SUSTAINABLE FASHION: THE BENEFITS OF ORGANIC COTTON

Everyone loves clothes made of pure and soft cotton. And we are not alone in this, because cotton is one of the most popular and most produced textile fibers worldwide. No wonder: it is breathable, tear-resistant, absorbent, and also very kind to the skin, allergy-friendly and durable. What's not to love? Due to the numerous advantages for clothing, bed linen and the like, around 25 million tons of cotton are harvested every year - but only a pitiful one percent of that is harvested according to ecologically sustainable guidelines. This has devastating effects on nature as a result.

FROM AGRICULTURE TO WATER SHORTAGES: THE PROBLEMS OF COTTON FARMING

Conventional cotton requires mainly warmth, sunshine and plenty of water for proper growth. Originally, the perennial plant was therefore cultivated in tropical areas. In the meantime, however, cotton is cultivated as an annual crop to increase yields and is grown on a large scale in arid regions. The big problem of cultivation in tropical areas: massive rainfall causes the cotton buds to rot quickly. In dry areas, however, artificial irrigation in large quantities is now needed for proper growth. Often, rivers are dammed for this purpose, which in turn lowers the water table and salinizes barren soils, negatively impacting crop yields for local farmers. Cotton's growing conditions from warm climate to humidity also promotes pest proliferation. Large amounts of pesticides are used to control pests, which end up in the soil and ultimately groundwater. Furthermore, conventionally grown cotton is usually harvested mechanically using toxic defoliants for yield reasons. 

Not only the environment, but also the local population suffers from the consequences: lack of water, poor harvests and health problems caused by high levels of pesticides are just some of the problems. Since there is hardly any occupational safety, especially in developing countries, the workers come into direct contact with the toxic chemicals of the pesticides when harvesting the cotton. 

Organic cotton is simply more sustainable than conventional cotton, because it is grown according to ecological and socially responsible guidelines: without agricultural chemicals, without genetic engineering, with natural methods and with a focus on the protection of the workers! 

The use of pesticides is prohibited, instead alternative strategies are used for pest control. For example, the cultivation of sunflowers around the cotton plantation has proven successful, as experience has shown that these tend to attract pests more than the cotton plants. Without pesticides, the pests' natural enemies are also more likely to survive, ensuring a natural balance of the ecological system. 

Organic cotton is usually harvested by hand. Overall, this means that the yields from organic cotton harvests are usually lower, but the environment and workers:inside are protected, as the use of toxic defoliants is eliminated. Farmers generally benefit in terms of health due to less contact with agricultural chemicals.

Instead of artificial fertilizers, manure and compost are used to fertilize the soil in a natural way - as a result, the humus content of the soil is relatively high and more water and CO2 can be absorbed. Ultimately, this significantly reduces water consumption for cultivation. In addition, the organic cotton is grown alternately with other plant species to avoid monoculture. This keeps the soil more fertile and less susceptible to erosion and pest infestation. 

In general, the profit margin of organic cotton is higher because there are no costs for pesticides and fertilizers, and at the same time there are higher market prices for organic cotton. Through multicultivation and variety of different plants, independence from the sole sale of organic cotton is achieved.

SUPPORT THE DIFFERENCE

Ultimately, by buying clothing made from organically grown cotton, you are helping to protect the soil, biodiversity and the health of workers. Its a win-win situation, because organic cotton is also much gentler on your skin than conventionally grown cotton.

ECIZO stands for fair, environmentally friendly fashion and offers high-quality clothing and accessories made from certified sustainable and natural materials. Test the difference and get your new favorite piece of cotton in the finest organic quality: Sustainable tops, dresses, tshirts or pants made of organic cotton are available for ladies, men and children in the most stylish and beautiful variants. 

This blog has been taken from ECIZO's The Green Journal section. No changes has been made while posting it on Blogger.