Julie-Anne Graham <p><strong>Why do you use organic cotton?</strong></p> <p>Conventional cotton farming is extremely harmful to the environment.</p> <ul> <li>Each T-shirt is sprayed with approximately one cupful of toxic pesticides</li> <li>Non-organic T-shirts are dyed with heavy metals and carcinogens. These remain in the fibre after processing.</li> <li>Cotton fibres may be hand-picked by children as young as seven</li> <li>20,000 people each year are poisoned from cotton farming</li> <li>There are 200,000 suicides every year related to unmanageable pesticide debts,</li> <li>The average life expectancy of an Indian cotton farmer is only thirty five due to absorbing chemicals through the skin and inhalation.</li> </ul> <p><strong>What are the benefits of using organic cotton?</strong></p> <p>Organic cotton uses natural pesticides (such as garlic, chilli and soap) which do not harm the farmer or the land, preventing pesticide poisoning and water pollution and promoting biodiversity. Farmers are financially better off as they do not have to pay large premiums for pesticides which can lead to unmanageable debt.</p> <p><strong>What are the benefits of using bamboo fabric?</strong></p> <p>Bamboo is naturally antibacterial and is grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides. It a sustainable crop as it grows very quickly and requires very little water. Another benefit of bamboo is that it releases a significant amount of oxygen into the atmosphere, even more than trees. Planting bamboo can help reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the air as well as reducing soil erosion and desertisation.</p> 2009-05-02T10:44:12+01:00 faq 3302902 2009-05-02T10:44:12+01:00 105472 2009-05-02T15:15:56+01:00 *Why do you use organic cotton?* Conventional cotton farming is extremely harmful to the environment. * Each T-shirt is sprayed with approximately one cupful of toxic pesticides * Non-organic T-shirts are dyed with heavy metals and carcinogens. These remain in the fibre after processing. * Cotton fibres may be hand-picked by children as young as seven * 20,000 people each year are poisoned from cotton farming * There are 200,000 suicides every year related to unmanageable pesticide debts, * The average life expectancy of an Indian cotton farmer is only thirty five due to absorbing chemicals through the skin and inhalation. *What are the benefits of using organic cotton?* Organic cotton uses natural pesticides (such as garlic, chilli and soap) which do not harm the farmer or the land, preventing pesticide poisoning and water pollution and promoting biodiversity. Farmers are financially better off as they do not have to pay large premiums for pesticides which can lead to unmanageable debt. *What are the benefits of using bamboo fabric?* Bamboo is naturally antibacterial and is grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides. It a sustainable crop as it grows very quickly and requires very little water. Another benefit of bamboo is that it releases a significant amount of oxygen into the atmosphere, even more than trees. Planting bamboo can help reduce the level of carbon dioxide in the air as well as reducing soil erosion and desertisation.