Organic vs Conventional Cotton

At OneTribe.com, we sell fashionable shirts. More importantly, one half, 50%, of the price of each shirt is donated directly to a worthy non-profit that supports humanitarian causes.

Not only are we doing our part to be socially responsible, but in doing so, we make sure to be environmentally responsible as well. Our custom-designed shirts are made of 100% organic cotton. This cotton looks and feels great, and compared to conventionally grown cotton, organic cotton has a drastically reduced impact on the environment.

Here are just a few of those differences (thanks to www.AboutOrganicCotton.com):

Seed Preparation

• Conventional: Often used GMO (genetically modified organism) seeds that are treated with fungicides and insecticides
• Organic: Never uses GMO or chemically treated seeds

Soil and Water

• Conventional: Applies synthetic fertilizers; lose soil due to “mono-crop” culture; requires intensive irrigation
• Organic: Builds strong soil through crop rotation and retains more water thanks to more organic matter in the soil

Weed control

• Conventional: applies herbicides to inhibit and control weeds
• Organic: controls weeds through cultivation and physical removal

Pest Control

• Conventional: Uses insecticides, carcinogenic pesticides, and aerial spraying
• Organic: Balances “pests” with their natural predators; beneficial insects, and “trap crops” that lure unwanted insects away from the cotton crop

Harvesting

• Conventional: Defoliates with toxic chemicals
• Organic: Relies on the seasonal freeze and water management for defoliation

Additionally, all cotton sold as organic in the United States must meet strict federal regulations covering how the cotton is grown. Here are some more interesting facts about the differences between conventional and organic cotton.

•Cotton uses approximately 25% of the world's insecticides and more than 10% of the pesticides - including herbicides, insecticides, and defoliants. (Allan Woodburn)

•The Environmental Protection Agency considers seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton in the United States as "possible," "likely," "probable," or "known" human carcinogens - including acephate, dichloropropene, diuron, fluometuron, pendimethalin, tribufos, and trifluralin. (EPA)

•It takes roughly one-third of a pound of chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers) to grow enough cotton for just one T-shirt.

•Over 2.03 billion pounds of synthetic fertilizers were applied to conventional cotton the same year (142 pounds/acre), making cotton the fourth most heavily fertilized crop behind corn, winter wheat, and soybeans. (USDA)

At OneTribe.com, we are proud to help provide a steady revenue stream to important charities around the world, and at the same time, stay environmentally responsible in doing so.

We are helping stop mindless consumerism and environmental degradation – one T Shirt at a time! To learn more, visit OneTribe.com