Why Organic cotton

Cotton is the most popular fabric in the world among all the fabrics. When we talk of pure cotton, we feel it soft, fluffy, comfortable and natural. Unfortunately the conventional cotton farming makes the so called "pure cotton" loaded with pesticides, insecticides and other synthetically derived chemicals which are acutely toxic. If you take a little time and find out about all that is behind the making of conventional cotton products you will know that it is creating imbalance in the whole ecosystem, it gives millions of farmers (especially from developing countries) chronic health problems and death and it puts all those who buy into negative health impact.

Ecosystem

Conventional cotton uses 25% of world's insecticides. It is one of the most chemical dependent crops in the world. Heavy use of these synthetically derived chemicals cause soil depletion and contaminate water supply. Thus affecting the local ecosystem. Over years pests become more resistant to pesticides, hence to grow the same amount of cotton, you need more and more chemicals year over year. This takes a tremendous toll on our environment.

Farmer's health

Most of the world's cotton is grown in the developing countries. Safety measures and hygiene are absent while handling the deadly toxic chemicals in these countries. The chemicals enter their body through inhalation and through direct contact. They go through chronic respiratory problems and get infected with many other life threatening diseases. Some of the deadly chemicals which are already band in the developed countries are still used in the developing countries.

Most of the earnings go into the purchase of pesticides with spiraling cost every year as the pest's resistance to the chemical. The farmers have to go into debt so much that it is irrevocable. There is increasing number of farmers committing suicide.

Consumers

The chemicals used in the cultivation and the production of cotton remain in the products even after washing. We breathe in these chemicals through our skin. After the cultivation of the cotton, textile production and finishing uses dyes, bleach, formaldehydes and tons of other chemicals. Most of these chemicals are known carcinogen.

Cotton seeds are used in cattle feeds and dairy feeds. Cottonseed oil is found in mayonnaise, salad dressing, margarine, cake icing, marinates and snacks. Thus entering our food chain.

Natures own solution - Organic cotton

Going organic is the solution to all these problems. Organic cotton is cultivated in a natural, environment friendly way. Organic cotton is grown in soil that is certified free of pesticides, insecticides and other synthetic chemicals. To be organically certified the cotton field has to be free of synthetically derived chemicals for three years.

In the beginning for nearly 4000 years cotton was grown organically. The chemical dependent agriculture became a norm only after the World War II.

Organic cotton farming respects the environment and depends on nature's own systems for controlling pests and disease and avoids the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, growth hormones and genetically modified seeds. Instead, organic farmers use a range of techniques that help sustain ecosystems and reduce pollution.

The insect and the pest problems are solved by using natural pesticides like a mixture of chilli, garlic and other natural ingredients, introducing ladybug and other natural predators that thrive on these pests but does not harm the crop. Soil depletion is controlled by introducing crop rotation - cultivating different crop. This helps the maintenance of the soil nutrients and avoids the built up of pets which is prone to a single crop. The addition of intercropping further helps in pest control. In this process, secondary crop in cultivated between the cotton plots and these crops act as barrier to some pests. Intercropping gives farmer an additional income too.

Unlike the convention cotton, the organic textile production process does not use any synthetic chemicals. There is no use of dyes and bleach. The whole process is environment friendly.