![House t-shirt - worn by Erin [Photo by New Internationalist] (CC BY-SA 3.0)](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/2906026989_14e3d219e0.jpg)
Fair trade coffee, tea and other food products have paved the way for the next wave of fair trade products in the form of clothing from cotton that is grown organically and produced ethically.
The fair trade movement that has gained momentum in the US, Europe and Australia is putting a big focus on clothing with campaigns like “Show Your Label”, and merchants are beginning to source more ethically produced T-shirts, pants, dresses and accessories to meet the demand. Estimates are that 100 million families in over 70 countries depend on cotton production to earn a living.
Yet cotton is the crop that is associated with the highest use of pesticides worldwide, and the irrigation run-off is a major source of global water pollution. Workers all along the supply chain are paid very poorly as they work long hours in sweatshop conditions, but a fair trade system has allowed some producers to live a more healthy and dignified life.
Fair Trade Clothing http://goo.gl/fb/cnzL3 #socent