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Organic cotton

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Cotton field

Organic cotton is cotton that is grown without insecticide or pesticide. Cotton is the most pesticide-dependent crop in the world, accounting for 25% of the world's pesticides. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 20,000 deaths occur each year from pesticide poisioning in developing countries, many of these from cotton farming.

1 Organic cotton
2 Conventional cotton and organic cotton
3 Certification of Organic Cotton
4 The Expanding Organic Cotton Market
5 Related terms
6 See also
- 6.1 Internal links
- 6.2 External links

[edit] Organic cotton

Organic agriculture uses methods that are ecological, economical, and socially sustainable. This is why organic agriculture denies the use of agrochemicals and artificial fertilisers. In stead, organic agriculture uses crop rotation, the cropping of different crops than cotton. The use of insecticides is prohibited; organic agriculture uses natural enemies to suppress harmful insects. The production of organic cotton is more expensive than the production of conventional cotton, however there is no pollution or overproduction.

[edit] Conventional cotton and organic cotton

Cotton is grown in the (sub)tropics. In addition to the six big producers (US, China, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkey) cotton is produced in over 60 countries. It is an important source of income for millions of small farmers and contributes significantly to the national economy of many developing countries. Approximately 40 million hectares of cotton are grown worldwide, this equals 3% of the land used for agriculture.

Despite competition from synthetic fibres, cotton remains an important fibre. Cotton provides about half of all global fibre requirements. Regrettably a large number of adverse effects on the environment are inherent to the conventional production of cotton. A large amount of agrochemicals is used for its production; cotton production uses a larger amount of chemicals per hectare than any other crop. During the first years of cotton growth not too many pesticides are needed. Through irresponsible and large scale use of insecticides insects become resistant and after several years more and stronger pesticides are needed. The use of agrochemicals and artificial fertilisers and the careless treatment of the soil result in soil pollution and erosion. This can be so severe that land is no longer suitable for agricultural use, or any other use.

The processing of cotton has large effects on the environment. The chemicals used in the processing end up in the environment and pollute the air and surface waters. Even consumers can experience the effects of the many chemicals. Irritated skin can be caused by chemicals that reside in the clothing. Detergents and bleaches are prone to cause irritated skin. In addition, the textile industry is often associated with poor circumstances for labourers: long workdays with compulsory overtime, unsafe work environments, and poor wages.

The size of the global cotton-growing area has not changed much since the 1930s but average yields have increased threefold through the intensive use of synthetic chemicals, irrigation and the use of higher-yielding plant varieties. Conventional cotton is very prone to insect attacks and large quantities of the most toxic insecticides are used in its production. Cotton accounts for about 25% of the global insecticides market by value and about 10% of the pesticides market. The intensive use of toxic insecticides and other toxic chemicals in cotton has caused serious health and environmental impacts, including farmer and farmworker poisonings, water contamination and bird and fish kills.

So serious are the negative impacts of chemical-intensive agricultural production, that momentum for change has grown considerably in recent years. The trend toward more environmentally friendly production methods is supported by a variety of interests including farmers wanting to escape the chemical treadmill, enlightened companies under pressure of increased environmental regulation and competition, and informed consumers calling for greater social and environmental accountability. The burgeoning consumer interest in organic food production has now expanded into other areas of organic production including cotton fibre produced in organic systems.

Organic cotton is produced in organic agricultural systems that produce food and fibre according to clearly established standards. Organic agriculture prohibits the use of toxic and persistent chemical pesticides and fertilizers, as well as genetically modified organisms. It seeks to build biologically diverse agricultural systems, replenish and maintain soil fertility, and promote a healthy environment.

[edit] Certification of Organic Cotton

Certification of organic cotton production adds credibility to the final product, assures the buyer of the organic status of the product and encourages payment of premium prices to farmers who engage in organic practices. Certification is a system which sets standards, ensures that organic standards are met and communicates compliance to consumers through appropriate labelling. When a grower or processor is "certified organic," an independent organisation has verified that the company meets or exceeds defined organic standards. Certified organic farms are inspected regularly and must maintain comprehensive records of their production methods.

Certification programmes and standards vary, especially in response to regional differences, although there are general underlying concepts. The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) has produced Basic Standards covering organic production and also textile processing which provide a minimum basis upon which standards in many countries have been based. The International Organic Accreditation Service (IOAS) also exists to accredit certification systems. There are many certification agencies worldwide for organic cotton production but far fewer for certifying cotton processing to assure reduced health and environmental impacts. Several sets of processing standards exist in Europe (KRAV and SKAL for example), and others are being developed in Europe and in the United States.

[edit] The Expanding Organic Cotton Market

Organic cotton is now grown in 18 countries but still represents only a tiny fraction of the total global cotton production - less than 0.1%. The biggest producers in 2001 were Turkey, the United States, India and Peru. Smaller experimental projects are also expanding in size and numbers.

There are also signs that organic cotton is moving out of its niche market into the mainstream with increased interest on the part of supermarkets and large companies. Some clothing and textile companies are becoming interested in blending small quantities of organic cotton with conventional cotton. Purchase of organic cotton for such programs expands organic agricultural production.

Market retail leaders in 2001 were Patagonia (USA - specialist outdoor clothing company), Coop Schweiz (Switzerland - all types of clothing), Nike (USA - sports clothing), Otto (Germany - large mail-order company) and Hess Natur (Germany - medium sized mail-order company). Other well known retailers such as Marks and Spencer (UK) or Migros (Switzerland) are following. With Organic Exchange, there is another US-based movement aiming to encourage more and more mainstream garment and textile companies to use organic cotton. In addition, there is a large and increasing number of small companies involved. The range of products available has also increased and their diversity is well illustrated in this directory. Products now include all kinds of clothing for men, women and children, personal and healthcare products, home furnishings (mattresses, bedding, bath items, table linens and accessories) and fabrics, toys and nappies (diapers) - and even stationery and other paper goods

The textile sector in general is facing price competition as never before. Many companies are seeking comparative advantage in the quality of their products and in 'greening' themselves - and organic cotton is a way of achieving these objectives. The challenge is to communicate the health and environmental benefits of organic cotton production and processing to consumers so that their interest will be expressed in their buying preferences.