EDUN LIVE not only features 100 percent certified organic cotton t-shirt blanks in its product line, but we also make great efforts to help farmers transition from conventional cotton farming to organic farming through our development of the Conservation Cotton Initiative with the Wildlife Conservation Society. This is the difference between a few nice, guilt-free t-shirts and the start of real, sustainable change.
What is organic cotton?
You already know the answer to this. Organic cotton is cotton that's grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides. Conventional cotton farming is responsible for approximately 25 percent of the insecticides and 10 percent of the pesticides used worldwide. In fact, producing enough cotton for a single t-shirt requires about a third of a pound of pesticides and fertilizers.
Count all the t-shirts you see in one day, then get out your calculator and do the math. How many pounds of toxic material does that come out to? The answer is "a hell of a lot." We’ll do the math:
50 t-shirts a day
x 0.3 pounds
=15 pounds of toxic material
That’s a lot of pounds – 15 pounds is equivalent to the weight of two newborn babies, or as the saying goes “A pint’s a pound, the whole world around” – 15 pounds is the equivalent of 15 pints of beer!
Organic cotton farming leads to less environmental damage and health risks and also produces useful byproducts like honey and sunflower seeds. Even better, the current high demand for organic cotton means farmers that are growing organically can command a premium.
What are the hazards of pesticide use?
Let's do this one in as a list. Be prepared. This isn't pretty stuff.
- Many farmers and their families don't have proper protective equipment and are therefore directly exposed to noxious chemicals on a daily basis. To wit: farmers get sick making t-shirts the non-organic way.
- Pesticides enter local water tables, causing pollution that affects everyone who likes to drink water (a.k.a. everyone you know, and you).
- Cotton byproducts (such as cotton straw and cottonseed meal) are used to feed cattle and introduce pesticides into the human food chain.
- Pesticides weaken the immune system and may be deadly for those who are HIV positive.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that up to 20,000 deaths annually and three million chronic health problems are associated with poisonings related to agricultural pesticide use.
- Research studies from the Natural Resource Defense Council have shown higher instances of brain cancer, leukemia, and birth defects in children with early exposure to pesticides.
- A 2006 study by the Harvard School of Public Health discovered a 70 percent increase in the risk of developing Parkinson's disease when exposed to even low levels of pesticides.
- Pesticide use leads to an increase in wildlife and livestock deaths.
- Pests develop resistance to pesticides, which means that pesticides will inevitably become stronger and harsher.
- Satan himself invented pesticides, and he sits on a throne made of dead baby skulls atop a mountain in hell thinking of ways to make even stronger pesticides. (Okay, that one isn't true. But seriously, do you need to even hear anymore?)
How can I be sure my EDUN LIVE t-shirt is organic?
Our 100% organic certified garments from Uganda are ECOCERT certified. So the whole spinning, knitting and manufacturing chain has been certified, which is pretty incredible. ECOCERT is acknowledged in Europe, America and Japan and is accredited in these regions by COFRAC (Comité Français d'Accréditation – the French Committee for Accreditation), USDA for NOP (National Organic Program), NAPP for JAS (Japan Agricultural Standard).
Our garments from Tanzania are 100% certified by the Swiss organization Bio Inspecta up through the yarn phase. They are dyed with GOTS certified Huntsman dyes. And our South African tees are IMO certified (also Swiss) through the fabric phase.
Where can I learn more about the benefits of organic cotton?
Pesticide Action Network
Sustainable Cotton Project
Organic Exchange
ECOCERT