2 IN STITCHES

CHRISTINE BLANK

At first glance, organic clothing and supermarkets might not seem a perfect fit. In the right setting, however, a well-thought-out selection of apparel can flatter the even the toughest-minded consumer.

H.E. Butt Grocery Co. and Wegmans Food Markets have been carrying small sets of organic clothing for years, while Safeway-owned Dominick's recently added a few items for women and babies at a handful of its Lifestyle units in Chicago, as well as in two Colorado-area stores. H.E. Butt, San Antonio, carries 10 to 15 selections of organic clothing in both its H-E-B and Central Market stores.

“It makes sense that we're in all Wild Oats and Whole Foods stores, but the unique thing is that we're in more of the conventional supermarkets [now],” said Doug Wilson, vice president of sales for clothing manufacturer Maggie's Functional Organics, Ypsilanti, Mich.

Consumers' growing awareness of pesticide use — on both food crops and cotton — along with a growing desire to add new dimensions to their whole-health lifestyle has prompted many supermarkets to test certain clothing items.

Global organic cotton sales are projected to reach $2.6 billion by the end of 2008, according to nonprofit organic agriculture promotion company Organic Exchange, Oakland, Calif.