Organic Cotton Saves the Day

Let us think of cotton as a relative that we regularly see. You know, the one who licks their finger to wipe something off our face? The one who says inappropriate things at the dinner table, chews with their mouth wide open, and never offers to help with the dishes. 

We love them, because they’re family, but it’s their sibling—organic cotton—who we really enjoy spending time with. 

Cotton is one of our most commonly used natural fibers. It’s been used for clothing and other products for more than 7,000 years and it doesn’t appear to be disappearing anytime soon. Because cotton is natural, it’s superior to other fabrics—particularly synthetics like polyester and nylon. 

However, conventional cotton unfortunately comes with a cot-TON of problems. Here are just a few:

• Along with soy, corn, and canola, cotton is one of the top genetically modified crops in the world. Around 95-98% of U.S. cotton is genetically engineered. 
• Cotton is extremely thirsty. In fact, it’s one of the world's thirstiest crops because 2,700 liters of water are required for just one cotton tee shirt. The impact of this insatiable thirst is massive, and includes the fact that the Aral Sea in central Asia is rapidly drying up…
• Cotton also happens to be the world’s “dirtiest crop” because it requires a significant amount of pesticides and herbicides, many of which are considered to be hazardous by the World Health Organization. 
• Because of the heavy use of agrochemicals, the physical and mental health of cotton farmers and workers are compromised. 

But it’s not all bad news—because cotton’s friendly sibling, organic cotton, is here to save the day. Here’s why we’re excited to welcome organic cotton into Full Circle Home, and why you should welcome it into your home too:

• Organic cotton, like what is found in our Tidy Dish Cloths, is 100% GMO-free!
• Because organic cotton is grown in an Earth-friendly way (and without chemicals), it only requires a few sips of water—88% less water than conventional cotton, to be exact. 
• Not only does organic cotton avoid chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, but it also plays an active role in regenerative agriculture (i.e. farming systems that are giving back to soil, insects, and other plants).
• Because of organic cotton, farmers aren’t exposed to hazardous toxins and dangerous chemicals. They’re happier and healthier and supported by sustainable agriculture. 
• As an added bonus, between farming, processing, manufacturing, and disposal/recycling, organic cotton uses62% less energy than conventional cotton. 

We could go on and on about organic cotton—like the fact that our Kind Collection Dish Towels are mean, green, and quick drying—but we’ll save our other “family” stories for another time.