Conventional Cotton
The SewGreen fiber focus for 2008 is on conventional cotton, the world's most toxin-intensive fiber crop. Conventional cotton occupies just under 3 percent of the earth's farmland but accounts for 25 percent of all agricultural pesticides and herbicides applied worldwide. Many of these poisons are proven carcinogens and have negative impacts on human health and the environment.

It takes about 1/3 pound of toxic chemicals to produce the cotton for one conventional t-shirt. A pair of conventional denim cotton jeans requires about 3/4 pound of toxins.

Organic Cotton
Organic cotton is grown without the use of toxins. The farmers use natural pest controls. Organic cotton also uses less water than conventional cotton. At this time, only about 3 percent of all cotton is grown organically. Consumer demand for organic cotton is increasing, however, and more acreage is added every year.

The soft, clean quality of fabric made from organic cotton is a strong consumer selling point. Not all organic cotton products use natural dyes and non-toxic processing, so go ahead and ask vendors or manufacturers if their organic product is truly earth- and people-friendly.