Organic Cotton vs. Conventional Cotton

Cotton is one of the oldest materials used for clothing, with fragments of cotton fabric being found from as far back as the Bronze Age. It's pure cellulose found in a fluffy form that is enveloped by the protective boil of a cotton plant. Wild cotton and its domesticated relatives grow all over the world, from Asia and Africa to Europe and the Americas. The name itself, "cotton", lends its origin to the Arabic word قطن (qutn) because it was the medieval Arabs who introduced cotton to the Romance-language world.

Over the centuries, cotton has been cultivated in a few species for mass purposes, with a majority of the cotton industry using chemicals and genetic modification to bring us the conventional cotton we see in most of our clothing products. However, this process brings great harm to our environment and thus a more sustainable alternative is being championed: organic cotton. Organic cotton is hypoallergenic, not genetically altered, and free of chemicals.

The process of developing conventional cotton into a fabric that can be used for consumption is a wasteful one. The U.S. alone is responsible for spending $2 billion worth of pesticides in cotton farming. Cotton also accounts for 16% of global insecticide use. These figures, provided by the Environmental Justice Foundation, demonstrate the massive chemical use that contributes to conventional cotton production. These hazardous agrochemicals can pollute the air and water of the areas adjacent to the farmland. 

 To understand the danger that these chemicals pose, we can look at India, where one third of the world's cotton farmers live. Research done through these farmers shows that within a 5 month period, 97 cotton farmers experienced 323 separate cases of illness. Even those who do not work in the farms but merely live within their proximity are susceptible to pesticide poisoning through the air or through contaminated freshwater sources. Additionally, 99% of cotton farming occurs within developing countries, where there is little enforcement of even the lenient working regulations. This means that most cotton farmers are at the mercy of loose safety regulations and a lack of healthcare provisions. (Environmental Justice Foundation)

However, the sustainability movement has pushed away from the use of conventional cotton and its chemical trappings. Instead, organic cotton is held up as the option that considers the best conditions for both the environment and the people. According to the Soil Association, growing organic cotton use 91% fewer liters of water than conventional cotton. The process also produces healthier soil through natural composting methods and keeps the waterways clean of pesticides. These conditions as well as the lower rate of greenhouse gas emission also make organic cotton a better option for climate change. Lastly, organic cotton takes into consideration the livelihood of its farmers. Without reliance on the genetically modified seeding oligopoly, the income produced by organic cotton farming goes back to the farmers themselves. They are also able to have better health without the harmful effects of chemical use ruling over their lives. 

As you can see, organic cotton is the sustainable solution for the fashion industry's cotton needs. Sustainable designers such as Stella McCartney and People Tree have taken the initiative to produce organic cotton clothing, bringing this issue to the forefront of fashion's future development. Next time you go shopping, take a second to find out what materials were used to make the clothing. 

*This post was originally published on thoughtfully-made.weebly.com