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Natural and Organic Clothing Shops in New York

Clothing manufacturing is hard on the environment. Nearly 25 percent of all pesticides used around the world are sprayed on cotton crops. When the treated cotton is harvested, bleached and spun to make clothes, elements of the pesticides and chemicals remain deep within the fabric's fibers.

Concern for the dangers of these chemical residues, especially worn close to the skin, has sparked a consumer interest in untreated natural and organic clothing. Nationwide, the organic apparel market is thriving, with high-end fashion designers joining with local, green boutiques to provide more options for organic clothes than ever before.

Yet not all organic apparel is equally green. While some fabrics are made only of organically certified cotton, others mix traditional cotton with organic fibers or fail to meet other environmental or ethical sourcing standards.

Thankfully for New Yorkers, a number of brick and mortar New York City shops go the extra mile to stock items they work hard to make sure are truly the wisest choice for both their customers and the environment.

Giggle: Soho
120 Wooster St.
New York, NY 10012
(212) 334-5817
giggle.com

With additional locations on both the upper east side and upper west side of Manhattan, Giggle is an upscale children's shop that offers a line of 100-percent certified organic baby clothes as well as an assortment of organic toys for little chewers. All of the products undergo an extensive research process to make sure the items are safe for your child and meet environmental and sustainable claims. In addition, the store focuses on local products and giving back to the community.

Kaight
382 Atlantic Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 858-4737
kaightshop.com

Kaight is an independent boutique that combines eco-friendly fashions with emerging designers. Featuring one-of-a-kind clothes made with sustainable, organic materials, Kaight's collection includes hand-spun yarn creations, locally crafted items and trendy statement pieces that meet the highest standards of natural and organic apparel.

Gudrun Sjödén
50 Greene St.
New York, NY 10013
(212) 219-2510
gudrunsjoden.com

Gudrun Sjödén's colorful, eco-friendly designs are now available in New York City. The SOHO store, the only retail outlet in the United States, has been dubbed her 'green oasis' by the Scandinavian designer and features the flowy, nature-inspired designs that have made Sjödén's work a mainstay among women who want bright, fun and environmentally friendly fashion.

Piccolini
230 Mulberry St.
New York, NY 10012
(212) 775-1118
lovepiccolini.com

In addition to organic and conventional cotton baby clothes in bright colors, this Mulberry Street store offers renditions of lullabies featuring some of the biggest musical artists of all times including Guns N' Roses, Jay-Z and Aerosmith. Funky and fun, look for New York organic line Estella on the store's shelves to make certain you are getting 100 percent organic and ethically sourced material for your little one.

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Tamar Auber is a freelance writer whose work can be found on Examiner.com.

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