Organically farmed and processed textiles have many social and environmental benefits, and contribute towards fulfilling many of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) They are a great choice for helping to significantly minimise the short and long-term environmental impacts of the textiles and fashion industry. There are several reasons why organic textiles are a sustainable choice.
5 reasons organic cotton is a sustainable choice:
1. Combats climate change
Organic farmers use natural methods to grow cotton, not fossil-fuel based fertilisers. By working with nature, farmers build healthy soils which store carbon and help to combat climate change.
2. Saves precious water
Organic farming builds healthy soils, which act like a sponge, soaking up water during floods and holding it for longer in times of drought. Hazardous synthetic pesticides and fertilisers are banned in organic farming, so rivers, lakes and drinking water are kept cleaner too.
3. Helps farmers feed their families
Organic farmers always grow other crops alongside their cotton. These crops can provide farming families and their communities with a more stable, accessible, abundant, and diverse food supply and another source of income.
4. Gives control to farmers not GM companies
Genetically modified (GM) seeds are banned in organic farming, so farmers are not reliant on a handful of GM companies. Instead, they can save their seeds year after year, and work with the environment in a long-term, sustainable way.
5. Eliminates hazardous synthetic pesticides
Organic farmers use natural methods like crop rotation to control pests and diseases, not chemical cocktails. Hazardous synthetic pesticides used in non-organic farming can damage ecosystems, poison waterways, and endanger workers who can’t always afford safety equipment needed to protect them. It’s estimated that conventional cotton alone is responsible for 16% of all insecticides sold worldwide.
Organic Textiles Research & Reports
We are the leading voice for organic textiles in the UK and has have published a number of in depth reports on the benefits of organic cotton.
Cottoned On
Why organic is the choice for people who are serious about sustainability
