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WHY SUPPORT ORGANIC COTTON FARMING IN THE USA?

Organically grown cotton is a very demanding crop and knowing this we find it exceptionally rewarding to offer organic children’s products that support those committed growers willing to meet the many challenges inherent in its production without the aid of conventional pesticides and commercial fertilizers.

Conventionally grown cotton is known as the world's most pesticide laden crop, one that depends on dozens of chemicals known to be cancer causing and otherwise toxic to humans. It is also very damaging to our environmental eco systems in the largest sense of the word.

CONSUMER BEWARE -- "NATURAL" DOES NOT MEAN "ORGANIC"

Whereas "natural" cotton simply means only that the traditionally farmed cotton has not been mixed with synthetic man-made fibers, the label "100% organic cotton" describes a method of farming without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides or fertilizers, irrigation with sewage sludge, irradiation or genetic engineering, and to use this lable your farming and production practices must be certified by an accredited independent organization.

It is a system of farming that strives for a balance with nature, using methods and materials that are of low impact to the environment.

A mere total of 11,459 acres of either certified or transitional organic cotton was produced in 2001 in the United States. The reason USA is lagging far behind other countries is simply due to lach of awareness of the benefits. For example, the demand for organic cotton products is much higher in the more eco aware Europe (about 3,500 tons or 58% of the world's total). The only way for that to increase in the USA is in response to consumer demand.

Turkey has been the longstanding largest producer of organically grown cotton and India is jockeying to become the largest producer very soon. Texas is its biggest producer in the USA, although it is barely 10,000 acres as of 2008, and Arizona and California the next two highest producing states. There is hope for their success to increase with our support -- in 2007 the biggest area of growth in the USA for organic cotton products occurred in children's clothes and clothe diapers(a huge 60% increase over 2006).

ALSO LOOK FOR THE "TRANSITIONAL COTTON" LABEL

And that is the good news! Through consumer demand, like ours here on this site, the USA is gradually being encouraged to transition more cropland away from chemical death to organic health, however the first hurdle is that during this 3 year transition time crop yields are typically lower and risks higher during the transition, so farmers are at financial risk. Our support is even more important at that time so that they thrive and survive. To this end we will soon be seeing a new clothing label called "transitional cotton".

Encouraging organically grown cotton in our country is a tremendously worthwhile endeavor since benefits to us are so great to us all today and the health and environmental costs of conventionally harvested cotton are a price we can no longer afford to pay in terms of our children's welfare tomorrow.

Yes, it's true that organic cotton farming costs approximately 50% more than those of conventional cotton however aware parents consider this well worth the cost to protect our children's health and development today and the planet they will inherit.

Visit our Green Esteem page to learn the astounding benefits of supporting organic farming in the USA by making the wise buying choice whenver possible -- Organic Kids Products.

Support Our Organic Cotton Farmers with Your Dollars -- Buy Organic
And Enjoy Adorable Organic Toys, Playclothes and Pajamas