Journal

Home / Journal / The Truth...
The Truth about Organic Cotton In India

The Truth about Organic Cotton In India

Jul 12, 2021

HOW WE SOURCE OUR ORGANIC COTTON IN A GLOBAL SHORTAGE

"Not only is getting access to cotton more difficult, this shortage has also incited an increase of organic cotton prices by nearly 50%"

Caroline Poiner, Co-Owner of Cloth & Co. 

Everybody is talking about 'organic', almost to the point that we now just expect that it's the norm and if you spend a bit extra then it will always be available. Well, it's not quite true. Organic farming processes mean that we are living by the forces of nature, farmers are working with their land, harvested rain, without pesticides or chemical fertilisers to ensure their crops are chemical free and the soil is continually regenerated through companion planting.

The Issue

With so many economic pressures and farmers becoming increasingly vulnerable, organic cotton fraud in India has once again reared its head. After an investigation by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), it was revealed that in excess of 20,000 metric tonnes of cotton was was wrongly certified as organic. This has led to a significant shortage of organic cotton - a global issue as a result of the pandemic, which has also sped up the global demand for sustainable fibres, including organic cotton. As a consequence, not only is getting access to organic cotton a more difficult and lengthy process, this shortage has also incited an increase of organic cotton prices by nearly 50%. 


What We Are Doing

We have been working closely with our mills, with whom we have excellent relationships, and we have been able to secure organic cotton for our next few collections. However, these factors will continue to impact us and how we work. Our number one priority is to work closely with our suppliers to ensure that these impediments don't have a negative impact on the people we work with or our long term relationships.

The future for sustainable brands will rely on our continual learning and researching ways to not only deliver truly sustainable products, but also to support our farmers, and encouraging more farmers to invest in organic farming practices. This includes us looking into transitional cotton where the soils are chemical free, as are the crops, however they are just waiting out the obligatory 3 years to be certified.

Producing Our Organic Cotton Jersey

We are proud of our commitment to high quality 100% GOTS Certified Organic Cotton and the durable and timeless product we provide our customers with. We are 'Made For Good' and will always invest in sustainable and eco-friendly cotton to ensure the safety of our farmers, makers, artisans, product and customers is protected.

Cloth & Co. xx