5 Organic Cotton Sweatshirt & Hoodie Brands for Eco-friendly Style
With the seasons changing and temperatures becoming chilly, it's important to have a good go-to sweatshirt.
While cotton sweatshirts are a popular choice due to breathability and affordability, conventional cotton is not always the best choice for the environment.
Let's explore the benefits of organic cotton and a few comfy organic cotton sweatshirt brands to try.
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What is organic cotton more eco-friendly than conventional cotton?
Let's discuss the environmental impact of conventional cotton versus organic cotton.
Harsh Fertilizers
Conventional cotton typically requires a lot of pesticides because the cotton plant itself is very prone to pests.
On the other hand, organic cotton can naturally repel pests from crops and therefore require much less pesticides.
This makes organic cotton much friendlier to the environment when it comes to pesticide use.
Soil Health
Conventional cotton is grown on the same soil over and over which diminishes the quality of the soil and nutrients.
Organic cotton is rotated allowing the soil to remain healthy and produce a stronger crop.
Water Use
It's estimated that it takes 2,700 liters of water to produce one cotton t-shirt.
However with organic cotton it's estimated that organic cotton uses 91 per cent less water than regular cotton and a lot of the water used in organic cotton is rainwater and water stored in the soil.
Greenhouse gases
The Textile Exchange reports organic cotton releases 46% less greenhouse gas emissions than conventional cotton by not using fertilizers that release nitrogen into the atmosphere. Nitrogen is a greenhouse gas that can cause global warming.
When organic farmers till their fields, they put carbon back into the soil, and this reduces atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Why is organic cotton more expensive?
Organic cotton is more expensive due to the higher cost of quality materials and labor.
Most times organic cotton requires more care and is handpicked which means the labor cost will be higher than conventional cotton.
Many cotton farmers and mill workers do not work in safe conditions. Workers may be exposed to dangerous chemicals with conventional cotton, and they tend to receive low pay for their labor.
To farmers and garment workers are paid a living wage be sure to look for fair trade certifications.
These ensure ethical production practices through third party certifications.
It's also important to remember that when you're purchasing organic cotton products you're purchasing a high quality item that is crafted with higher end materials. Consider it an investment in your wardrobe.
5 Organic Cotton Sweatshirt Brands to Shop
If you're looking for an organic sweatshirt consider these organic clothing brands who make apparel with Mother Earth in mind.
The Colorful Standard’s Bright Organic Sweatshirts & Hoodies
Colorful Standard focuses on creating colorful sustainable basics. Their cotton is 100% organic and their dyes are all Oeko-Tex Certified, meaning that they have been thoroughly tested for harmful chemicals.
The Colorful Standard carries a range of sweatshirts and hoodies for men and women featuring fun colors such as polar blue, lavender, burned yellow, and more.
Their hoodies and sweatshirts range from $88-$108.
PACT's Organic Hoodies, Pullovers & Sweatshirt
PACT is a socially responsible brand focused on eco-friendly clothing and basics.
All PACT apparel is made with certified organic cotton in Fair Trade Certified factories to ensure livable wages and fair treatment of workers.
PACT has hoodies and sweatshirts for both men and women. PACT's organic cotton sweatshirts range from $50-$70.
The Good Tee's Fair Trade Organic Cotton Unisex Hoodies
The Good Tee is a sustainable clothing brand focusing on high quality Fairtrade Certified organic cotton basics.
This socially responsible brand allows ethical shoppers to easily learn about the transparent supply chain and trace the manufacturing process through videos and resources highlighting The Good Tee’s partner suppliers and the materials used.
Not only are their garment factories, Fair-trade certified, but also the actual cotton is Fairtrade. That means they've gone the extra mile to ensure fair treatment and payment of the farmers AND garment workers.
The Good Tee's new fall line features some unique hoodies and pullovers. Their unisex styles feature black and light gray ranging from $70-$78.
KNOWN SUPPLY's Graphic Organic Cotton Sweatshirts
If you're looking for sweatshirts with a unique graphic design consider KNOWN SUPPLY. KNOWN SUPPLY is humanizing the apparel industry through collaborative partnerships.
This certified B Corporation is crafting ethical clothing while creating employment opportunities in Peru & Uganda through their partnership with Fair Trade Certified.
KNOWN SUPPLY’S collection is made with GOTS certified organic cotton and features unisex sweatshirts ranging from $60-$70.
How can I tell if a sweatshirt is made of organic cotton?
Organic cotton is usually designated by the word "organic" on the label. It can also be noted as "GOTS," a standard set in place in 2005 by Global Organic Textile Standard, an organization that includes retailers and manufacturers in the textile industry to help develop international organic fiber standards.
Other Tips for Shopping for Organic Cotton Sweatshirts
Be sure to consider the dyes.You want to look for low impact dyes.
Consider the fit you're looking for. Are you looking for a regular fit, slim fit, or loose fit?
Choose a good sweatshirt that is comfortable and crafted to last.
Hopefully this guide helped you discover an organic hoodie or sweatshirt to keep you warm & learn why organic cotton is a better choice over conventional cotton.
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