Organic agriculture protects the health of people and the planet by reducing the overall exposure to toxic chemicals from synthetic pesticides that can end up in the ground, air, water and food supply, and that are associated with health consequences, from asthma to cancer. Because organic agriculture doesn't use toxic and persistent pesticides, choosing organic products is an easy way to help protect yourself. (OTA, Organic Trade Association)

Soil is the foundation of the food chain. The primary focus of organic farming is to use practices that build healthy soils, and textile fibers also have an organic alternative, even cotton, which most experts felt could not be grown this way. Of all organic, natural fibers, organic cotton is one of the most popular. Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment.

Fast Facts:

• Conventional cotton farming is one of agriculture's most environmentally destructive activities, taking an enormous toll on the air, water, and soil, as well as people living around pesticide laden cotton fields.
• Cotton uses approximately 25 percent of the world's insecticides and more than 10 percent of the pesticides (including herbicides, insecticides, and defoliants.).
• In the U.S. in 2000, 84 million pounds of pesticides were sprayed on the 14.4 million acres of conventional cotton grown in the country, ranking cotton second behind corn in total amount of pesticides sprayed.
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruled in 2000 that seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton in the United States as "possible," "likely," "probable," or "known" human carcinogens.

Organically grown bamboo can be harvested and used to create fabrics that are luxuriously soft with a texture akin to silken cashmere. Bamboo is known to be the fastest growing plant on earth, making it naturally renewable. It grows to its maximum height in approximately 3 months and matures in 3-5 years. Bamboo's growth characteristics enable it to spread rapidly across large areas, and bamboo cultivation can improve soil quality in degraded and eroded areas.

The hemp plant is one of the most amazing eco-friendly plants known on the planet. Industrial grade hemp produces three times more fabric per acre than non-organic cotton, and is a natural for organic farming techniques. The hemp plant actually replenishes the soil it is grown in, leaving it richer in essential nutrients than before it was planted. It also grows extremely fast, so it's an excellent crop in terms of productivity for the farmer. But it's hemp's wearability and texture that makes it a natural choice.

Fast Facts:

• Hemp is the original choice for organic clothing, with references to its use in organic clothing and textiles for over 12.000 years.
• Presidents Washington and Jefferson both grew hemp, and hemp was grown by the early American settlers. Ben Franklin owned a mill that made hemp paper. Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper.
• Hemp denim was the chosen fabric for the first pair of Levi's jeans. Hemp natural fibers are longer, stronger, more absorbent and more mildew-resistant than cotton. Organic clothing made of at least 50% hemp block the sun's UV rays more effectively than other fabrics.

At Jonäno, we are passionate about the organic clothing that we offer you. Jonäno is meticulous in removing the guess work out of what is good for your family, saving you both time and headaches. Whether shopping for yourself, your family, or choosing baby gift, we want you to know that the natural products you are choosing are also items we are using in our home. Enjoy your shopping experience.

Sources:

• OTA's "2006 U.S. Organic Production & Marketing Trends" report. Allen Woodburn Associates Ltd./Managing Resources Ltd.,
• "Cotton: The Crop and its Agrochemicals Market," 1995. American Crop Protection Association,
• "1997 Total U. S. Sales by Crop Protection Product Type and Market," 1998 ACPA Industry Profile. California Department of Pesticide Regulation,
• "DPR Releases Data on 1999 Pesticide Injuries," 2001. U. S. Department of Agriculture,
• "Agricultural Chemical Usage: 2003 Field Crop Summary." U. S. Environmental Protection Agency,
• "List of Chemicals Evaluated for Carcinogenic Potential," 2001.

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