Are Your Clothing Purchases Chemical-Free?
Dec 14th, 2009 by April
When buying clothes, we often consider the materials, quality, price, color, size, and general style. Most people I know don’t ask themselves, “Is this outfit eco-friendly and chemical-free?” Yet a recent article in The Seattle Times asserts that perhaps we should be asking.
“The cotton in your shirt was likely grown with a strong dose of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Many synthetic fabrics such as nylon, acrylic and polyester are petroleum-based. […]
Children commonly suffer from pesticide poisoning because of the closeness of their homes to cotton fields and the reuse of empty pesticide containers.
The environment pays a price as well. Hazardous cotton pesticides have contaminated rivers in India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Brazil, Australia, Greece, Western Africa and the U.S., says the EJF. Petroleum used in synthetic fabrics contributes to global warming.”
Did you have any idea that the clothes that you choose to buy could make such a huge difference in the lives of people around the world? Just another reason to choose organic clothing for the holidays, and all year round.