The Environmental Justice Foundation has recently just launched their gorgeous new batch of designer organic cotton t-shirts. After attending the Fashion Forum convention in 2008, I heard about the wonderful work The Environmental Justice Foundation does. We watched a short film 'Pick your cotton carefully - White Gold the true cost of cotton', which I urge you all to watch as it will completely change your whole outlook on fashion and clothing as it did mine!
One fact that always stayed with me is that the cotton trade is worth $32 billion a year with 400 million people dependant on the the cotton trade, 10 million of which are in Africa and 99% of the developing world.
Cotton is known as the worlds thirstiest crop as it takes 6 pints for just one cotton bud! (that is alot of water for the countries of origin that are often suffering from droughts).
What hits home the most is that the chemical pesticides ($2 billions worth) that are used on the cotton crop are extremely hazardous and not only poison the land and animals but also the people around or nearby. There were 25,000 related deaths and 1 million people hospitalised as a result of contact with these pesticides in the developing world. The contamination is unbelievably wide spreading from the water ways, killing all the fish which in turn leads to a collapse of developing countries vital fishing industries, to dust storms which leave masses of people suffering from bronchitis, caner or tuberculoses as a result.
The cotton trade also sadly has links with child labour also with 250 million worldwide with 70% of which are working in agricultural cotton, schools are even closed just so the pupils can work in the fields.
It is devastating and saddening to think that 'cotton' which we probably all take for granted and overlook as probably a good 80% of what you are wearing now is made of cotton, but do we stop to think where it has come from? and if i does not say, next time why don't you ask, challenge the retailers, where is there stock produced, is it organic cotton, if not why do they not consider to stock it? (write a letter if needs be) We are all part of the solution the consumers, they say they supply demand, therefore we should demand the retailers to provide what is ethically and environmentally right, and have transparency with there customers.
EJF not only continue to strive to educate retailers and the governement with their cotton campaign but have got on board 'the cream of the crop' designers who have produced a series of organic cotton t-shirts for the charity. The t-shirts are produced on organic and fairly traded cotton and printed with organic certified inks. All money raised by EJF from the sale of the t-shirts goes to support the charity’s valuable work.
The t-shirts are produced on organic and fairly traded cotton and printed with organic certified inks. All money raised by EJF from the sale of the t-shirts goes to support the charity’s valuable work. Organic cotton t-shirts designed by Allegra Hicks, Jenny Packham, Richard Nicoll, Ciel, Giles Deacon,Alice Temperley, Zandra Rhodes, John Rocha, Luella, Katharine Hamnett, Christian Lacroix, Betty Jackson for EJF. Get yours here
My favourite although hard to choose is the new Richard Nicoll addition. Simplicstic yet ultimately stylish for both men and women. I will be getting mine in the larger mens/ unisex sizing so that I can wear it baggy which would double up as a dress. You can customise yours in anyway you wish see the John Rocha and Giles example below.
My favourite although hard to choose is the new Richard Nicoll addition. Simplicstic yet ultimately stylish for both men and women. I will be getting mine in the larger mens/ unisex sizing so that I can wear it baggy which would double up as a dress. You can customise yours in anyway you wish see the John Rocha and Giles example below.
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