The negative impacts of conventional cotton production

Cotton is grown commercially using a large amount of pesticides and herbicides- toxic chemicals designed, as the name suggests, to kill pests, insects, weeds, fungus, or any other kind of living things. Most cotton is also grown on poorly managed soils, which would be almost sterile without large amounts of synthetic fertilizers. More insecticides are sprayed on cotton than on any other major crop. Many problems are associated with this production method. Severe negative impacts include: loss of biodiversity and damage to ecosystems and wildlife, depletion of precious natural resources such as water and soil, and heavy contamination of water bodies. The ecological devastation of the Aral Sea area in central Asia, one of the most visible ecological disasters on the planet, almost entirely due to cotton production, symbolizes cotton’s environmental impacts.

Other impacts include poisoning (sometime fatal) of farmers, and intolerable indebtedness of poor farmers trapped on the “pesticide treadmill”. In some areas, the cost of chemicals is now reaching 60% of farmers’ production costs. The use of pesticides on small-scale cotton farms in developing countries has unacceptable negative impacts on the health of farmers and their families, and on their environment. On such farms, the level of training required to avoid hazards when using pesticides is seldom attainable. The necessary protective equipment is almost never used because of its lack of availability and its prohibitive price, and is inappropriate for use in tropical climates.

The positive impacts of organic cotton production

However, cotton can be grown following the strict principles of organic agriculture. Organic agriculture uses no synthetic chemical pesticides, no synthetic fertilizers, and no Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). Organic fertilizers (such as manure) and plant-based pest management products (such as neem or garlic extract) are used. However, organic agriculture is not only a mere substitution of synthetic inputs with natural inputs. The major principle is to restore a natural balance within farms, with healthy and well-structured soils, rich in organic matter. In such an environment, the pests (any living things which damage the crop) are not systematically destroyed by poisons, but are kept under control by their natural predators. Biodiversity (the diverse range of living species: plants, animals, microorganisms) and agro-diversity (the diverse range of crops planted by the farmer, as well as livestock) are integral parts of an organic farm.

The organic cotton fiber that is harvested is similar to most conventional cotton fibers, except that it is guaranteed non-GM, and is not contaminated with pesticides. The main difference is that the ecosystem where it has been produced has not been damaged, and chemicals have not poisoned the farmer and his or her family.

The cotton produced while converting from conventional farming to organic farming is called ‘organic in conversion’. This is a necessary but difficult stage for any organic farmer, as the cotton may cost more to produce, but cannot be sold at the premium that certified organic cotton can achieve. Some companies have decided to incorporate this cotton into their conventional cotton production, as an indication to consumers of their support for, and understanding of organic issues, and forward thinking business ethics.

Fully organic cotton fiber is certified as an organic agricultural product, along with other crops on the farm, by a private certification body, which guarantees that the rigorous organic standards have been strictly followed. The UK-based Soil Association, for example, is one among over 100 such certification agencies worldwide, which are accredited and audited by various bodies such as the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movement, Control Union Group, which now, at last, are being brought together under a single GLOBAL ORGANIC TEXTILE STANDARD (GOTS).

Therefore, the certification of cotton fiber as an organic agricultural product is extremely reliable. If the label of your T-shirt claims that it has been made with organic cotton, you can be confident that the cotton fiber has really been grown organically. There is no need for a logo, the word “organic” is sufficient.