1.     Environmental and Social Impact of Organic Cotton Vs Conventional Cotton

20,000 people die each year because cotton is the most heavily pesticided crop in the world. Not just the farmers applying the chemicals, usually too poor or ill educated to wear any protection, but their pregnant wives and children too. Maize and other food crops are often planted around borders of these small cotton fields - it’s impossible to spray one without the other.

Pesticides are indiscriminate – they kill good and bad predators and pests, they work their way up the food chain by a process called bio-accumulation, so fish, birds and animals die a gruesome death. They take away bio-diversity and pollute water courses. Environmentally there is nothing good that can be said of them

2.     Health Implications for the wearer

During the processing of conventional cotton many carcinogenic and toxic chemicals are used – many of these stay as residues on conventional cotton clothing. Be particularly aware of “easy care” finishes as these leave formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, on the garment itself.

When you wear organic cotton you can be assured that none of the following, commonly used in the conventional textile industry, have been used.

-       Formaldehyde, Aromatic Solvents, Heavy Metals, Toxic Chemicals, Chlorine Bleach

-       Azo dyes that release cancer causing substances

3.     Organic Cotton Certification

HappyOrganic clothing is certified organic cotton by Control Union(formerly SKAL) the biggest and best globally known certification agency on the planet. Our items are certified to GOTS standards (the Global Oragnic Textile Standard).

The Organic Exchange standard(OE) is only for the Organic Cotton fiber. The aim of this standard is to guarantee traceability and documentation during all the manufacturing stages.