What is Organic Cotton?

Like the food we grow, cotton is a crop. What makes cotton organic? What are the benefits of buying textiles made with organic cotton?

Five Good Organic Cotton Facts

• Cotton certified as organic, means a cotton fibre which has been grown according to the principles and rules of organic agriculture.
• For organic cotton fibre, these rules are very strict and are legally defined by the EU.
• To be sure, look for the logo.
• Organic agriculture means that the organic cotton fibres are grown and processed without the use of synthetic fertilisers or toxic pesticides and no Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO).
• Organic cotton has to have been grown in soil that has not had synthetic fertilisers or pesticides applied for a three year period.

Organic Cotton Benefits

Choosing to buy textiles made from organic cotton has benefits for you as a consumer and has a key positive influence on the sustainability of products and their social and environmental impacts.  

Health & Well Being

• The purity of organic cotton bed linen means that there are no chemicals present such as Teflon or toxic dyes that can cause an allergic reaction on contact.
• Great quality products start with the raw ingredient and organic produces great quality cotton consistently, naturally. At the cotton growing stage, a focus on farmer product knowledge and education has also helped to promote the use of superior varieties of cotton seed which improves the organic cotton quality that makes organic cotton textiles.
• The level of care and effort that goes in to making the best bedding from seed to sleep is astounding:
  • Fou furnishings ® only sells high thread count linens made from cotton which is picked from the mature cotton bolls
  • The organic cotton fibres we use are long and smooth, the finished fabric is more breathable, meaning it feels great. Plus our linens are hard-wearing and incredibly durable due to the quality of the organic cotton, as well as being luxuriously soft and smooth for the comfort of a great night's sleep.

The Environment

• Organic agriculture benefits the environment by building soil fertility, organic farmers help lock CO2 into the soil, helping mitigate climate change.
• Avoidance of the intensive use of synthetic fertilisers, harmful pesticides and chemicals and associated environmental problems

The People In The Organic Cotton Supply Chain

• Organic cotton benefits the people and communities where the cotton is sourced. Organic cotton projects – such as that based out of Adilabad in the state of Telungana in India – demonstrate the tangible and sustainable difference to the farming groups.
  • Social improvements include increased income levels through Fairtrade organic cotton minimum price and premium from supporting education to micro enterprise.
  • Improved health and wealth among cotton farmers through the avoidance of and reliance on harmful pesticides and synthetic fertilisers.

The Bad Cotton Stats

The cotton textile supply chain has been subject to well publicised and documented social and environmental issues.  

Next Post to follow. #3 What is The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)?