Why you should only buy organic cotton16/05/2014
by Kira Walton
When we think of pollution, we usually think first of rubbish, harmful fertilizers and pesticides. We think of chemical manufacturing, mining, oil and other industries which we imagine to use and produce these harmful pollutants. But did you know that the textile industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world, second only to oil in terms of its environmental impact?
25% of chemicals produced worldwide are used for textiles. The industry is the number two polluter of clean water after agriculture. Unfortunately, when we think of fashion, clothing and textiles, environmental and social responsibility are not always high on our list of priorities.
On April 24th last year, 1,133 people were killed, when the Rana Plaza factory collapsed in Bangladesh. People need to think about who makes their clothes and where they come from. This is vital if we are to avoid another tragedy like this.
But the story starts long before the factories.
There are 100 million cotton farmers producing cotton in 80 countries around the world. Two thirds of all cotton is produced in developing countries and 99% of cotton farmers live and work in the developing world. Most cotton is very
intensively produced – cotton takes up 2.5% of agricultural land but uses a stagger
ing 16% of all the insecticide sprays used in farming globally.
Shockingly, there are approximately 20,000 deaths per year as a result of pesticide poisoning. Most of the illness and deaths affect cotton farmers in developing countries, where poverty makes people more susceptible to risk, either due to lack of understanding of the risk, illiteracy or poor protective clothing.
As well as killing many people and affecting the health of many more, the pesticides used in cotton farming can also damage the environment by polluting vegetables, plants, wells and rivers affecting families’ food sources.
The Organic Alternative
Luckily, not all cotton is produced like this. Organic cotton is grown without dangerous pesticides which mean farmers and the environment are protected. The Organic movement run by the Soil Association, ‘Have You Cottoned On Yet?’, shows, organic cotton also has a range of other benefits, such as helping farmers to feed their families, using less fresh water and combatting climate change.
The demand for organic cotton (recognised by the Global Organic Textile Standard) is growing. While we may not be ready to give up our favourite fashion brands just yet, we can still make a difference without jeopardising our style!
How you can make a difference: Buy organic cotton!
Buying textiles that carry the GOTS symbol such as organic muslin facial cloths, organic rugs or organic towels means that not only can you ensure that the cotton you are buying is organically produced, but also that the factories where the textiles are made are inspected to strict social and environmental criteria, putting the welfare of their workers first.
As shoppers, we can all show our support to the brands and retailers that are leading the way and put our money where our mouths are by buying responsibly produced textiles such as those carrying the GOTS symbol.
We hope you liked our tips on how to ‘Cotton On’. Have you used organic cotton before?
VOYA uses organic cotton sheets for body wraps and spa treatments.