Organic colorgrown oatmeal and cream cotton + stripes = AwesomeMy line has focused on using organic and sustainable fabrics since the beginning, but I've never really addressed the topic on my blog before. For a long time I did use silks but I decided that I just don't feel comfortable using a product that I really don't have the full "back story" on(uh...so no more silk unless I can find a sustainable source). I prefer using organic cotton or hemp blends anyways and that is what most of my spring summer collection ended up being. Even though organic cottons are more expensive and harder to source than conventional cotton, they are a sustainable product and one that I believe in. In the end, the cost is worth it to me because organic fabrics enable me to produce my clothing with a clear(er) conscience.

The use of colorgrown cotton is just another step towards greater sustainability . I first heard about it a few years ago from a speaker at my handspinning guild. At the time I was unable to find any, but I started searching again more recently and was able to find an excellent supplier for yarn and fabrics(woohoo). You can definitely expect to see colorgrown garments in the Fall collection.

For those of you wondering, colorgrown cotton is a type of cotton that has been bred to grow in a variety of shades without the use of chemicals, bleaches or synthetic dyes. Typically color grown cottons have a shorter staple than conventional cottons but from my experience this only adds to the softness of the material. Since it's grown and harvested without the use of pesticides, Colorgrown cotton is a much healthier option for the environment and the workers harvesting. Pesticides in conventional cotton are harmful and sometimes even deadly to workers who are sadly, all too often, I'll equipped to protect them selves from these toxic chemicals.

For more info read this article about pesticides used in conventional cotton and the effect it has