It is very important to us that the cotton we use is both Fairtrade and certified organic.
Conventionally grown cotton uses huge quantities of chemical pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers: it is estimated that 50% of all pesticide used in India is sprayed on cotton. This causes enormous damage to the environment and to the health of farm labourers who are exposed to the chemicals. It also contributes to the unsustainable burden of debt amongst cotton farming households, and the accompanying tragedy of farmer suicides. Farmers growing non-organic cotton find themselves borrowing increasing sums of money from local money lenders to buy the chemicals needed to grow their cotton. As pests develop resistance to the agrochemicals and the soil loses its fertility despite all the chemicals added to it, farmers find themselves trapped in an inescapable spiral of debt. Organic cotton farming offers an environmentally and economically sustainable alternative to this.
In the year 2000 we became the first customer of Agrocel Pure and Fair Indian Organic Cotton, and every year since then we have sourced larger volumes of organic cotton from them. The cotton is grown in Gujaret in Northern India from seed that has not been genetically modified (non-GM), and is certified organic by Control Union. Since 2005 it has been certified as Fairtrade by the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation and carries their well-known label.
Cotton can be successfully grown without pesticides by enrolling the help of insects and fungi that attack the cotton pests. Once chemical pesticides are no longer used the presence of beneficial insects increases dramatically. Artificial traps, trap crops and host crops can also help to control the pests. The need for chemical fertilizers can be eliminated by utilising organic manures, rotating crops, intercropping, and drip irrigation.
Most fabric used for clothing has many chemicals added to it to enhance the feel and colour and to reduce creasing. We use GOTS accredited (Global Organic Textile Standard) non-azo reactive dyes to stand up to machine washing. The only treatment to the organic cotton yarn is a rice water starch applied to the warp threads to enable the weavers to span the looms - this quickly washes out. Our white cloth is bleached without the use of chlorine.
For further information:
www.agrocel-cotton.com
http://www.pan-uk.org
