When wearing your favourite jeans, what you are thinking about most is how they fit and how great you look in them. Certainly you may not be thinking about how they were made or what happens with the blue dye after it is used. But fashion choices do have consequences and can come at a cost, a cost more that what you have paid for, especially on our environment. Recently, treehugger.com posted a picture on their website of blue dye from jeans being dumped in the Tehuacan in Mexico (known as the "heartland of Mexico's denim industry”).

According to research published on the SCP - Sustainable Cotton Project - website, conventionally grown cotton accounts for 25% of insecticides and 10% of pesticides used worldwide. It takes a third of a pound of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to grow enough cotton for one t-shirt in the U.S. Also, in the U.S., 25% of pesticides are used in the cotton industry. These chemicals impact our environment and all the nine top pesticides have been labeled as category I or II (the most toxic) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Industry.

As a result, organic production of cotton is becoming more popular and a preferred option for consumers. The growth of organic fibers is changing the fashion scene and the organic fiber industry accounted for 85 million of sales in 2003. The forecast is that these figures will increase by 15.5% each year up to 2008.

What are organic fibers? Organically grown cotton, Eco Fiber – recycled cotton fabric, Tencel – fabric made of the cellulose extract from tree, and Hemp - a crop used to create garments similar to cotton.

So what can we do as consumers to be natural and chic? Treehugger.com suggests the greenest clothes are the ones you already own as there is nothing else that needs to be done – no more fabric to be processed, pesticides to be used, transportconsiderations. They are already made! But, of course youwant to buy another item of clothing in your lifetime, no? Buying clothing that is AXO free (no heavy metals used in dyes) and OEKO Tex certified (low negative eco impact) is a start.

Also, here are some suggestions of designers and places to shop that are more fabric conscious.

LeviEco
Levi's 100% organic jeans, distinct with their eco-green stitching, has this classic skinny reduced to $44 on their website and offer great cropped styles.

Loomstate
98% organic stretch cotton, black wash slim fit jean $143


Lifegate
European cotton, biologically grown, natural indigo dye, this Italian jean gives 5% of its profits to forest restoration for carbon dioxide created in production process. 119 Euros.



PineIV
Christopher Blue design jeans that aren't organically produced, but for every jean sold the company will plant a tree. Hence, the name pine IV. $176.


Kuyichi
Available apparently at Topshop and other U.K and U.S. stores, thesesuper cool and first organic jeans are available in many styles. TheAnna jean is a great look for this season's boy-cuts.