WHY ORGANIC COTTON?
Some people ask me why I use organic fabrics. Yes, they are a little more expensive, but the benefits far outweigh the extra costs. These are just a few facts about the use of pesticides and how one company is working to improve the lives of those at risk.
WHO IS AT RISK FROM EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES?
Farmers and their families and other persons who use chemical pesticides regularly are at greatest risk. The danger is spread out to larger areas, as the pesticides:
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Are carried on the wind
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Leave residues on produce
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Remain inside produce and animals
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Run off into open water, contaminating public water supply as well as fish and other seafood
Anyone who uses pesticides or is present when pesticides are sprayed is at risk for dangerous exposure. The pesticides can enter the body through skin, eyes, mouth and nose. Even just using pesticides in amounts within regulation, studies have revealed neurotoxins can do serious damage during development. Researchers report the dangers of pesticides can start as early as fetal stages of life. The Pesticides entry at Wikipedia.org lists some of the results that have been recorded in recent years including:
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Fetuses, (pre-birth babies), may suffer from exposure and exhibit behavioral problems, growth issues
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Lower cognitive scores, fewer nerve cells and lower birth weight.
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A lower resistance to the toxic effects of pesticides
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A greater risk (70% increase), for Parkinson’s disease, even with low levels of pesticides
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Pesticides are a major threat to bees. The systemic poisoning of flowers has killed scores of bees. We’re simply losing too many of them.
ORGANIC COTTON TEXTILE COMPANY
“There is no beauty in the finest cloth if it makes hunger and unhappiness.” Mahatma Gandhi
We use GOTS certified mills in India and Turkey. Our bamboo comes from China. Our main partner is Genesh in Kerala.
It was only around ten years ago that we became aware of the damage we do to people in third world countries who grow cotton and have to rely on pesticides. Thousands die each year. They live miserable lives, tied to poverty, bound to a system that supports agro chemical suppliers. Most of these farmers have 4 or 5 acres. By allowing them to farm organically, they and their families can live a more prosperous and healthy life that allows crop rotation and non-reliance on pesticide and fertiliser sellers.
Organic means that the cotton is grown without the use of harmful pesticides, using pheromone traps, crop rotation, hand picking of bugs and natural repellents.
This allows farmers to grow food and keep animals instead of being reliant on costly chemicals and fertilizers. They receive more for their crop and the input costs are lower and the fabrics will be pesticide free.
We have a small charity called 'Loom.' We return some of our profits to help the weavers we work with in Kerela.
We distribute ten percent of profits to staff and we support local initiatives and interest free loans to local businesses.
We try and make sure all our cotton is fairly traded by paying over the odds to our weavers and supporting them with a small charity called Loom. We are in business to help promote fair trading, provide work, fulfill our creative needs. We are not in business to exploit others and get rich.