From Ecopedia

Overview

Organic cotton commonly refers to eco-friendly ways of growing cotton from genetically-unaltered plants. Production of organic cotton involves no synthetic farming chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides. Organic cotton production is chiefly aimed at promoting and enhancing biological cycles and biodiversity.

In most countries, especially the US, organic cotton plantations should adhere to the government-prescribed practices and meet all the regulations enforced by the USDA NOP (National Organic Program), which determines the allowed procedures for fertilizing, pest control and growing of organic crops.

Currently, organic cotton production is undertaken by as many as 24 countries, leading among them being India, China and Turkey. By 2007, organic cotton production witnessed an increasing annual growth of 50% globally.

Organic Cotton and Environment

Growing cotton using organic farming practices ensures minimal impact on the environment. Conventional cotton growing practices allow abundant use of synthetics and chemicals, which are proven to show significant impact on the environmental health of our planet.

Conventional cotton production accounts for 3% of the total cultivated land globally. Out of the total inorganically cultivated land, 10% of insecticides and 20-25% of pesticides are globally utilized for controlling pests and insects during cultivation.

Additionally, certain chemicals are also used for recycling the finished cotton fabric, contributing further more to the global pollution.

Environmentalists, promoting organic cotton, particularly highlight the consequences of conventional cotton cultivation on the earth’s ecosystem.

Conventional cotton cultivation brings about certain major environmental hazards, some of which include:

• soil, water and air pollution
• soil erosion
• loss of beneficial insects
• Processing stages during cultivation resulting in contaminated water, leading to oxygen depletion and disruption of aquatic ecosystem
• Excessive dependence on pesticides, which are known to be potential human carcinogens (As per the findings of the US Environmental Protection Agency, out of the country's 15 popularly used pesticides, seven are known or potential human carcinogens)

Organic agriculture

---

Organic cotton cultivation involves the use of eco-friendly material including:

• organic manure such as cow dung or other animal feces
• organic fertilizers such as fermented cow urine,
• biological pest controls
• disease-fighting and growth-stimulating neem fruits
• sugar-added lemon juice for giving vitality to the plant
• biogas(methane) prepared from animal dung

Environmental Benefits

---

By replenishing and maintaining soil fertility, organic cultivating systems ensure building of diverse biological farming. Efficient weeding strategies involving the use of hoes to clear fields are employed in organic cultivation to ensure maintenance of natural food cycle as well as life cycle. Organic cotton cultivators encourage crop rotation which ensures restoration of soil fertility. Natural composting followed by organic farmers ensures minimal ecological footprint.

Some of the most eco-friendly farming practices followed organic cultivators include introducing certain beneficial predators and insects as well as using insect traps to pin down the insect-affected area on the plant.

Mandatory Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, involving ecosystem manipulation, benefit both the cotton crop and crop-surrounding organisms as well.

Preference for Organic Cotton

---

In present times, organic cotton fiber is being increasingly preferred over conventionally cultivated cotton fiber. Organic cotton market, which includes an exhaustive list of products ranging from clothing to home furnishings to baby care products, is witnessing a multifold growth across nations.

Keeping in tune with the growing demand, organic cotton production recorded an impressive growth of 20% in 2007-08. Current trends show that organic cotton is representing 0.76 % of the total cotton production globally.

Top five organic cotton producers, in order, include:

• India
• Turkey
• Syria
• Tanzania, and
• China

The United States, ranking sixth in the list reached $203 million organic cotton production (Organic Trade Association's 2007 Manufacturer Survey).

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_cotton http://www.organiccotton.in/ http://www.ota.com/organic/mt/organic_cotton.html http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Are-The-Benefits-Of-Organic-Cotton-In-Clothing?&id=810623 http://www.ota.com/organic/environment/cotton_environment.html http://environment.about.com/od/fashionandentertainment/a/organic_cotton.htm http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/71/1/Organic-cotton.html http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/2009/07/conventional-or-organic-cotton.html http://www.sagecreekorganics.com/why_organic.aspx