Organic Cotton

Organic cotton is cotton grown without pesticides or chemical additives to fertilise, relying instead on methods with less ecological impact.

Conventional cotton farming is one of agriculture's most environmentally destructive activities. It takes an enormous toll on the earth's air, water, and soil, and significantly affects the health of people living in cotton
growing areas.

A typical conventional cotton t-shirt uses about 150 grams of acutely toxic pesticides and insecticides; that's the size of a cup of sugar.
 
Organic farming methods benefit farmers and their communities by:

*    preventing and reducing farmer debt
*    improving food stability for farmers as a result of crop rotation
*    preventing pollution of the water table
*    preventing potential fatal pesticide poisoning of farmers and their families
*    improving and maintaining biodiversity

To achieve organic certification, only azo-free dyes are used in the dying process and all effluent is properly treated.

In addition, the traceability of organic cotton right back down the supply chain means that it is the only cotton that you can be certain is GM free.

Different levels of certification exist, but at a minimum, a crop must be grown in soil that has been chemical-free for at least three years.