Natural fabrics, such as cotton and linen, are crops grown using similar methods to food crops.  “Organic” is a term that gets used a lot, but what does it really mean? For our certified organic cotton, here’s how it’s different.

Organic Cotton vs. Conventional Cotton

Seeds
Organic cotton uses untreated and genetically unmodified seeds. Approximately 70% of the conventional US grown cotton uses genetically modified seeds.

Soil + Water
Organic cotton relies heavily on crop rotation and ground cover to retain moisture and keep the soil healthy. Conventional cotton uses harsh fertilizers.

Pests + Weeds
Pests + weeds are a huge concern for all types of cash crops. In conventional cotton, pesticides and herbicides are typically used to control pests + weeds, often with a genetically altered seed that resists certain chemicals. Conventional cotton production accounts for about 25% of the world’s insecticide use. With organic cotton, weeds are controlled by hand weeding or machine tilling. Pests are controlled through the use of “beneficial predators” (animals that eat common pests), or by planting a trap crop. Trap crops are used to lure pests away from the cotton.

Harvesting
To harvest cotton, the plant must be defoliated (the green leaves removed to get at the white fibers). Conventional cotton uses chemicals to defoliate. Organic cotton uses seasonal freeze and water starvation to naturally defoliate the cotton plant.

The Pros and Cons of Organic Cotton

Pros

• Organic cotton is much better for the environment compared to conventional cotton because of limited to no use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, which affect far more than just the cotton through run off and aerial spraying.
• Organic cotton has the same properties as conventional cotton. It’s easy to care for, versatile, and durable.
• The United States is one of the top 5 cotton growers in the world. So when you buy cotton, you support the US farm economy.

Cons

• It’s more expensive. Organic cotton is more labor intensive to raise (hand weeding) and yields less cotton per plant compared to conventional cotton. This is the trade-off for not using all the pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.

Resources

To find out more about organic cotton you can visit these links
http://www.aboutorganiccotton.org/
http://www.ota.com/organic/mt/organic_cotton.html