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Organic cotton begins with living soil. This means the soil has not had any chemicals used in it for at least three years and it has been enriched with compost and other organic matter. Enriching the soil in this way ensures vigorous plants which in turn means they will be better able to be bug, weed and disease resistant. Cotton plants need huge amounts of nitrogen; so organic cotton farmers use chicken manure or plant cover crops of Vetch or Fava Beans all of which supplies the cotton plants with the desired nitrogen. These replace synthetic fertilizers that are harmful. Organic farmers also make sure they have 'good bugs' in their fields. These don't harm the cotton; they prey on the 'bad bugs' that would harm the cotton plants. These 'bad bugs' are the reason that regular cotton farmers feel the need to use chemical sprays. How much better it is to use natural ways of controlling them! Weeds are managed by mechanical or hand-hoeing methods. When it is harvest time the cotton is handpicked!

The processing of cotton is done with potato starch instead of chemicals. No chlorine is used. When spinning the cotton fiber, natural easily biodegradable oil is used. No finishes are added! It comes to you pure! Being chemical free can be a life and death matter!

Cotton is a very versatile fiber and almost any type of fabric can be made from it. It conducts heat well and soaks up to 27 times its weight in water. It is also very comfortable and durable. Think how important all these qualities are when it comes to your bedding and clothing!

Kristine Peterson www.naturallivingbychoice.com