Why Are So Many Parents Buying Organic Baby Clothes?
The number and quantity of chemical residues in normal baby clothes are making parents think twice about what they're buying. Organic baby clothes are getting a lot more popular, because many people are worried that their child will be exposed to dangerous toxins. Conventional baby clothes contain many chemicals which may be hazardous to young children. Babies and infants are at a much higher risk for problems due to chemical exposure, since their bodies' defenses haven't fully developed yet.
Did You Know?
Fabrics used in conventional baby clothing often contain formaldehyde as a finish. Not only that, but seven of the top fifteen pesticides commonly used on cotton are known or potential carcinogens according to the EPA. It takes more than a third of a pound of those pesticides to make the average tee-shirt, but washing won't necessarily remove the residues left in the fabric. Because cotton isn't a food crop, the pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals used on it aren't subject to the same kinds of regulation. That means that many chemicals that can't be used on food make their way into cotton clothing and blankets - clothes which babies mouth, suck on, and chew on.
Chemicals don't just arrive during the cotton growing, either. While cotton is being converted into cloth, it may be treated with chemical softeners and brighteners, petroleum based scouring agents, dirt and flame retardants, formaldehyde and ammonia. Some of these chemicals wash out, but others don't. When cotton is being spun, for instance, a polyvinyl alcohol is used to make it easier to weave. Many baby clothes are treated with formaldehyde as a preservative before they're shipped. That means that any conventional cotton item your child wears before washing may have this chemical still in it.
You might think that switching to synthetic baby clothes is a better choice than spending the extra money on organic cotton. However, that's not the best choice, either. Fleece and other synthetics come from petroleum based chemicals, derived from natural gas or oil. Over the life of a garment, these fibers continue to off gas. Plus, they have unsavory chemical finishes, too. You may find ammonia, benzene, or ethylene glycol in the finishes of polyester and its blends, as well as fleece. Whether or not these chemicals wash out completely is still up to debate.
That doesn't mean that conventional cotton or synthetics are inappropriate for use in all places. For instance, bullet proof vests wouldn't work without synthetics. However, babies have more delicate, porous skin and immune systems that aren't ready to deal with these toxins. That means that even chemical loads that would be safe for adults and older children can cause problems in infants.
These factors make organic baby clothes the best choice, even if they're more expensive up front. However, as this material increases in availability and popularity, it gets a lot cheaper. Also, organic baby clothes are likely to last longer than their conventionally grown counterparts, making them ideal for hand-me-downs and use for second or third children. You might associate organic clothing with boring styles and colors, but that's not true anymore, either. Stores features a wide variety of cute, attractive garments for your baby. Take a look at all your options - organic baby clothes are the right choice for your child.