There's been a lot of talk lately about organic cotton.
Here's the hard truth:
If a yarn has dye on it, it's not organic. Period.
What about natural dyes? Aren't they organic? No. Natural dyes require non-organic [and sometimes quite nasty] mineral mordants to set the dye. Not organic.
Synthetic dyes are synthetic, not organic.
Yet you will still see dyed yarns advertised as organic. What's the deal?
The deal is that the cotton was grown organically. No pesticides, no fertilizers.
If you're serious about organic cotton, then stay away from any dyed cottons. The dye chemicals that commercial yarn manufacturers use are just as bad as the pesticides and fertilizers that you want to avoid. Look for natural, unbleached, undyed cotton yarns.
Here's a peek at the beginning of the organic, naturally colored cotton project.
