Many of the T Shirts featured on this site are available in organic cotton options. We’ve gathered a few here to help you find them quickly.
NB – Where there are affiliate links, I earn a small commission from sales, but this does not add to the cost for the buyer.
Why organic cotton?
Cotton requires a lot of water to grow. It also attracts many pests which reduce the cotton crop, resulting in heavy use of pesticides. Agro-chemicals such as insecticides, fungicides and fertilizers wash into water systems, polluting them.
Most organic cotton growers use rainwater to irrigate and a rotation system of growing so that pests die off before another cotton crop is planted on the same site. More land is required to produce a yield comparable to conventional cotton growing.
Dying and printing processes can also be a cause for concern so some people look for natural dyes and eco-friendly printing processes. Popular Azo chemical dyes are widely used for bright long-lasting yellows, reds and oranges in textile manufacture (and also in food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics). Treatment of water reduces residual chemicals but does not completely eradicate them. This only begins to become a problem when it’s happening on such a huge global scale.
View our related blog page: “Affordable Ethical Clothing UK and Online” which includes a sustainable fabrics list.
