Organic Cotton – The Bigger Picture
Honestly before beginning our research we did not know so much about the differences between regular cotton and organic cotton. So we are not going to be patronising and attempt to say we knew everything about the cotton industry or the benefits of organic cotton. A lot of what we read during our research into the cotton industry was shocking and sometimes disturbing. So when you read further feel good about finding out what really is going on, and then decide what action to take.
We did and so we only produce using CERTIFIED ORGANIC COTTON.
Organic Cotton and your Garment. (We will highlight them green)
The advantages directly to you as the owner are five fold.
Organic cotton fabric allows your body to breathe more reducing perspiration and the feeling of stickiness
Organic cotton allows the natural odours from your body to be released more easily and does not hold body odours after washing.
Organic cotton is softer to the touch and feels wonderful against your skin.
Organic cotton garments contain no residual toxic substances. So you know your health and particularly your skin is safe.
Organic cotton is not striped of its natural wax, this;
· increases the smoothness of the fabric;
· promotes a flattering drape;
· enhances the subtle yet mellowing way it absorbs and reflects light.
Did you know Organic Cotton is brown in colour when grown? White cotton signifies a genetically modified cotton plant.
Facts about the Cotton Industry as a Whole
Organic cotton fabric is most defiantly not the available norm when buying clothing garments that are worn regularly. Why is this? Well the main reason is availability and therefore cost. The cotton industry across the planet is worth $12 billion dollars per year. The proportion of that which is organic cotton is 0.03%, 6000 Tons or $360 million dollars.
In Regular Cotton Production
- 24% of the world’s insecticides and 11% of the world’s pesticides are used on regular cotton yearly.
- 0.15kg of chemicals are used in producing just one t-shirt.
- More chemicals are used in growing cotton than any other crop.
- 25 million tons of cotton is produced each year, enough to make 60 billion t-shirts.
- Cotton is grown in frost free and sunny environments.
- Cotton is a very thirsty plant and requires between 8,000 and 20,000litres of water per kilogram harvested.
- Cotton is also demanding in its search for sunshine, requiring balanced temperatures between 18°C and 28°C.
- The World Trade Organisation estimates that 20,000 deaths and 3 Million chronic health problems are caused by the use of agricultural pesticides in developing nations.
- The chemicals used in cotton farming are severely toxic, so bad that 3 of the main 12 chemicals used were banned in 2001 at the United Nations Environmental Programme Conference. These chemicals are part of the so called ‘dirty dozen’; however the use of these chemicals still has not been stopped.
Why is Organic Cotton Important to you?
Cotton represents trade potential for over fifty countries.
The abuse of this commodity for advantage of profit leads to harmful humanitarian and planetary suffering that goes largely unseen by the human eye far away from the cotton fields of developing nations.
Cotton farming is the most chemical intensive process among all crops worldwide. This has direct application to developed nations as the chemicals used can enter our lives easier than you may think.
Direct Affect on the Developed Nations of the World
The greatest yield from a cotton crop is cottonseed; cotton oil is extracted from cotton seed. Cottonseed oil is very difficult to extract and even more chemicals are used to complete the process. Cotton seed is commonly used in animal feed and many foods for humans. The likelihood of food chain contamination is high, so even though you may think you only eat non-genetically modified (GM) foods or regardless of GM, that you are eating healthy foods, chemical toxins could be entering your body daily.
- In the USA, CaliforniaState, 5 out of the 9 most popular pesticides are cancer causing chemicals.
- In the USA deaths directly linked to cancers caused by pesticides yearly number 10,400.
- Insecticides, pesticides and other chemicals can and will contaminate water supplies. Most regional treatment plants have the ability to filter water, however some will always pass through. Although the UK cotton farming industry is basically non-existent. This contamination will occur regardless of the crop when insecticides and pesticides are used.
Direct Affects on the Farmers and Farm Workers
Organic cotton does not use any manmade chemicals in the growing or harvesting of the crops.
Therefore,
- Ground water pollution is avoided,
- Soil fertility is retained,
- Cotton farm owners, workers and local people are not affected by the dehabilitating affects of insecticide and pesticide poisoning,
- Diseases ranging from neurological and vision disorders in Egyptian cotton workers in the 1990’s.
- Cell death and skin aberrations among 91% of Indian cotton workers.
- Simply put the affect of disease, human suffering can be avoided by returning to methods of traditional farming.
“Organic cotton farming is rediscovering old techniques and applying them with a new plough” (La Rhea Pepper, Texan Organic Cotton Farmer).
Clearly the work is still hard and painstaking but more human hands are put to work and, put to work at less personal risk of pain and suffering.
- Sustainability of the local community and local investment for the community.
The money that is invested in chemicals by farmers escalates yearly as the bugs and crop weeds that they are attempting to destroy become resistant to their attacks. ‘Wouldn’t this money be better used to pay local people to employ traditional methods to cultivate and care for the crop?’ Investing money in the local community to support stability and well being, rather than multi-national chemical companies who already hold a large proportion of the world’s wealth, would have a positive affect on the lives of many.
- Organic Cotton farmers are paid a fair price for their cotton. So they can pay a fair wage to their workers. This also helps farmers make a fair living without having to rely on bank loans.
- Crop rotation is used when growing organic cotton because organic cotton is seasonal. This allows the farmers to grow other produce to feed and nourish their family and workers or sell internationally and locally as organic produce.
- Seasonal crop rotation increases the fertility of the soil and with it the ability to attain naturally higher yields.
So there you have it the truth from what we can establish about the cotton industry and the advantages of Organic cotton. If you continue to research and find any other striking omissions from what we have deduced to be the truth, or any other major advantages or personal stories please drop us a line and we will be happy to include and or update our information.
Thanks for reading.