By Kylie Pash

Environmentally-aware and health-conscious parents are increasingly turning to organic materials to clothe their babies and children.

As little as five years ago, organic clothes for babies were extremely difficult to come by, and if you could find them, too expensive for all but the wealthiest families.

But that's changing.

Environmentally friendly

Mother of three small children, Emma Davidson, says it's common sense to her to dress her children in organic clothes whenever possible.

"It's the environmental issue for me," she says.

"The massive pesticide use for conventional cotton is really wrong, and as there is a better alternative I believe I should buy it."

Emma says in recent years she's found it much easier to buy organic.

"I remember when I first started to look for things (about four years ago), and there was only one brand I could find, in only one shop," she says.

"Now there are a million online retailers and it's starting to filter into boutique baby shops and even some of the discount department stores are stocking organic baby and kids' clothes."

Cost, too, is less of an issue than it once was.

"I don't think it's prohibitive any more.  It's about the same price as any other good quality children's clothing - it's not really high-end, top-of-the-range prices."

Health conscious

Internationally, more pesticides and herbicides are used on cotton than on any other crop.

There is small but mounting evidence that the chemicals used in cotton production find their way into the human body.

In large doses, these herbicides and pesticides have been linked to a range of health problems including hormonal imbalance, cancer, and neurological disorders.

Consumers are increasingly demanding chemical-free cotton out of concern for their own health and that of the environment, while producers are starting to move towards organic cotton and other fibres either through a desire to farm in a more environmentally sustainable manner, or because of the sheer demand for these products.

Certification programs and standards vary internationally and even within Australia.

Generally, though, when a product is labelled "certified organic", the farmer has met certain basic standards of chemical-free production, and has agreed to keep detailed production records and undergo regular inspections.

In Australia, Australian Certified Organic (ACO) is widely regarded to be the top certification body - if you see its swirly logo on the clothing tag, the product is not only chemical-free but has been produced by people who have been paid a fair wage for their labour, in safe, clean working conditions.

The ACO says certified organic fibres produced in Australia include cashmere, wool, alpaca, cotton, mohair, angora, and hemp.

Cotton is the most common - and cheapest - organic fibre sold as baby clothes in Australia.

"It's also great to see hemp, bamboo, soy and other eco-friendly fibres making their way into major clothing chains," Emma Davidson says.

"I choose organics for my children because it's better for the environment. I think it's great that that choice is becoming available to more parents."