Organic T-Shirts Make Fashion News

Thursday 19th of May 2011 07:39:34 PM

Organic T-Shirts Make Fashion News

One of the newest trends in apparel is organic cotton. Major designers previewed clothing that utilized organic cotton, organic wool, and hemp for their spring 2011 collections. In addition, the sales of organic cotton t-shirts continue to rise each quarter.

Organic cotton is a truly fashionable fiber. It is very durable and healthier for the environment, the farmer, and the wearer. What makes organic cotton t-shirts and polo shirts different from conventional cotton shirts? Raw organic cotton fibers are harvested using natural processes. Organic farmers do not employ the pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and defoliants used in conventional cotton harvesting. Organic farmers rotate crops to keep the soil healthy and maintain its fertility.

Without the use of substances such as chemical bleaches and finishers, organic cotton farming protects the farm workers and the farmland. However, just because a t-shirt is made from organically harvested cotton does not mean it is ‘100 percent green’. Current federal standards require farmers to meet certain requirements, but once the cotton leaves the farm for processing it may be exposed to non-eco friendly practices. For example, most consumers would be dismayed to find they had purchased organic cotton white t-shirts that had been treated with a ‘wrinkle-free’ chemical during the final processing stage or one that originated in a factory known for violating child labor laws.

The growing popularity of organic cotton has increased the number of green businesses who supply real organic cotton t-shirts – what Jon Sampely, a cotton industry insider, calls ‘from the farm to the store. “Cotton t-shirts are the most popular organic clothing item to date. They are durable and cost efficient. They are comfortable. They make a statement about who you are,” states Sampely.

With the growing popularity of organic cotton fibers and the success of organic cotton t-shirts consumers can expect to see a variety of choices in stores and for order - all using non-toxic dyes and finishing processes, of course!