My children sometimes wear organic clothing and for the last 4 years I have been selling organic baby clothes, so have read many articles about the benefits of organic baby clothing. My philosophy has always been taking a pragmatic approach to making an organic or ethical choice. Keeping within your means and doing just a little, rather than the complete lifestyle change, if that's all you can afford.
But what are the real benefits of organic clothes for babies and are there any down sides to clothing your baby in organic cotton. Based on my experience here are my practical pros and cons for you and your baby. (There are others relating to the environment and cotton growers that I won't cover in this article.)
The Pros
- Organic cotton is naturally grown which means it has longer fibres producing cloth that is beautifully soft, reducing the risk of rubbing and irritating your babies skin.
- No formaldehyde (used as a finishing agent) is used, which can cause rashes and even asthma. So organically grown cotton is better for those with allergies and chemical sensitivities.
- It's pretty widely known that babies up to about the age of 2 have much thinner skin than adults, making their skin prone to absorbing more things such as nasty chemicals. Organic cotton is grown without the use of any chemicals and is dyed with low impact dyes so reducing the risk of absorbing unwanted chemicals into the blood stream.
- As organic cotton is pesticide free and therefore a lower yield, the fibres are denser. This makes the cotton more durable and it holds its shape better, even after repeated washing. This can mean that organic clothing has great hand me down potential, making it better value in the long run.
- It's been widely publicised by many Eczema societies that organic cotton can help reduce irritation of baby eczema, especially at night.
- Organic cotton smells clean, it really does! (You're not inhaling chemical smells)
The Cons
- Price. Organic cotton on the face of it is undoubtedly more expensive in the short term.
- Availability. Not all shops stock organic cotton clothing making it more difficult for some to access it.
- The number of organic baby clothing suppliers is still fairly small which can limit the choice of styles and designs.
- Washing in bio washing detergent can somewhat reduce the chemical free benefits.
Like most negatives you can always turn them into a positive, and with my passion for ethical and organic products you wouldn't expect me to leave the cons without comment!
So what can be done to reduce the impact of ‘The Cons'
Price - Shop around, buy during sales and re-use your precious clothes for your other children or even sell on your babies clothing that no longer fits.
Availability - Shop online and take advantage of free delivery! Join natural parenting forums to gain advice from other parents as to where they buy their clothing.
Choice - Find a favourite ethical and organic retailer and sign up for their newsletters to get in on the news about new suppliers and expanding ranges as it's happening all the time.
Washing - Use non bio or eco plant based washing detergent and softeners, they won't add to your chemical count. Being pragmatic, buy cheap bibs to protect your lovely organic baby clobber, especially at meal times. Just like any treasured outfit, organic or not, you know the frustration when it gets bolognaise sauce on it!
Making the switch to organic cotton for your baby takes some thought, especially for the majority of us who have to watch what we spend. There are significant benefits for babies to be clothed in organic cotton clothing, but expecting to have a complete wardrobe full is unrealistic for most.
My advice is always to start small and prioritise. Clothing that is worn next to skin is more important than outer layers so if you want to clothe your baby with organic cotton then an organic baby vest or organic baby grow is a good place to start.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/the-pros-and- cons-of-organic-baby-clothes-3112440.html About the Author
Rachel Lea-Wilson is a mum of two and the owner of an ethical family business called http://globalkids.co.uk/ who are passionate about organic and fair trade products. Globalkids specialise in providing a unique range of beautiful organic baby clothes, unusual hand made organic baby gifts, organic baby skin care plus fun and sometimes quirky fair trade toys, books and games for children of all ages. | 