Wear Organic Cotton

My first article of the year... Wear Organic Cotton: The Environment Will Thank You When you put on a wool sweater to stay warm during Michigan winters, you probably don’t consider that your sweater’s material causes soil degradation. The fact is, however, that the materials that make up our clothes cause different changes in the environment. Have you ever looked at what your clothing is made of? Cotton, polyester, rayon, wool. Cotton depletes the soil of most nutritive value and entails many pesticides. Polyester is made from petroleum. Rayon requires wood, chemicals, and a lot of fossil fuels. For the environmentally-conscious fashionista, there is sustainable fashion. Sustainable fashion is “clothing that has been produced and can be consumed in such as way that it does not contribute towards environmental, economic, or social vulnerability,” according to Kim Hiller Connell, a Michigan State University graduate student and professor. Many large clothing producers are introducing sustainable fashion lines. Nike is one brand doing its part for the earth. Nike uses five percent organic cotton in all their clothes and by 2010 hopes to have 10 percent organic cotton. The Wrap-up Soy Hoody, made of 57 percent soy azlon and 5 percent cotton, is a good example of how clothes can be eco-friendly and fashionable. “Nike also has a fairly well established shoe recycling program in place,” Connell said. Called the Reuse-A-Shoe program, it takes old sneakers of any brand and uses them to create sport surfaces. Patagonia has also been working with sustainable design. In 2005, Patagonia launched the Common Threads Garment Recycling Program, through which customers can return their Capilene Performance Baselayers, Patagonia fleece, Polartec fleece and Patagonia organic cotton for recycling. For those who want to shop closer to home, there are some options. “In the Lansing area, Foods for Living has a small section of eco-conscious clothing. American Apparel also has some organic cotton clothing. In Grand Rapids there is a great store called Clothing Matters,” Connell said. Organic cotton is the only textile that makes a difference. Hemp, bamboo and soy products are also worth investing in. Besides clothing, hemp can be used to make rope, textiles, plywood and pieces of cars. The downside is sometimes these products tend to be more expensive and not readily available. Connell said it is easy to maintain a sustainable wardrobe in Lansing. “If you are willing to shop at second-hand stores, I think it is very easy. If you want to buy new clothes, it is much more difficult. If you are fine with ordering through catalogues or online it is easier because there are a lot of companies online,” she said. MSU student Mandi Keedle said she would be willing to spend a little more if she liked the look and feel of the organic product. The $15 American Apparel organic cotton T-shirt pictured above would be within her price range, she said, if it were for a good cause. Keedle and her friends also shop at second-hand stores. When thinking of being more eco-friendly, many people turn to recycling. It has been drilled into our heads since elementary: recycle, reuse, reduce. Not everyone thinks to turn to their wardrobes. “Consumers just don't realize that the vast majority of clothes will still eventually end up as solid waste” Connell said. Even when sent to a charity organization, such as Goodwill, reused clothes sometimes still end up as solid waste. Kim still encourages people to recycle, but to also consume more wisely and think about what went into your making your shirt. For more information, check out the following Web sites: www.nikeresponsibility.com www.patagonia.com www.americanapparel.net www.clothingmatters.net http://organicclothing.blogs.com www.sustainablestyle.org