Library. Quick Guide to Organic Cotton. As it takes around 450g of cotton to make the average t-shirt – that’s a highly water-intensive 5000 litres per garment! Organic cotton working alongside the Better Cotton Initiative is the most ethical and sustainable option if this fabric is to be used. Fair-trade Cotton. A Fact Sheet on Organic Cotton – Lower Impacts for Agriculture and Apparel Industries. Benefits of Fair-trade Cotton. Another difference is that there is no such thing as a 100% green product, since every product will have some degree of impact on the environment (such as through the use of raw materials and energy for its manufacture, transportation, packaging, etc. Like conventional cotton, organic cotton is water-intensive to grow—although whether organic cotton uses more or less water than conventional cotton is a matter of some debate. Not just by the way its produced, but also by the way it affects people and their health and well being. Pin board. Organic cotton sheets have 60s Yarn Count with 300 thread count or these are chemical free. What's The Difference Between Natural Cotton And Synthetic Cotton? The gins which mill the fiber must also be completely cleared of conventional cotton residue before the organic cotton is processed. Conventional cotton production uses around 11,000 litres of water for every kilogram of cotton produced. Fair-trade Concept. To be labelled organic, the fabric must also meet fibre production and processing standards from the likes of GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) or ACO (Australian Certified Organic). But, On the other hand simple sheets have not these qualities. It not only protects our environment but it is also safer for cotton producing farmers and their communities. Organic vs Sustainable: Which are the differences between Organic and Sustainable? In bed sheets, the cotton's type, the fabric's number of threads per square inch and the weave determine the differences between low- and high-end cotton sheets. Organic cotton is the way cotton is cultivated. Organic cotton pads are a made with a sustainable material. Organic cotton production does not use insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, genetically modified (GMO) or chemically treated seed, or synthetic fertilizers. Organic cotton = no nasty chemicals. Certified organic cotton is cotton that is expected to have been grown without fertilizers and pesticides, with practices that promote biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil health. It also uses far less water to grow since organic cotton growers typically utilize rain far more than irrigation. Organic cotton – the official term – includes the power of change. Projects & Contacts. Organic cotton is grown using agricultural practices that not only protect the environment but also strive to improve it. Organic cotton will be cultivated without any pesticides and hence is chemical free. Organic cotton sheets are soft, smooth and easily absorb moisture, While Simple sheet are not much softer and smoother. Sustainable agriculture can feed the world without damaging the environment or threatening human health. Several potential benefits of organically grown cotton, include: Improved soil quality: Organic farming uses techniques such as composting, cover cropping and crop rotation to build up and improve soil quality. This is due to the lesser production of Organic Cotton and higher prices of organic fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides. Even luxury organic options can be far more affordable than real Egyptian cotton sheets — for which the average consumer pays a premium. What is Organic Cotton Fabric? Organic cotton is better for the environment, the workers and the community. What You Wear Matters! According to the 2011 Textile Exchange Organic Cotton Farm & Fiber Report, approximately 151,079 metric tons (MT) of organic cotton (693,900 bales) were grown on 324,577 hectares (802,047 acres) in 2010­-2011. ).On the other hand, a product may well be 100% organic.In other words, an organic product is green, but a green product is not necessarily organic! Extra-long staple cotton -- Gossypium barbadense, grown in Egypt -- produces cotton blossoms at least 1 3/8 inch in length or longer with the finest and softest fibers. The type of fabric can be overwhelming for … Khadi is the way cotton is converted into yarn and then fabric. A percale sheet is a type of cotton sheet, and the name percale refers to how the cotton threads are woven. Organic cotton is grown without harmful chemicals, leaving the soil, air and water free from contaminates that cause harm. The only thing that works against Organic Cotton is the price. USDA Certified Organic Cotton vs GOTS Certified Organic Cotton As Mattress Ingredients - When you decide to buy organic cotton, even if it's just a pair of organic socks, you'd like to think you're getting a product that isn't saturated in chemicals or off-gassing known carcinogens. Cotton on the other hand requires intensive irrigation , although organic cotton uses less water than non-organic cotton due to more organic materials in the soil. Fairtrade and Organic – the combination with a difference. However, fabric that is organic has not necessarily been tested for harmful substances in the same way as the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification. Organic cotton is grown in a way that minimises harmful environmental impacts. Organic cotton is a worthwhile investment, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. Organic cotton, on the other hand, is 80% rain-fed. There are no hazardous chemicals, pesticides or fertilisers used in the farming of organic cotton. The world’s leading producers of organic cotton are India, China and Turkey. Organic cotton will be cotton that is relied upon to have been developed without manures and pesticides, with rehearses that advance biodiversity, organic cycles, and soil health. Farming methods for conventional cotton also use toxic pesticides and herbicides. It uses 71% less water to produce. At least, so far. Certified organic cotton is cotton fiber that has been grown without pesticides and fertilizers, through a process that preserves biodiversity, biological cycles and soil well-being. The difference between regular cotton and organic cotton is therefore that no artificial fertilizer and harmful chemical pesticides are used in the cultivation of organic cotton. As a result, farmers do not suffer any physical damage and there is no depletion of the soil. It is a way of growing food in an ecologically and ethically responsible manner. Organic cotton fabric is fabric that uses organically grown cotton. I n this post, we’re going to talk about the major differences. Organic Cotton farming also calls for more manual labor than the conventional one. Standards & Certification. Babies and children are the most vulnerable to the health risks related to pesticides. Plain weave, which is also called flat weave, means that the threads that run vertically and the threads that run horizontally cross each other one at a time. These fibres can be made longer to create very fine yarns which make it possible to make yarns without sacrificing the length, giving stronger and softer cotton, unlike regular cotton which has more splices. Conventional cotton is a very water-intensive crop, taking an estimated 20,000 litres of water to produce 1kg of cotton. Cotton is grown on 4% of the world’s arable soil. Some interesting points about bamboo and cotton • Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world. When having to choose between different fabrics, there are many options to consider, including the type of fabric, color, the pattern, the size, and the price. Choosing Organic Cotton clothing reduces their exposure to toxic and persistent pesticides on their skin, in soil and water, air and food. Percale is a type of plain weave and is used mostly for bed sheets. To earn a certified cotton label the current cro p must meet organic standards and the soil in the fields must have been synthetic pesticide free for at least three years. This applies to both their health and their economic wellbeing. Dear Recyclebank: What’s the difference between organic cotton and conventional cotton? About organic cotton. Bio Cotton now represents 40 percent of the company's cotton sales, and it sold a staggering 130 million certified organic products in 2014 -- adding up to 46,000 tons of organic cotton. Organic Cotton. Because combed cotton requires more work and results in a softer, stronger fabric, it is usually more expensive than regular cotton. Indeed, the differences between organic cotton vs non organic cotton are staggering. BIO COTTON is all about making a difference and making the world a … Between 1995 and 2002, the world price for cotton fell by almost 50%, a trend that plunged many cotton farmers into economic crisis, particularly in Africa. –Marjory K. Dear Marjory: Organic cotton is different from conventional cotton in some important ways: 1. The comparisons and differences between bio cotton and regular cotton. Organic Cotton vs. Organic cotton now equals 0.7 percent of global cotton production. Organic cotton is generally defined as cotton that is grown organically in subtropical countries such as India, Turkey, China, and parts of the USA from non-genetically modified plants, and without the use of any synthetic agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides aside from the ones allowed by the certified organic labeling. • Both bamboo and cotton are considered a sustainable resource. The only difference - is that the organic cotton has been grown without the use of artificial pesticides etc. It is costlier than conventional cotton. Non Organic Cotton . Combed cotton is a softer version of regular cotton that is made by treating the cotton fibers before they are spun into yarn. Cotton vs. Organic Cotton. Organic cotton produces around 46% less CO2e compared to conventional cotton. About us. According to the nonprofit organization Textile Exchange , 70% to 80% of organic cotton is estimated to be rain-fed rather than irrigated. 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