Organic Cloth also known as organic textiles or fabric, is usually made from organic cotton, wool, silk or hemp. Organic being plant derived materials that have been grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
Organic cloth also has the added advantage of no use of chemicals in its manufacture and processing. If you are concerned about chemicals then you definitely want to use organic cloth and wear organic cotton clothing.
Chemicals in Cloth
Most people don’t realize that cloth is treated with chemicals during and after processing. Even if you purchase natural fabrics, especially cotton it will have been treated with formaldehyde to prevent shrinkage of the fabric. Formaldehyde is the chemical used to embalm dead bodies. Clothing and fabric that is treated with flame-retardant chemicals, such as children's pajamas, emit formaldehyde gas.
Petrochemical dyes are used to dye clothing, organic cloth will use natural dyes. Other commonly used chemicals include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and dioxin-producing bleach. Nylon and polyester are made from petrochemicals, whose production creates nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that's 310 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Rayon is made from wood pulp that has been treated with chemicals, including caustic soda and sulphuric acid. Dye fixatives used in fabrics often come from heavy metals and pollute water systems. Acrylic fabrics are polycrylonitriles, which may be carcinogenic. Organic cloth is often used in organic mattresses.
These chemicals not only leach into the environment, leaving an impact on groundwater, wildlife, air and soil, but they also may be absorbed or inhaled directly. This is why organic cloth is becoming so popular in clothing and particular with organic baby clothing, organic cotton clothing and bedding.
