as the three Rs. According to farmers, one-third pounds of chemicals are used to grow enough cotton for just one t-shirt. By switching to organic cotton, you reduce the amount of pesticides, insectides, and herbicides used in farming, which can reduce pollution. Herbicides are used for pest control, insecticides kill insects that would damage crops, chemical fertilizers are used to nourish the plants, which can leak into the environment and harm the worker. This does not include the toxic dyes and formaldehyde.

Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and unrelenting pesticides and fertilizers. All cotton sold as organic in the United States must meet strict federal regulations covering how cotton is grown. Here are 5 reasons to use organic clothing.

1. Reduce allergies to chemicals — Skin can absorb toxic substances from the clothes and  linen sheets for bedding. With organic cotton, the risk of allergies is minimized.

2. Decrease the global water shortage — Cotton not only uses one third the irrigation water worldwide, chemical residues from regular cotton farming pollute rivers.

3. Stop poisoning the food we eat — 90% of the chemicals used in cotton farming goes to the air, water, and soil. These go into the vegetables we eat and to the crops that feed animals  farmed for their meat or milk or eggs.

4. Stop poisoning the cotton workers — Cotton pickers are exposed to harmful pesticides used in regular cotton farming. In third world countries, it is not uncommon for pregnant women and even children to work as cotton pickers. Symptoms can range from headaches to cancer.

5. Guard the eco-system – Plants and animals are affected, when the rivers, airs, and soil are poisoned and vice versa. Plus, pests can develop immunity to the insecticides, causing stronger chemicals to be used. By using natural resources to manage the pests, this problem can be prevented from escalating.