Let’s start with the basics, shall we?
The word “eco” is short for ecology, which is the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment. “Eco-friendly clothing” then, is the term we use to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal harm on the environment.
Since all clothing requires the use of water to grow the fibre which makes the fabric, as well as the energy needed to produce the fabric and manufacture the garment, it is impossible to make clothing that is “100% eco-friendly”.
Instead, when we refer to eco-friendly clothing, we are talking about clothing lines that are created by companies that make it a priority to minimize any damage that might be done to the environment. These companies use fibers that are not grown or produced using damaging chemicals, and fabrics that are not colored with harsh dyes and paints.
With this in mind, when we refer to “Eco-friendly clothing” we are talking about minimally intrusive production standards, such as:
- Clothing made of fibers from organic crops, like organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo.
- Clothing that has been organically dyed with vegetable-based or water-based dyes.
- Fabrics that use small amounts of water to grow, such as organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo.
What is Organic Clothing?
By comparison, organic clothing is made from fibers that have been grown without the use of genetically modified seeds, pesticides, or other chemical yielding aids. The most common of these are organic cotton.
The cultivation and growth of organic cotton preserves arable land by reducing the amount of water used to grow it, preventing the land from drying up, while also protecting the land from pesticides that will pollute the soil and ground water. Because organic cotton seeds are never genetically modified, the organic cultivation of cotton not only has a positive effect on the final item of clothing that is produced, but also on nature and the people involved in its production. Thanks to organic farming methods, the habitat of useful insects and other local animals remains largely unaffected.
As with eco-friendly clothing, organic clothing is colored using vegetable-based or water-based dyes, and the artwork on a piece of organic clothing, a logo or saying perhaps, will be printed with vegetable- or water-based inks.
The reasons for choosing organic clothing are numerous, but health and safety lead the way, with reduced exposure to toxins, chemicals, and pesticides, due to:
- Prevent skin sensitivity and allergies
- Conscious of the connection between cancer and chemicals in the environment
- Making healthier choices for self and family, including food, beauty products, cleaning products, and clothing
- Conscious consumer who is committed to protecting the environment
Simply Chickie is a 100% organic clothing line, made is the USA, offering fun, cute, soft organic cotton clothing for babies and toddlers, as well as organic bamboo clothing for women.
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