Organic Briefs

[arelyn]

DH is a huge fan of Hanes briefs. It's the only kind of underware he finds comfortable. He's in dire need of new underware and would like to switch to organic cotton. Which brands do you guys use?

[plunky]

I'm one of those dudes that just wanders into a department store or Walmart or whatever and grabs a pack of underwear in my size and wanders out satisfied. The idea of organic cotton underwear amuses me. Is there inorganic cotton?

[dadinblue]

If he has one brand that he likes, is comfortable and available, then buy those and their organic-ness be damned. Comfort is more important in that region than, say... whether the soil was fertilized or the bugs sprayed.

This whole organic craze is silly. The western world is in a recession, but some still believe that it's important to pay a premium for something with a label on it that says "Organic".

Cotton is cotton. If you want fair-trade-grown-in-Guatemala-underneath-coffee-shrubs-and-fertilized-with-Alpaca-poo cotton undies, I don't think Walmart will carry them but I am sure that someone, somewhere has them.

[Unconventional1]

Originally Posted by dadinblue

If he has one brand that he likes, is comfortable and available, then buy those and their organic-ness be damned. Comfort is more important in that region than, say... whether the soil was fertilized or the bugs sprayed.

This whole organic craze is silly. The western world is in a recession, but some still believe that it's important to pay a premium for something with a label on it that says "Organic".

Cotton is cotton. If you want fair-trade-grown-in-Guatemala-underneath-coffee-shrubs-and-fertilized-with-Alpaca-poo cotton undies, I don't think Walmart will carry them but I am sure that someone, somewhere has them.

Really you think it is silly to buy organic???????????? A pound of cotton has 17 pounds of chemical pesticide used on it. That is a lot of nastiness in your drinking water/ocean fish/soil that your children and grandchildren will have to deal with. Lots of the cotton used in american clothing is grown here still, so that is our land getting poisoned (not that it should be different in other countries). Don't even mention fertilizers. All of these compounds are petroleum based- anyone wanting any sort of oil independance needs to get on board with the organic/natural production of crops.

Walmart does carry some organic products, but I don't know if that brand has an organic line yet- look online. I got organic cotton socks at walmart for a buck a pair- very worth it IMO. They also sell stuff that is grown organically, but not certified called transition cotton. If your DH really likes that brand, look online and see if there is a similar style by another brand (if that brand doesn't have an organic line) and order a pair and see what he thinks. Find out their return policy, or contact the company, maybe they can compare their style to other brands?

[neko]

Sorry to be the woman jumping in the men's board, but I've watched this question go unanswered too long.

American Apparel sells its men's briefs and boxer briefs in organic versions. They cost the same as the non-organic version (which is more than your typical wall mart three pack) and come in many tasty colors. You can buy them online if you don't have a store nearby.

HTH

[dadinblue]

Yeah, going out of my way and seriously impacting my family's ability to eat, be clothed and housed just to buy "organic" or "green" is silly. I'd rather buy a 3-pack of Fruit of the Loom for $6 and have that $10 left over than buy one pair of "organic" cotton for $16.

I can't find any source for the 17lbs of pesticides claim. Can you provide a link?

That being said, if organic and non was the same quality, price, construction, had the same longevity etc, I would buy organic. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way.

[Ruthla]

Originally Posted by plunky

I'm one of those dudes that just wanders into a department store or Walmart or whatever and grabs a pack of underwear in my size and wanders out satisfied. The idea of organic cotton underwear amuses me. Is there inorganic cotton?

Yes, technically all cotton is 'organic" in that it grows from the ground. But the term "organic", when applied to cotton, carrots, lettuce, broccoli, etc, refers to crops grown without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Organic meat (and dairy and eggs) refers to animals that were fed a diet of organic (synthetic chemical free) plants.

In the case of food, people choose organic to reduce the pesticides we end up ingesting. In the case of cotton, it's out of environmental concerns.

[Unconventional1]

Originally Posted by dadinblue

Yeah, going out of my way and seriously impacting my family's ability to eat, be clothed and housed just to buy "organic" or "green" is silly. I'd rather buy a 3-pack of Fruit of the Loom for $6 and have that $10 left over than buy one pair of "organic" cotton for $16.

I can't find any source for the 17lbs of pesticides claim. Can you provide a link?

That being said, if organic and non was the same quality, price, construction, had the same longevity etc, I would buy organic. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out that way.

I never said that your family should suffer to buy organic cotton. But to make light of the environmental impact of growing conventionally is pretty absurd given what we know about pesticides and the dangers of their over-use. I buy organic when I can, and I don't when I can't. I bought organic linens, because they were on clearance for cheap, and they last a lot longer than something like underwear. It cost me a little extra, but it was worth it IMO. I would never put my family at risk over it though, and I don't know anyone else that would- coming up with that thought is pretty silly.

If you can afford organic underwear, and you choose that path, good for you! Because you are making a difference with your choices, and every little bit is an accomplishment for our future at this point. Just imagine if the demand for organic crops goes up, then prices might actually go down as more fields are converted. Plus you get to know that those underwear didn't cause as much strain on our beautiful mother, and the people who handled the cotton are healthier and are less at risk for fertility problems, cancer and a whole host of other issues that go along with those chemicals.

[grant]

Originally Posted by neko

Sorry to be the woman jumping in the men's board, but I've watched this question go unanswered too long.

American Apparel sells its men's briefs and boxer briefs in organic versions. They cost the same as the non-organic version (which is more than your typical wall mart three pack) and come in many tasty colors. You can buy them online if you don't have a store nearby.

HTH

Thanks