Question from Harmony
With more and more organic cotton products now available at lower prices in mass market stores, there have been some questions about how organic these cotton products are. It’s easy to make the asuumption that organic cotton is held to the same standards as organic food, but it’s not. As a textile designer working with organic cotton I want to tell you about the current state of organic cotton standards in the industry.
The green and white USDA organic label that we have all come to expect on our organic foods can’t be found on cotton. Why? The U.S. Department of Agriculture classifies cotton as fiber-not food-and therefore finds it outside its jurisdiction. This is especially perplexing when you consider that many processed foods contain cottonseed oil.
As a result, the labeling and regulation of organic cotton is a relative free-for-all. “Organic” cotton should be grown to the same standards as organic food (GMO-free, no pesticides, etc. Full details available at http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/NOP/standards.html#). Then certification by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) would be possible and could be expected for all cotton sold as “organic.”
However, unlike food, the processing of cotton doesn’t end at harvest time. Toxins and chemicals are often applied to cotton at every step of the manufacturing process. From the waxes used in the weaving to the chlorine bleach used for whitening and at numerous other points in the process, cotton is often subjected to toxins. (See http://www.harmonyart.com/organic-textiles/OrganicVSConventional.html for a detailed list of some of these steps.)
There are currently over 40 eco-fiber standards worldwide, each focusing on a different aspect of the process. Some test for toxic residue, some focus on the treatment of the people, some are concerned with energy and water use. Navigating these standards can be complex and confusing even for those on the inside of the organic fiber community. The processing of cotton is so variable and suspect that without a universal and recognizable standard that addresses the entire process there is much room for deceit. It is my hope that before too long the fiber world (like the food world) will have a universally accepted and identifiable organic seal which consumers can trust.
The good news is that the U.S. Organic Trade Association (OTA) recently passed a resolution recognizing the new Global Organic Textile Standard (global-standard.org) as the standard for organic fiber. With the OTA’s endorsement-on the heels of endorsements by Germany, Japan and the UK-I have great hope that the GOTS will emerge as the necessary universally accepted and recognized standard.
Debra’s Answer
Thanks, Harmony. We needed this explanation.
