The term "organic cotton" is popular in fashion today and organic cotton is becoming a more popular choice for ethically-focused designers, retailers (Textile Apparel included) and consumers. But what is it really and how does it compare to regular cotton?
If you prefer, we have a video that outlines everything here:
Most of us know about organic fruits and vegetables at either the local supermarket or farmer’s market. But cotton doesn’t get the same amount of attention, even though most of us wear it every day.
Starting with the basics, cotton (organic or not), of course, is plant-based. It grows on a shrub in a protective case, called a boil.
It’s mostly made of cellulose, which is relatively easy to spin into yarn or thread. The fabric it is woven into is lightweight, breathable and takes colour well.
Humans have been harvesting cotton for clothing and other textiles for more than 6,000 years. It’s one of our earliest forms of non-animal-based clothing and it remains the most popular natural fibre produced globally.
In 2022 world cotton production was about 70 million tonnes. The top three producers of cotton globally are China at 26%, India at 22% and the United States at 12%.
Here in Canada, we produce no cotton as our climate isn’t suitable.
Back 6,000 years ago, or even two hundred year ago, all cotton was organic. However, modern farming practices combined with increased demand through the industrial revolution and the mechanization of cotton production, some shortcuts have been used to produce cotton in a more cost effective way.
This has primarily meant the widespread adoption of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides as well as more recent genetic engineering of cotton-producing plants.
Interestingly, the genetic engineering has been done primarily to reduce the amount of pesticide needed to produce cotton.
Organic cotton production is only a tiny fraction of overall cotton production worldwide. In 2020, about 250,000 tonnes were produced or about 0.36 per cent of all cotton harvested worldwide.
That number is expected to increase as demand for organic cotton increases from large and small industry players alike.
As a textile used in clothing, cotton is lightweight and breathable. There are dozens of variations in how it can be woven, making us spoiled for choice in terms of texture and style.
Cotton, whether organic or not, is biodegradable as well. You already know that high quality garments made from cotton textiles are soft, comfortable and relatively odour-free.
Organic cotton in particular is hypoallergenic. Regular cotton may have some small amounts of synthetic pesticide or herbicide residue on them that could possibly irritate the skin, although it is rare.
However, cotton isn’t perfect for all uses, particularly when you might be working up a sweat with activities such as running, hiking or skiing. Particularly in winter, I recommend wearing merino wool instead because cotton absorbs a lot of moisture and does a poor job of wicking it away from your body, meaning it stops keeping you warm when you need it.
Speaking of moisture, the other drawback of cotton, either organic or regular is that cotton itself is thirsty!
Regular cotton takes between 8,000 to 10,000 litres of water per kilogram of cotton produced. In drier countries, that number can be doubled. Compare that to hemp which uses between a quarter to two thirds as much water, and linen which can be even less.
When comparing the “water footprint” of regular cotton to organic cotton, it’s really difficult to find an unbiased source. Organic trade associations argue that the soil conditions allow for organic cotton to be grown using less water than regular cotton. Others argue that the lower yields of organic cotton versus genetically modified cotton result in higher water consumption. Either way, cotton is a more water intensive natural fabric than most.
Beyond water though it’s important to consider the long term impact of organic versus regular cotton production. When synthetic herbicides and pesticides are used, long term soil quality suffers. Organic cotton may have lower yields, but it results in better fields for years to come.
Now you know some of the differences between organic and regular cotton, how can you use this to make better choices as a consumer purchasing clothing?
The best choice you can make when looking for cotton products is to buy fewer, higher quality items. As fast fashion has become increasingly prevalent, more money is spent marketing those products than the product cost to make. A t-shirt at the outlet mall definitely isn’t made with organic cotton and the quality of its construction will be poor. After a few wearings, let alone a few washings, that t-shirt will start to fall apart and make you look sloppy.
Keep in mind as well, every cotton t-shirt, whether inexpensive in price or not, takes a lot of water to grow the cotton and manufacture it - far more than what you will ever use to keep it clean. This means the lifetime environmental impact of that garment is largely outside your control, unless you choose not to buy it.
Another recommendation is to, when possible, avoid cotton polyester blends when buying cotton garments. Polyester is added to cotton fabrics to help the garment stay wrinkle-free and makes it cheaper to manufacture.
There are two reasons why you want to stick with 100 percent cotton. First, when you introduce polyester into a garment, it has a higher chance of producing odours when you sweat in it. Second, a garment that was once completely biodegradable is now full of plastic. Check the label when you try the garment on before buying or look at the retailer’s website if purchasing online. Quality retailers generally sell 100 percent cotton garments versus cotton poly blends. But do your homework before buying.
Let's review:
- Organic cotton makes up a small fraction of all cotton production in the world but it’s growing. Global and local retailers are asking for more organic cotton and farmers are responding.
- The overall impact of organic cotton on the environment is lower, but strides are being made on the genetic engineering side to improve the impact of regular cotton and lower synthetic herbicide and pesticide use.
- Finally, cotton is water intensive, so the best thing you can do when purchasing a cotton product is make sure it is high quality that will last.
Looking for high quality organic (and some regular) cotton items? Some of our favourites are:
- Dagg and Stacey (manufactured in Montreal)
- Milo & Dexter (manufactured in Montreal)
- It is Well L.A. (manufactured in Los Angeles with sweater production in Korea)