You eat organic food because you want to keep your body free from harsh chemicals. These chemicals include pesticides, insecticides and chemical fertilizers. These chemicals have been shown to cause cancer, immune dysfunction, neurological disorders, allergies and much more.

Guess what…

…those same chemicals are found on your clothing. And regular every day cotton is one of the biggest contaminants.

In fact, more than 25% of all pesticides used in the world are involved with the growth of cotton. Annually, it equals about 50 million pounds of chemicals each year.

This results in chemicals on your skin, in your water, in the foods you eat and in the air you breathe.

Organic cotton is better for you because it isn’t grown using pesticides, insecticides or chemical fertilizers. Additionally, the treatment of clothing and the clothing manufacturing process is much cleaner with organic policies and procedures. No harsh dyes or chemicals are used to turn harvested cotton into a sweater, jeans, socks or a beautiful evening gown. There are many health benefits to buying organic clothing.

Ten Health Benefits to Buying Organic Clothing

1.      No harmful chemicals are sprayed on organic cotton crops. This means there are fewer chemical pollutants in the air we breathe.

2.      Organic farming methods mean less chemical runoff. This results in fewer pollutants in our soil and drinking water.

3.      When you buy organic clothing for your children they don’t absorb chemical residue into their skin. Children’s skin is more porous and sensitive than an adult’s.

4.      Fewer allergic reactions. Many people suffer from rashes and other skin conditions. Much of the problem is the clothing they wear. Harsh chemicals including formaldehyde and ammonia are used to treat cotton and cotton fabrics. Organic clothing doesn’t contain the harmful chemicals or dyes that can irritate skin.

5.      No exposure to probably carcinogens. Many items of cotton clothing are treated with formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is used to help make owning your clothing easier. It helps prevent significant wrinkling and helps extend the life of the clothing. (It’s the same reason they use it for embalming. The tissue lasts longer.) However, formaldehyde is classified as a probable human carcinogen. Wearing non organic clothing then exposes you to a probable cause of cancer.

6.       Many pesticides and herbicides have been shown to cause:

• Cancer
• Immune System Suppression
• Nervous System Disorders
• Reproductive Damage
• Hormone Disruption

You don’t experience these same risks when you buy and wear organic clothing.

7.      Ammonia, petroleum products and even heavy metals are used during the clothing creation process. Heavy metals have been shown to cause cancer, nerve damage and death. When non-organic clothing is treated with these chemicals they end up in your ground water, air and soil. They also end up on your skin. Organic clothing reduces your exposure to these chemicals.

8.      The majority of synthetic fabrics, including polyester and nylon, are made from products derived from petroleum. Like all petroleum-based products, clothing made from these fibers releases toxic fumes through a process known as off-gassing. You breathe them in on a daily basis. When you buy organic clothing fewer chemicals are released into the atmosphere. Fewer chemicals and toxic fumes end up in your lungs.

According to the Environmental Health Association of Nova Scotia, these fumes contribute to allergies, chemical sensitivities, cancers and other illnesses, particularly in young children.

9.      Your children are not exposed to toxins. A report by the United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry indicates that children exposed to methyl parathion, an insecticide, suffer memory loss and emotional swings.

10. Organic clothing is a huge step toward preventing death from pesticide poisoning. According to the Pesticide Action Network of America, PANNA, the World Health Organization estimates that pesticides poison at least three million people every year. 200,000 of those people die as a result of pesticide poisoning.

Fishers Finery Capri Leggings; Ecofabric Bamboo Viscose and Organic Cotton, Black M

Conclusion:

Buying organic clothing is much better for your health and the health of your loved ones. In addition to receiving immediate benefit by reducing your exposure to toxins, you also reduce the exposure for future generations.

We still don’t know the full extent of the health risks, off gassing, toxins in your water and on your skin may present. However, scientists do know that the dangers to your health are very real.