Organic Clothing
For environmentally minded Baie-Comeau consumers, buying organic clothing is the only "natural" choice. The clothing industry is a $7 trillion industry worldwide. It has been plagued with accusations of worker exploitation, child labor and environmental pollution. However, it is possible to be well dressed and environmentally conscious. Sales of organic clothing have been growing at a rate of at least 11 percent per year.
Cotton is the second highest pesticide-laden crop in the world. Thousands of deaths per year are attributed to the use of pesticides in cotton growing. Making a single t-shirt from regular cotton requires 1/3 of a pound of pesticides.
Sales of organic cotton clothing are expected to top $3 billion by the year 2010, but it is not yet widespread. Change may come slowly for cotton growers, however. Organic cotton costs about twice as much to produce because it is labor-intensive and it can produce a lower yield.
Organic wool clothing and yarn provide the most natural environment for the sheep and the sheep growers, not to mention the lack of pesticide residues and synthetic chemicals next to the skin. Commercially grown wool is laden with chemicals. Sheep are first treated with pesticides to kill parasites and the fleece is cleaned with petroleum-based detergents. The dyes used are high in toxic heavy metal content. Finally, the runoff from these processes pollutes streams, and workers exposed to these chemicals may suffer neurological damage.
Silk, a natural fiber harvested from the cocoon of the silkworm, is a smart choice for organic clothing. The mulberry tree is the silkworm’s primary food source. The major concerns with silk production are labor exploitation and the harm cause by using synthetic dyes. A better choice is dye-free raw silk, and silk that has been treated with natural, plant-based dyes.
Hemp is the newest leader in the war against pesticides. A naturally insect-resistant plant, it can yield three times the amount of fiber as cotton, with virtually no need for pesticide use. It is, however, still illegal in the U.S. It is currently grown in many countries throughout the world and is imported to the U.S.
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