What Is Organic Cotton?
We’ve all heard the term “organic cotton.” But what does it really mean? Organic cotton is cultivated without any chemicals, pesticides, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This means that you can feel safe about your baby wearing organic fabrics and being exposed to harmful chemicals.
Your newborn baby has tender new skin that should be protected from the sun and chemicals. Their skin is still fragile and prone to skin allergies and infections. If your infant is having any skin issues try switching their baby gown to one made from certified organic textile and see if that clears it up.
What Are We Changing?
Selling sustainable clothing has always been important to us. We've focused on US Made goods since we launched. We've always stocked various colors of organic cotton baby bodysuits and toddler shirts in each design but in 2021 we made the decision to switch our entire line over to organic cotton blanks and water-based inks. This means that all our conventional cotton bodies will be priced at a 25% discount and as we replenish our stock, we will be exclusively ordering organic cotton infant bodysuits, toddler shirts and decals made from water-based inks. This means we will be phasing out all of our conventional cotton shirts and bodysuits, the polyester rayon cotton blended baby tee with raglan sleeves (as these are not available in organic cotton blends) and plastisol screened decals.
In the future we will be adding in a zero waste option and printing on up-cycled baby clothing. We’ve got some great multi stripe pieces that will look so funky with our prints on them. Zero waste manufacturing is the ideal and with so much clothing ending up in landfills it makes sense. Sign up for our newsletter to hear about our product updates.
The process of moving all our decals to a water-based ink will take us longer but you can look in the product description for "water-based inks" to see what designs are now made from water-based inks. All our inks are already phthalate free. All our bird logos on the backs of our pieces are water-based.
With rapidly changing environmental conditions it is essential for parents to understand the need to shift our purchasing power to more sustainable clothing. Buying clothes made from organically grown cotton doesn’t cost more when you factor in the health of your children and the protection of their environment.
Why Are We Switching To Water-Based Inks?
Inks are the lifeblood of any screen-printing job, so it's important to know what they're made from. Regular inks that are made from petroleum can release toxic chemicals into our environment and stick around for generations. Water-based ink is safer because it is water-soluble; it does not contain PVC, phthalates or toxic chemicals. That means less toxic chemicals in our waterways. There's no worry about harmful toxins being released when you print with water based ink either! Not only does this make things safe for earthlings now but also long after we've gone extinct too!
Why Are We Switching To Organic Cotton?
Up until this point we didn't think there was all that much difference between conventional cotton and organic cotton. Our conventional cotton pieces are Oeka-Tek certified free from harmful chemical so we thought this was good enough.
But once our eyes were open to the truth about how toxic most of these chemicals used in the production of this cotton can be for humans we felt like it would be wrong not to start sourcing baby clothes made from organically grown fabrics. Below are some reasons why you should consider buying any piece of clothing your little one wears in an organic fabric:
- Conventionally grown cotton is one of the most heavily pesticide sprayed crops in the world and it's also very absorbent which means that pesticides like DDT will end up in the fibers of your baby's clothes. The fibers used on conventionally manufactured garments may contain pesticides or other chemical treatments which have been linked with a range of health problems including cancer, infertility, birth defects as well as chronic illness among children living near agricultural areas where pesticide use is high. This means those toxins could end up absorbed by the skin it touches.
- Cotton is considered one of the world's dirtiest crops and ranks third in the use of pesticides. Prohibited substances in the US are used overseas. Organic cotton is a cotton that is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, toxic chemicals, and genetically modified organisms. It's better for people, the planet, and even your clothes!
- Cotton production and use is one of the biggest contributors to water pollution. The Textile Exchange lists the figure of conventional cotton using 2,168 gallons of water. Cotton is a thirsty plant. When you water organically grown cotton, the run off isn't full of toxic chemicals.
- Cotton cultivation has led to soil degradation, which in turn contributes significantly towards desertification.
- Organic cotton farming systems have been shown to be more sustainable than conventional cotton farming systems. It doesn’t damage the soil and uses 88% less air and 62% less energy in growing. Consequently, it also keeps the farming systems safe and doesn’t threaten the farmers or their families.
- Have you heard of the Delta debacle with their flight attendant uniforms? Apparently it was covered in toxic chemicals and caused burns, rashes, allergic reactions and more. Clothing touches your body. What it's made from is important. The benefit of organic shouldn't be ignored, especially if it's touching your baby's skin.
What Does Our Current Stock Look Like?
Currently, our colored organics are labeled as such in the store but even if you order conventional cotton colors you may receive the organic upgrade. We are not switching the label to organic until all the sizes in that color are fully stocked as organic.
Currently our organic clothing colors for babies include purple, red, asphalt, pacific (galaxy) blue and organic natural. For toddler shirts there is purple, pacific (galaxy) blue and organic natural. For adults there are 100 percent organic natural cotton t-shirts. Our brightly colored organic items will keep you looking sharp while feeling super soft on your sensitive skin!!
Will I Be Charged More?
You must be thinking that all of this makes sense but isn’t it going to be way more expensive? Organic agricultural labor is much more intensive and crop yield per acre is lower. The certified organic pieces we purchase cost us almost twice as much as conventionally grown cotton.
Certified Organic Cotton & Made in the USA
All our pieces are made in the USA. The company that makes our organic baby clothes has the GOTS organic certification. Their fabric is milled, dyed, cut & sewn right here. The Global Organic Textile Standard is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, from the harvesting of the raw materials through environmentally and socially responsible practices and certified by an independent party.
Note that the decorations that are printed on these garments are not GOTS certified but they are Oeka-Tek certified. Oeka-Tex means that they are tested for harmful substances.
We'd like to argue that if you factor in the health and safety of your baby and the protection of their future environment that organic clothing is a real steal.
Fair Trade products are great picks because many smaller manufacturers who grow organically simply can't afford the more expensive certifications.
But Will I Be Charged A Premium?
On our website we do not currently charge more for our organic one pieces. In fact, our prices have only gone up by 8% per piece over the last 18 years!
Why Buy Organic Cotton Products?
Every time you vote with your dollars by purchasing natural baby products you are helping to create change in the marketplace and the world. The environmental benefits of purchasing sustainable cotton or crops like hemp that help replenish the soil cannot be understated.
Certified organic cotton is important. It's the safest, most natural fabric for your baby to wear and you'll be able to relax knowing that it has been grown without any pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Your baby will have minimal chances of getting any skin allergies such as eczema, dermatitis. Moreover, your baby isn’t absorbing anything toxic or poisonous while laying about in their baby essentials.
Natural Baby
As parents, we all know how expensive buying clothes can be. But when you have a baby it seems like that task only gets more difficult as they grow and require new clothing sizes every few months. So focus on purchasing organic baby basics.
When purchasing baby essentials like summer clothes, any clothing set, a soft blanket, a crib sheet or a wearable blanket look for GOTS certified organic cotton, Oeka-Tek certified or organic Fair Trade certified pieces. It’s more than just thinking about your babies’ health. It is being socially responsible and caring for the planet and our future generations. It’s a lifestyle that keeps your family and environment safe. Buying organic clothing for day-to-day use is a choice that can help build a sustainable environment for everyone. Larger baby brands like Burt's Bees, Hanna Andersson (check out their organic family pajamas!) and Touched By Nature are offering very affordable organic baby clothes. Here is a great list of organic baby clothes brands worth checking out some stylish baby boys and baby girl clothes. If you have a little more money and love the superior pima cotton take a look at these organic pima cotton baby clothes. Oh la la! Whether you’re looking for super soft unisex baby clothing, clothing with a snug fit, bedding or matching family outfits, it’s a better deal to go organic.
Organic Baby Gifts
Our specialty is the graphic bodysuit. They are such a great vehicle to send the new parent a message. We've got a lot of messages to send. Anything from quippy and funny to the obscure. We sell them in colored organics and we’ve got an awesome collection of colorful bodysuits and solid color tees perfect for your little one. You won't find any pesticides or chemical fertilizers on these clothes. If you are looking for a unique selection of organic clothing in sizes from babies through toddlers, click this link to shop our store today!
Photo by Amber Martin on Unsplash