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At a time of ecological transition, the question of the climate emergency is even more present in our daily lives, but what is organic cotton exactly?
WHAT IS COTTON EXACTLY?
Cotton is an integral part of our daily lives, it is present in our interior and in our clothes. But where exactly does this natural material come from? The cotton fabric is made from plant fibers that surround the seeds of the cotton plant, a shrub native to arid tropical and subtropical regions. Cotton cultivation takes time, several months separate the seed from the harvested fibre. Cotton cultivation is demanding, as it needs both sun, heat and rain to grow. On average 120 days of rain are necessary during its growth phase followed by a dry and hot period to allow the flowers to hatch, to turn into capsules, then the capsules to split and thus reveal the fiber to be harvested. , and prevent it from rotting. These fibers are harvested and then transformed into threads, finally these threads are woven to make the fabric called cotton.
CONVENTIONAL COTTON AND POLLUTION
Cotton is the most produced natural plant material in the world. It is an integral part of our daily lives, it is present in our interior and for the design of the clothes we wear every day. It can be grown using two farming methods: conventional or organic, which determines its environmental impact. According to the ICAC report of September 2021, world cotton production for the year 2021 amounted to more than 24.9 million tonnes, of which only less than 1% was organically grown. With such volumes, this intensive agriculture produces a lot of environmental damage. Indeed, the massive use of fertilizers and pesticides impoverish the soil and degrade the ecosystem. In addition, we observe that many cotton plantations are located in arid or even desert areas where rainfall is low, which requires enormous water needs that must therefore sometimes be transported over hundreds of kilometres. The export of cotton around the world, and the ever-increasing demand, makes it an extremely energy-intensive material with a considerable impact on global warming. This is why it is important, as a citizen, to rethink our consumption, every little gesture counts!
WHY FAVOR COTTON FROM ORGANIC AGRICULTURE?
The specifications for cotton to be recognized as organic are very strict. It frames the whole life of the plant, from the seed sown to the harvesting of the fiber. The seed will not be the result of genetic transformation (GMO), the cotton will be grown without pesticides, insecticides and other chemical fertilizers, all this in order not to deplete ecosystems, preserve our water resources and protect workers by not exposing them. to toxic substances. In essence, organic cotton cultivation is obviously more ecological and also more ethical. Only ancestral, sustainable and natural methods are used to grow the precious fiber and thus reserve a better future for us and our children.
DID YOU KNOW?
It takes an average of 2,500 liters of water to make a conventional cotton t-shirt, which is the equivalent of 70 showers. If we do not know exactly the counterpart of this figure in organic farming, we know however that its culture is less greedy in water and energy: -There is a 91% decrease in water intake in organic farming because the soils are richer, and therefore retain water better. -Another important fact is that the plantations are not made in desert areas, and are irrigated with 80% rainwater. -Decrease of about -26% of nitrogen and phosphorus deposits discharged into the water. A 70% reduction in the acidification of soils and waters by reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers, which allows the soils to retain water and therefore the plantations need less watering. -There is a 62% reduction in general energy consumption, in particular by eliminating fertilizers and therefore the energy to create, transport and distribute them.
IN CONCLUSION:
Certainly organic cotton may still seem expensive to buy, but it is now essential to change perspective. What if we bought less, but of better quality, and more durable? What we wear every day, the things we buy are a political statement. By buying products from eco-responsible practices, we are building the world of tomorrow by preserving our natural resources such as soil or water, we are participating in a fairer redistribution of wealth by recognizing the work of farmers at their fair value. and all the workers who participated in the development of the finished product. Today we are building our future and that of our children by becoming eco-actors and no longer just consumers. At Okhonoko, we try every day to improve our impact on the environment, which is why we offer organic cotton zafus as well as Tongue drums made from recycled gas cylinders.