Three R Thursday - Organic Children's Clothing

They’ve been sitting there for over a week.

Lonely. Confused. Free from toxins.

In a virtual shopping cart. Somewhere on the Internet, sits a basket full of organic baby clothes.

Why, you ask?

Because I am a month away from bringing another beautiful baby into the world, and my neurotic mind is trying to justify spending $20 on an organic onesie.

A $20 organic onesie that will inevitably end up with a breast-milk-induced-poop-explosion all over it. A $20 organic onesie stained and in need of some chemical-laden stain remover, totally defeating the purpose of buying organic in the first place. In the end, leaving the $20 organic onesie unwearable.

Have I mentioned the average organic onesie is about $20?

Decisions, Decisions…

Choosing to buy organic food for our family was an easy decision. Many of the things we consume on a daily basis are organic. We are willing to pay a little more knowing what our family is eating is better for us and the environment.

After researching the production of conventional cotton, my decision became a little easier. Just because my kid’s not going to be eating his organic onesie - doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be safe for him!

I decided to empty my shopping cart today. I want to spend a little more time looking for organic products that hopefully hit the “Green Trifecta” – organic, fair-trade and local (or at least made in the U.S.).

Hopefully, the day will come when words like “natural” and “organic” will be obsolete. A day when concerned mothers can safely assume manufactures are participating in safe practices bringing safe products to our families and into our homes.

I’d love any suggestions or comments you may have. I’ll update you with my findings and hopefully my purchases next week.

Below is my little “pros & cons list” I came up with as I was researching. I’m sure there are a lot more “pros” , but the EPA’s findings pretty much sealed the deal for me.

Pros

1. Organic cotton is produced using materials and methods that are better for our environment.

• Cotton occupies 3% of the world’s farmland, but uses 25% of the world’s chemical pesticides and 10% of the insecticides.
• The EPA considers seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton in 2000 as “possible”, “likely”, or “known” human carcinogens.
• According to the Sustainable Cotton Project, it takes about one-third of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers to grow enough cotton for just one T-shirt.

2. The production of organic cotton protects the health of people and the planet.

• The toxic chemicals and synthetic pesticides used in the production of conventional cotton ends up in the ground, air, water, and food supply.
• Can lower instances of allergies and asthma

3. Better value over time.

• Organic cotton becomes softer with each washing. It's also stronger and more durable than a lot of other fabrics.

Cons

1. Organic cotton is more expensive.

• I know the market drives prices. It is going to take an increase in demand from families like ours to make these prices drop.

2. Getting what you paid for.

• If you are going to invest in organic clothing, make sure you are getting a certified organic product. Read the labels or ask the merchandiser if the cotton has been certified.