Less Synthetic Pesticides, Insecticides & Herbicides Used, & More Of A Focus On Natural & Organic Chemicals & Methods Used For Pest Control – organic cotton places more of a focus on using natural and organic pest control methods compared to conventional cotton that uses synthetic pesticide chemicals. Organic cotton is grown without harmful chemicals, leaving the soil, air and water free from contaminates that cause harm. What Is The Most Sustainable Meat To Eat? But again, I have seen cotton shirts too that are smooth. And it has tons of positive impact not only on the planet but on your precious skin as well. That includes working with initiatives like the Organic Cotton Roundtable to build farmer capacity to produce more organic cotton, Consumer Awareness For Organic Cotton May Need To Be Increased – Per triplepundit.com: Consumer awareness and demand also needs to increase for organic cotton to become more prominent, Market For Organic Cotton Is Currently Very Small – compared to regular cotton, Can Be More Expensive To Buy Organic Cotton For Consumers – Per triplepundit.com: Consumers buying organic cotton clothing for example from a shop, may find that certified organic cotton products are slightly more expensive than regular cotton. Organic cotton products are softer than regular cotton because of the longer fibers. GOTS certification covers the production, processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, exportation, importation and distribution of all natural fibers; that means, specifically, for example: use of certified organic fibers, prohibition of all GMOs and their derivatives; and prohibition of a long list of synthetic chemicals (for example: formaldehyde and aromatic solvents are prohibited; dyestuffs must meet strict requirements (such as threshold limits for heavy metals, no AZO colorants or aromatic amines) and PVC cannot be used for packaging). Per qz.com: particular chemicals used in conventional farming have raised serious concerns, such as glyphosate, a widely used herbicide that’s the key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller brand, which the World Health Organization has deemed a “probable carcinogen” based on studies of workers who used the product. Then I let you make your own decisions. thegreenhubonline.com: Organic cotton has less of a reliance on non natural resources, and more reliance on the natural land, soil etc …, conserves water (making the soil more friable so rainwater is absorbed better – lessening irrigation requirements and erosion) … [and it], and compared to forests, agricultural soils may be a more secure sink for atmospheric carbon, since they are not vulnerable to logging and wildfire …, sourcingjournal.com: Each [cotton] farm and geographic region of the world will have different water usage and impacts. Our organic cotton textiles are processed into fibre using organic chemicals that are covered under the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification and are 100% recyclable. Projects & Contacts. Per organiccottonplus.com: Chemicals used to grow conventional cotton have tremendous impact on the earth’s air, water, soil, and the health of people in cotton-growing areas. The process utilises a 'closed-loop' system where all chemicals used are recycled and used again, and again. Less Toxic Runoff Into Soil, & Freshwater Sources & The Ocean – Both synthetic pesticides and fertilizers can leach or seep down through the soil causing soil contamination issues, and also into ground water aquifers when washed away by rainfall. Labor involved in the farming practices can be more intensive too – like for example the practices involved in manually de-weeding or crop rotation. There are some other factors too that are not necessarily pros, nor cons of organic cotton. There is a … It is less toxic, better for your skin, and seems to be better for the environment. Other factors such as climate change, decreasing prices of cotton and tough competition from farmers in rich countries don’t make it any easier … Sadly, suicide rates among cotton farmers have been high in the last 20 years. Those pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers are being used for a reason. in dying, bleaching and printing etc. qz.com: particular chemicals used in conventional farming have raised serious concerns, such as glyphosate, a widely used herbicide that’s the key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller brand, which the World Health Organization has deemed a “probable carcinogen” based on studies of workers who used the product. Then there’s greenwashing which is a whole other problem. With 83 percent of cotton coming from GMO seeds, it one one of the top four GMO crops produced in the world alongside soy (89 percent), canola (75 percent) and corn (61 percent), Lesser Reliance On Certain Non Natural Resources & Inputs Overall (Fertilizers, Pesiticides, Chemicals, GMO Seeds, & So On), Which Can Increase Independence & Decrease Some Costs & Debt For Farmers – Per thegreenhubonline.com: Organic cotton has less of a reliance on non natural resources, and more reliance on the natural land, soil etc … This lessened reliance decreases some costs, and creates more independence for farmers … With seeds in particular, some developing country farmers may go into debt buying non renewable seeds from cotton seed suppliers. Approximately 25 million tons of cotton are grown around the world every year, ending up in our sheets, clothing, towels, beauty supplies, and more. Gluten-free. low income farmers in low income areas of the world who’s livelihood is tied to their farming income. This is why we love organic cotton. These chemicals are also said to have harmful effects on farmers’ health. Per swedishlinens.com: It takes 2700 litres of water to produce one cotton t shirt …1 billion people don’t have access to freshwater and 2.4 billion people suffer from inadequate sanitation. Organic cotton uses far less water too. Caring for … frankandoak.com: Conventional cotton might involve … leaves removed by toxic chemical defoliant … [but]. In addition to destroying the land, thousands of farmers die from exposure to these chemicals every year. Organic clothing is grown safely and processed … The use of natural/organic pest control chemicals and methods may reduce this, or eliminate it from happening. Some Natural Or Organic Pesticides Can Be As Harmful As Some Synthetic Ones – Per fashionhedge.com: Some natural pesticides can be as harmful as some of the synthetic ones used. Some People Experience That Organic Cotton Can Be Softer Than Regular Cotton – Some people will say that organic cotton is softer than regular cotton in general, or because the fibres are longer. The Pretty Planeteer help fashion-forward people dress more sustainably. And with deforestation, there comes global warming, biodiversity loss, acidification, and all the other stuff we once thought is going to lessen with organic cotton farming. Lesser Chance Of Pesticide Resistant Pests Developing, and Secondary Pests Developing – Synthetic pesticides might cause pesticide resistant pests to develop after consistent or repeated exposure to the synthetic chemicals. However, a higher workload, due to the higher work intensity of organic farming practices, was also observed, with this impacting women more than men. The majority of organic cotton is completely handpicked which preserves the length and strength of the fibers, which leads to a stronger, more durable textile once the cotton has been woven. We’ve put together a short summary guide outlining some of the further key differences between organic and regular cotton, and we’ve also included some other useful information such as alternatives to cotton as a material. triplepundit.com: Properly certified organic cotton can take time to set up the supply lines and production facilities. All the Pros and Cons of Organic Cotton You Might Want to Know About. A buyer of regular cotton might have no uniform or recognised way of knowing how that cotton was grown and processed, and the impact it’s had on society and the environment. Per swedishlinens.com: GOTS certified organic cotton for example places and emphasis on social/ethical cotton – where workers have access to a safe and fair work environment … About 100 million households are engaged in growing and producing cotton and 300 million people work in the cotton sector as a whole … The majority of [non-organic] cotton farmers and workers live in developing countries, work extremely long hours, are exposed to poisonous substances daily and earning very little in wages … In fact, many of them have unsustainable debts because they are unable to keep up with employer demands. The KG of CO2 emissions per ton of spun fiber for conventional cotton (USA) is 5.90, compared to 3.80 for organic cotton (India) and 2.35 for organic cotton (USA). Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. According to WWF, in the biggest cotton producer countries (India, US, Pakistan, China) 2.4% of the farmable land is already used for growing cotton. But these are some interesting things to know if we want to decide which is better: organic or non-organic cotton. This is extremely important, because if we are talking about sustainability, the scarcity of resources has to be taken into account: world hunger and clean water are two areas in which efficiency is capital to build a sustainable future. The question also has to be asked – what measurement or indicator is most important to you? That’s because conventional cotton has been genetically engineered for that purpose. However, over the longer time frame, productivity advantages dwindle. What is organic cotton? Doesn’t Currently Have The Subsidisation Protection Regular Cotton Does In Some Countries – regular cotton benefits from heavy subsidisation in some countries, whereas organic cotton usually doesn’t, Can Struggle To Meet Demand, Increase Market Share, & There Can Be Other Costs Involved – Per triplepundit.com: Properly certified organic cotton can take time to set up the supply lines and production facilities. However, from now on, I’ll only buy GOTS certified organic cotton so I can be sure it was dyed organically. The problem is even worse in developing countries with uninformed consumers, and lack of stable institutions and property rights. Many allergies may be caused by chemicals in cotton fibers we either wear, or sleep on. These cookies do not store any personal information. Disadvantages of Organic Cotton. Organic cotton uses far less [fresh] water to grow since organic cotton growers typically utilize rain far more than irrigation. 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