These days purchasing organic and local food is almost second nature; it's become the norm, rather than the exception. It’s understandable. The direct ingestion of chemicals sounds far from appetizing, but what about everything indrectly put in our bodies through what we put ON our bodies?

According to HolisticHands.org, our skin acts like a sponge and it absorbs everything we put on it from beauty products to our clothing. This makes wearing organic just as important as eating it. When worn, our skin absorbs all the toxins and chemicals involved in producing conventional cotton that then enter your bloodstream. Yikes!

Additionally, cotton grown without pesticides is better for those working in the fields, who would would otherwise be exposed to toxic chemicals. These chemicals can also seep in to the local water supply and contaminate drinking water. 

"The production of conventional cotton has a lot of hidden costs that are not fully realized in the cost of the fiber – costs of water contamination, negative impacts on bio- diversity, damage to other non-GMO crops in the area, loss of local jobs and other negative impacts on community, as well as the negative costs on the health and well-being of people living in the farming communities," states Larhea Pepper, Organic Cotton Farmer & Managing Director of Textile Exchange in The True Cost.

While it would be nice to buy everything organic, it can be a daunting proposition. I recommend starting with the basics and investing in organic cotton items that will be worn closest to the skin. Start with your bottoms and work your way up. I personally love (and only wear) the Only Hearts collection of organic cotton underwear and lounge wear. Their "Hipster" is made from a light, almost tissue-thin organic cotton from Peru that lays seamlessly against the skin. And a love their lace camisole for a decadent extra layer that can be worn almost anything. We also recently introduced our own brand of basics that includes not only organic cotton tees and leggings, but also soft bras or bralettes. These wear beautifully and are ideal for working out or doing yoga.

Shop our entire collection of organic cotton pieces here.