Organic Cotton Fabric

These are some of the advantages of organic cotton:

1. Minimizes synthetic inputs: Organic cotton reduces synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, relying instead on biodiversity and natural methods for soil health and pest control.
2. Reduced carbon emissions compared to regular cotton: Organic cotton generates 60.2% fewer carbon emissions than conventional cotton, significantly lowering its environmental impact and contributing to climate change mitigation.
3. Enhances soil health and ecosystem vitality: Cultivating organic cotton improves soil fertility and longevity by boosting nutrient retention and supporting beneficial microorganisms, contributing to long-term agricultural productivity.
4. Provides economic benefits for farmers: Organic cotton farming lowers input costs and allows farmers to earn higher prices. Although yields may be lower, premium prices enhance financial stability for many smallholders.
5. Produces non-GMO cottonseed: The price of non-GMO cottonseed is 400 to 660 dollars per ton, nearly twice that of conventional cottonseed. This provides further benefits for organic farmers.
6. Protects water sources from chemical contamination: Organic cotton farming avoids synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, preventing harmful chemicals from polluting surface and groundwater.
7. Reduces farmer exposure to toxic chemicals: Eliminating synthetic chemicals enhances the health and safety of farming communities and reduces farmers' exposure to harmful substances.

Organic cotton fabric, like regular cotton, is widely used for its softness and comfort, as well as its natural, plant-based origin. The fabric is breathable and moisture-wicking, helping to keep skin dry and comfortable. It is also heat-resistant, ironable, and machine washable, making it a practical choice for everyday use. However, organic cotton, like regular cotton, may shrink when washed and is prone to wrinkles.

Organic and regular cotton are identical in finished product quality and physical properties, and the common belief that organic cotton is softer or more durable than conventional cotton is not accurate. Softness and durability depend on the cotton variety and fiber length, which affect yarn strength, evenness, and spinning efficiency.

Organic cotton standards are classified based on their scope and focus, corresponding to different stages of the textile supply chain. The first stage, farming, is mandatory for labeling cotton fibers as "organic" and is regulated by governments. Subsequently, voluntary private standards take over during the processing (or reprocessing) of fiber into the fabric.

Here’s a closer look at the three levels of standards for organic cotton fabric production:

1. Farm-level: Typically governmental standards like the National Organic Program (USA), Organic Regulation 2018/848 (EU), and National Programme for Organic Production (India). These three account for 94% of global organic cotton production and focus solely on certifying organic farming practices nationally. These standards are also typically aligned with the IFOAM requirements.
2. Processing-level: Private standards like GOTS address social and environmental sustainability during textile processing stages, such as ginning, spinning, weaving, and dyeing. The Organic Content Standard (OCS) focuses on the chain of custody, ensuring that the organic material content is transparently tracked and verified at every stage throughout the supply chain.
3. Reprocessing-level: For recycled fabrics such as recycled cotton, recycled wool, and recycled polyester, two key standards assess reprocessing activities. The Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) verifies recycled material content through chain of custody, while the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) adds stricter requirements, including social and environmental criteria.

The two key standards to search in organic cotton fabrics are GOTS and OCS. Let’s explore them in detail:

• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): GOTS is the most comprehensive sustainability certification for organic cotton and other organic fabrics, addressing both environmental and social impacts throughout the entire textile supply chain. It goes beyond verifying organic status by considering the full lifecycle of textiles, with strict requirements for energy and resource use, waste management, fair wages, and safe working conditions, among other criteria. In 2023, 14,676 sites worldwide were GOTS-certified.
• Organic Content Standard (OCS): OCS verifies the presence and amount of organic cotton fibers in a finished product through third-party auditing and chain-of-custody tracking. Unlike GOTS, it does not include environmental or social criteria beyond those directly related to organic farming. Instead, OCS focuses on promoting organic agriculture and ensuring supply chain transparency, helping consumers trust organic content claims. In 2023, 13,859 sites worldwide were OCS-certified.