At a time when the world seems to be concerned about sustainability, consumers have different views on the terms used to describe different types of cotton and the actual meaning of “organic cotton”.
In general, consumers have a high evaluation of all cotton and cotton rich clothing. Traditional cotton accounts for 99% of cotton clothing in the retail market, while organic cotton accounts for less than 1%. Therefore, in order to meet the market demand, many brands and retailers turn to traditional cotton when looking for natural and sustainable fiber, especially when they realize that the difference between organic cotton and traditional cotton is often misunderstood in the sustainability dialogue and marketing information.
According to Cotton Incorporated and Cotton Council International 2021 sustainability research, it should be known that 77% of consumers believe that traditional cotton is safe for the environment and 78% of consumers believe that organic cotton is safe. Consumers also agree that any type of cotton is safer for the environment than man-made fibers.
It is worth noting that according to the 2019 Cotton Incorporated lifestyle monitorsurvey, 66% of consumers have high quality expectations for organic cotton. Nevertheless, more people (80%) have the same high expectations for traditional cotton.
Hongmi:
According to the lifestyle survey, compared with man-made fiber clothing, traditional cotton also performs very well. More than 80% of consumers (85%) said that cotton clothing was their favorite, the most comfortable (84%), the softest (84%) and the most sustainable (82%).
According to the 2021cotton incorporated sustainability study, when determining whether a garment is sustainable, 43% of consumers said they see whether it is made of natural fibers, such as cotton, followed by organic fibers (34%).
In the process of studying organic cotton, such articles as “it has not been chemically treated”, “it is more durable than traditional cotton” and “it uses less water than traditional cotton” are often found.
The problem is that these articles have been proved to use outdated data or research, so the conclusion is biased. According to the report of the transformer foundation, a non-profit organization in the denim industry, it publishes and uses reliable information about the continuous improvement of the fashion industry.
The transformer foundation report said: “it is inappropriate to argue or convince the audience that they are not using outdated or inaccurate data, intercepting data or selectively using data, or even misleading consumers out of context.”
In fact, traditional cotton usually does not use more water than organic cotton. In addition, organic cotton can also use chemicals in the planting and processing process – the global organic textile standard has approved nearly 26000 different types of chemicals, some of which are allowed to be used in the planting of organic cotton. As for any possible durability issues, no studies have shown that organic cotton is more durable than traditional cotton varieties.
Dr Jesse daystar, vice president and chief sustainable development officer of Cotton Incorporated, said: “When a common set of best management practices is adopted, both organic cotton and traditional cotton can achieve better sustainable results. Both organic cotton and traditional cotton have the ability to reduce some environmental impact when they are produced responsibly. However, it is important to remember that less than 1% of the world’s cotton production meets the requirements of organic cotton. This means that the vast majority of cotton is grown through a traditional planting with a broader management range (e.g. using synthetic crop protection products and fertilizers), by contrast, more cotton is usually produced per acre through traditional planting methods. “
From August 2019 to July 2020, American cotton farmers produced 19.9 million bales of traditional cotton, while the output of organic cotton was about 32000 bales. According to cotton incorporated’s retail monitorsurvey, this helps to explain why only 0.3% of clothing products are labeled with organic labels.
Of course, there are differences between traditional cotton and organic cotton. For example, organic cotton growers cannot use biotech seeds and, in most cases, synthetic pesticides unless other more preferred methods are insufficient to prevent or control the target pests. Moreover, organic cotton must be planted on the land free of prohibited substances for three years. Organic cotton also needs to be verified by a third party and certified by the U.S. Department of agriculture.
Brands and manufacturers should understand that both organic cotton and traditional cotton produced responsibly can reduce the impact on the environment to a certain extent. However, neither is more sustainable in nature than the other. Any cotton is the preferred sustainable choice for consumers, not man-made fiber.
“We believe that misinformation is a key factor in our failure to move in a positive direction,” the transformer foundation report wrote. “It is essential for the industry and society to understand the best available data and background of the environmental, social and economic impacts of different fibers and systems in the fashion industry, so that best practices can be developed and implemented, the industry can make wise choices, and farmers and other suppliers and manufacturers can be rewarded and encouraged to operate with more responsible practices, so as to have a more positive impact.”
As consumers’ interest in sustainability continues to grow, and consumers continue to educate themselves when making purchase decisions; Brands and retailers have the opportunity to educate and promote their products and help consumers make informed choices in the purchase process.
(Source:FabricsChina)
Post time: Jun-02-2022