Less than 1% of all cotton is organic
Total global production of organic cotton is still less than 1% of the total cotton supply. That’s a fact that takes a moment to sink in. Less than 1%—so how is it that so many manufacturers offer organic cotton?
The truth is, they can’t. Greenwashing—pretending to be more eco-friendly than you actually are—is a term you hear for a reason.
So why isn’t more organic cotton being grown? Many farmers are stuck in the grip of chemical companies like Monsanto. Because of the pesticides used by these companies, the soil is so depleted and lifeless that only cotton from their specific seeds will grow there.
If a farmer wants to switch to organic farming, it takes at least 4 years before they can call their harvest 100% organic. However, these farmers can’t afford to go 4 years without an income.
Help the farmers!
But there is hope. In the Madhya Pradesh region of India, Neutral® started a pilot program 5 years ago in collaboration with the WWF to help these farmers: the Tiger Project.
The name Tiger Project came about because this region, which has many cotton plantations, lies right between two nature reserves where the Bengal tiger has its habitat.
The tigers travel between the two nature reserves across the cotton farmers’ land. The heavy use of pesticides is very harmful to these tigers.
That’s why farmers are being taught how to make the switch to organic farming without using these pesticides. They learn how organic fertilizers can improve the soil again and how pest control can be managed through natural predators. They also learn how insect-repellent plants can help.
They are also helped through the certification process, and most importantly: the farmers are guaranteed a market for their cotton. This 100% organic cotton is certified with the EU Ecolabel, SA8000, Oeko-Tex, and the GOTS in Conversion certificate. This allows the 4,000 farmers already active in the program to earn a living during the conversion period while contributing to better biodiversity.
Tiger cotton® oversized
The Tiger® oversized range, which will soon be available on the Neutralorganic.nl website, is made entirely from this ‘in conversion’ cotton.
By buying this high-quality clothing, you’re not only helping the farmers, but you’re also contributing to increased biodiversity and getting unique clothing in return.