Why choose green products

Why choose organic cotton?

Cotton that is grown in conventional ways is compromised and weakened by the chemicals used in growing, processing and dying. All these things break the fibre down and create a weaker, inferior garment, that is why you get a softer, stronger, better cotton using organic methods. The softness and quality of organic cotton is truly unmatched and is one of the top reasons people choose organic cotton clothing for their baby's delicate skin.

Conventional cotton farming uses one quarter of the world's pesticides. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 20,000 deaths occur in developing countries each year from pesticide poisoning, many of these are attributed to cotton production. Due to the huge amount of pesticides and insecticides used on the land, the soil fertility is damaged. As a result, farmers are forced into buying more chemicals to encourage their cotton plants to grow – and sinking them and their families into debt. This means many of these farmers cannot afford to send their children to school.

By farming organically, cotton farmers have reported that they do not have to get into debt. Alternatives to pesticides are used - for example, Ugandan organic cotton farmers use black ants to keep the cotton pests away. Organic cotton farmers can also grow food safely on their land, which they can then use to feed themselves and their families or sell to increase their income, thus providing food security. Organic farmers also report substantially higher incomes, allowing them to educate their children and gain access to health care.

There are now many ways in which consumers can make ethical choices in their everyday shopping and looking for the Fairtrade mark is one. At Green Mums, we ensure that we source only from manufacturers who practice ethical principals, such as guaranteeing a good wage for employees, subsidising schools or health care facilities.

Your baby's fair trade clothes may cost you a few pence extra, but they may save the life of another baby in a developing county.

A baby’s skin is 5 times thinner than that of an adult, making it far easier for dangerous and harmful toxins to enter their body. A report, commissioned jointly by Greenpeace Netherlands and WWF-UK even shows that unborn babies can absorb dangerous chemicals whilst in the womb.