Why Buy Organic and Fairtrade Cotton Clothes?
Cotton is a
globally important fibre, providing returns to many small farmers in
developing countries. Fairtrade cotton has just been released in the
UK providing job security and greater incomes to farmers. But the
downfall is that most cotton is produced in a way that causes great
damage to the environment as is it is one of the most chemical
intensive crops in the world. High productivity comes at great
environmental and health costs.
So serious are
the negative impacts of chemical-intensive agricultural production,
that momentum for change has grown considerably in recent years. The
trend toward more environmentally friendly production methods is
mainly due to enlightened companies under pressure of increased
environmental regulation and competition, and informed consumers
calling for greater social and environmental accountability.
In many
African countries with lax environmental controls, farmers can apply
nearly one-third of a pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
for every pound of cotton harvested. Some of these chemicals are
classified as the most toxic around and the negative impacts can be
severe. The simple act of growing and harvesting the amount of cotton
fibre needed to make a T-shirt takes an enormous toll on the earths
air, water, and soil, and has significant impacts on the health of
people in cotton growing areas. These carcinogenic chemicals can
leave residues on the skin, and it is now argued that these are
associated with allergies. Organic cotton is therefore kinder to the
skin. For more information visit the Pesticide Action Network site at http://www.pan-uk.org/
Organic
cotton begins with living soil. This means the soil has not had
any chemicals used in it for at least three years and it has been
enriched with compost and other organic matter. These replace
synthetic fertilizers that are harmful to the health.
Organic cotton
production has increased 5-fold in the past 4 years. The UK is among
the worlds fastest growing markets. Each year, thanks to organic
cotton, more cotton farmers around the world are able to minimise
their effect on their health from pesticide exposure.
There are also
signs that organic
cotton is moving out of its niche market into the mainstream
with increased interest on the part of supermarkets and large
companies. Marks and Spencers and the Top Shop have recently launched
organic and fairtrade
clothing ranges to meet the growing market that started with
organic food and then moving into non food areas such as cotton and paints.
For those of
you that are parents, Clean Slate Clothing has introduced
accountability to the clothes which children wear everyday by selling
the worlds first Fairtrade and Organic
School Uniforms.
Ethical
companies also need to move beyond selling organic
cotton clothes to ensuring that they are using environmentally
friendly dyes and recycled materials with the minimum of packaging
and literature. |
