Colder weather means comfy clothes, and nothing beats the latest addition to my wardrobe – this organic cotton sweatshirt! Here’s why I’ve been loving wrapping up warm in December, and spreading the organic love…
First off, enough of that hippy vibe – it’s definitely a dangerous road to go down when talking about organic produce and sustainability! Really, I’m just pleased to find a top that not only is silky soft, suits my style (minimalistic, as I’m aiming to curate a timeless capsule wardrobe), and keeps me warm, but also promotes an organic lifestyle both inside and out.
When I first learned about organic cotton, I was actually shocked at just how many people are affected by the way generic cotton is grown. I’ve written about the importance of organic cotton in terms of it affecting your skin, but consider this: the chemicals sprayed on cotton crops kill off wildlife, leech the land of its nutrients, and run into natural water reserves. The places best known for growing cotton, such as Benin, aren’t regulated for safety equipment of cotton workers; families have been poisoned by pesticides getting in their food even. Organic cotton promotes a better standard of life for both those involved in the production chain as well as the wildlife around it.
So, here’s me in my Ally Sweatshirt* by Beaumont Organic – looking a little peeved at standing in the cold but enjoying it nonetheless! I paired it with my Wool & The Gang scarf that I knitted last year to keep me toasty too. I’m pretty sure I chose the coldest weekend this year to do this as well, so I suppose it’s a testament to the sweatshirt that I was still warm by the time I got home.
The other nice element to Beaumont Organic is their traceability – this sweatshirt was made in Portugal, in a safe environment, providing fair wages and good working conditions. I’m pleased that this is now easily-accessible information, especially since partaking in the #WhoMadeMyClothes campaign and watching The True Cost, where I learnt that 1 in 6 people on the planet are involved in the fashion industry. That’s a lot of people, so it’s good to know that I’m supporting fair treatment of the workers who make my clothes.
