We’ve said it before, but it can’t be said too often. Conventional, non-organic cotton is a real mess. For example, organic cotton cultivation emits up to 94 per cent fewer greenhouse gases than conventional production. Organic cotton production does not poison the many millions of people who work in the cotton fields. And, of course, it’s also far healthier for you to wear clothes made from organic cotton – rather than those produced using pesticides and other nasty chemicals. If you’d like to find out more about the hard facts regarding organic versus non-organic cotton, read on here.
Choose organic cotton and look after your body
There are many good reasons why the range of organic baby and children’s clothing has exploded in recent years. This has happened as consumers and parents have become more aware of the harmful impact that non-organic clothing can have on our bodies. Common problems that can arise when the skin comes into contact with residues of pesticides and toxic dyes include allergies, rashes and breathing difficulties. Added to this is the suspicion that pesticide residues may be endocrine disruptors and carcinogenic. Of course, little ones shouldn’t be exposed to this. But it’s also worth considering whether you want to expose your own body to these chemicals. An adult’s body is just as susceptible as a child’s.
How organic and conventional (non-organic) cotton are grown
Let’s start with the hard facts. Conventional cotton production involves the use of both herbicides and insecticides. In fact, 16 per cent of the world’s insecticide consumption and 10 per cent of the world’s herbicide consumption are used on cotton fields every year. When it comes to the cultivation of organic cotton, the use of hazardous pesticides is completely banned in the fields. This is excellent news for you as the end user, given the issues outlined above. And it is also a major benefit for the environment and cotton farmers.
Organic cotton farming emits 94 per cent less greenhouse gas. CO₂ is sequestered in the soil, and energy and water consumption are lower. Farmers can grow their own food in the adjacent fields. They do not put their own health at risk when working in the fields, and they can use their fields time and time again, as the soil is not depleted by the use of harsh pesticides. If, on the other hand, we are talking about entirely conventional, non-organic cotton cultivation, the farmers’ fields will eventually be destroyed. In many cases, this will mean that they lose their source of income, which can have fatal consequences for them and their families. Furthermore, they are usually locked into expensive contracts with the companies that sold them the pesticides, to which they are now indebted for life.
How can you be sure that your cotton clothing is organically grown?
As mentioned earlier, organic baby and children’s clothing can be found in almost every children’s clothes shop and supermarket. When it comes to organic cotton clothing for adults, however, options are a bit scarcer. Fortunately, however, there are quite a few options available. An important eco-label to look out for is the GOTS label. GOTS stands for ‘Global Organic Textile Standard’. It is the best eco-label currently available. As well as being the eco-label with the highest standards in terms of both environmental and social responsibility, GOTS’ strength lies in the fact that it operates globally. There are several different GOTS labels, with some requiring at least 70 per cent of the fibres to be organic, whilst the label known as GOTS ‘organic’ requires 95–100 per cent of the material to be organically grown. The latter is, of course, preferable.
If you cannot find the eco-label on the clothing in shops, this does not necessarily mean that it is not made from GOTS-certified textiles. Many clothing companies will state in their material information whether their garments are made from GOTS-certified textiles. We always do this at Ecouture, for example. The reason our designs aren’t labelled with a GOTS certification is that it’s very expensive and time-consuming to have every single item of clothing certified. So instead, you should look in the description for information on whether the garment is made from textiles with an eco-label. And at Ecouture, of course, our garments always are. Usually, they’re made from GOTS ‘organic’-certified textiles.
Our best advice is therefore always to ask for organic cotton when you’re out browsing the clothes in your favourite shops. If they cannot supply organic cotton clothing, shop instead at the (now) many clothes shops that actually sell organic clothing for adults.
See also: Eco-labels on clothing: the 4 you need to know about.
If you’re keen to find out more about organic versus conventional cotton, have a look at the infographic below. It’s created by the brilliant Danish brand Dilling. They make lovely, organic underwear for both children and adults. And they also produce Ecouture’s gorgeous Twist dresses and Twist blouses, which are, of course, made from the loveliest and softest GOTS-certified organic cotton.
In Denmark, we have gradually become quite familiar with the various organic and environmental labels on food products. We use the red ‘Ø’ to help us find healthy everyday goods that do not harm our bodies or pollute the environment. But did you know that it is at least just as important to choose clothes made from fabrics with the right environmental labels?
Clothing and textiles produced using harsh chemicals are, in fact, extremely harmful to the environment, textile workers and your health and that of your family. And there’s good reason to check the various eco-labels on clothing yourself before you whip out your debit card, as there isn’t nearly the same level of government regulation for textile products as there is for food. So you risk carrying around large amounts of hazardous chemicals that are in direct contact with your skin all day long. Yikes!
Eco-labels on clothing: These 4 eco-labels on clothing to look out for
At Ecouture, we’d naturally love for you to buy all your clothes from us. We take great care with our materials and always opt for organic textiles that meet high standards. But of course, you might occasionally pop into other clothes shops – so what then?
To learn more about the subject and help our customers, we’ve asked our local fabric expert, Hanne from Vivatex, to draw up a list of labels used in Denmark and rank them according to how environmentally friendly they are. Hanne has 20 years’ experience in sourcing and producing environmentally friendly textiles, so we feel completely in safe hands with her! And based on Hanne’s list, we’ve put together a short guide here on which eco-labels to look out for. The labels are ranked so that the most environmentally friendly come first.
1. GOTS – the global eco-label and the label with the highest standards
GOTS is the best eco-label available at the moment. As well as being the eco-label with the highest standards in both environmental and social responsibility, GOTS’ strength lies in its global reach. An international certification makes perfect sense, as textiles and clothing usually cross many national borders before ending up as finished goods in a clothes shop in Denmark; thus, with an international label, production can be monitored at every stage and in every country.
Facts about GOTS standards for textiles and clothing:
- 70 per cent of the fibres must be organic (95 per cent if they bear the name ‘organic’)
- All chemicals used at every stage of production must meet very high environmental standards
- Water consumption must meet high standards
- The packaging for the textiles must not contain PVC, and paper, cardboard, hangtags, etc. must be recyclable or have specific certifications
- All companies involved in production must comply with the social criteria set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO)
2. The Nordic Swan – the Nordic eco-label
You’ve no doubt come across the Nordic Swan Ecolabel when buying household and personal care products. But the green swan actually also appears as an eco-label on clothing and textiles.
If you find an item of clothing or textile bearing the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, you cannot assume that it is organic. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel simply indicates that the product is among those with the lowest environmental impact within its product group. The fact that the rules are set in such a way that no more than one-third of products on the Nordic market can meet them is, in Hanne’s view, the Nordic Swan’s major weakness. This means that the products are not necessarily particularly environmentally friendly, but simply that they are among the products with the lowest environmental impact on the market at present.
Facts about the Nordic Swan Ecolabel’s standards for textiles and clothing:
- Requirements for many different types of fibres, so that only the most environmentally friendly can be used
- Natural fibres such as flax or cotton must be a certain percentage organic and/or grown using pesticides permitted under EU Regulation 1107/2009
- Strict requirements for all chemicals used in production
- Wastewater requirements for, amongst others, dye works
- The finished product must be at least as good as other similar products
- A voluntary scheme whereby the manufacturer pays a fee for the right to use the label.
3. The Flower – the EU Ecolabel
The Blomsten eco-labelling scheme is very similar to the Nordic Swan. However, whilst the Nordic Swan label only covers products that are among the least harmful to the environment and health in the Nordic region, Blomsten covers all products on the market within the EU. On the other hand, Blomsten has higher organic standards than the Swan. So, if one were to judge the labels solely on the basis of how high their organic standards are, Blomsten would take second place instead of the Swan.
Facts about Blomsten’s standards for textiles and clothing:
- Requirements for many different types of fibres, so that only the most environmentally friendly can be used
- Strict requirements for all chemicals used in production
- Wastewater requirements for, amongst others, dye works
- The finished product must be at least as good as other similar products
- A voluntary scheme whereby manufacturers pay a fee for the right to use the label
4. Oeko-Tex – relates exclusively to health and should not be confused with organic
Many people mistakenly believe that the Oeko-Tex label means the product is organic. This is not the case. Textiles and clothing with Oeko-Tex certification are produced entirely conventionally and are ultimately tested for a small proportion of the hundreds of chemicals used in the cultivation and processing of textiles. Oeko-Tex therefore only guarantees that the levels of selected chemicals are below a specified limit.
Facts about Oeko-Tex’s standards for textiles and clothing:
- Tested for allergenic dyes or dyes that may release carcinogenic substances
- Tested for pesticide residues and chlorinated phenols
- Tested for the release of heavy metals upon contact with sweat
- Free from formaldehyde or containing formaldehyde below the limit value
- Has a pH value close to that of the skin itself
What should I do if there is no eco-label on the clothing?
It is actually quite rare to find clothes with eco-labels on the back of the neck (apart from baby clothes). Ecouture’s clothes do not carry eco-labels either, despite our high environmental standards. This is because it is a very complicated process to have individual garments certified, as they are often produced only once or twice and consist of many different fabrics, buttons, zips, etc.
Instead, Ecouture makes a point of informing our customers about the materials used in our various designs. When you shop at Ecouture’s online shop, you can therefore always find material information under each product. You can read about the different fabrics, which companies we’ve sourced them from, where in the world they’ve been produced, and what labels they carry. In this way, we aim to be as transparent as possible and give you an insight into what it is you’re putting on your body.
Ask about the fabrics the clothes are made from
If you’re shopping with brands or shops that don’t have their own certification or eco-label, Hanne’s best advice is to always consider whether you trust the people you’re buying your clothes from. If there is little information about the fabrics, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification. Ask what materials the clothes are made from and whether the fabrics carry any of the eco-labels mentioned above. This can also have a positive effect on the shop, as you’re highlighting that there is a demand for eco-friendly clothing amongst their customers. If a blouse costs 100 kr., you can safely assume that it is full of harsh chemicals and has been made under appalling conditions for the textile workers. Health, the environment and ethics are very often linked to the price of the clothes.
NEVER buy cotton that isn’t organic!
In Hanne’s view, non-organic cotton is one of the very biggest environmental villains there is. The cultivation of conventional cotton accounts for approximately 25 per cent of the world’s total consumption of pesticides and herbicides. And conventional cotton fields account for just 2–3 per cent of the world’s cultivated land! So a really good place to start is to steer well clear of non-organic cotton and only buy clothes made from organic cotton (or other environmentally friendly textiles). In Denmark, according to the law, manufacturers may only state on their products that they are made from organic cotton if this is true. So if you find a garment labelled as being made from organic cotton (without any of the labels mentioned above), you can, in most cases, trust that it’s genuine, says Hanne.
So what are the consequences of buying clothes containing harsh chemicals?
‘That’s a good question,’ replies Hanne! ‘What we do know is that it has consequences for your health, the environment and the health of textile workers.’
Your health and that of your family: Harsh chemicals in clothing can be carcinogenic, disrupt hormones and contribute to the development of allergies.
The environment and the planet: Harsh chemicals, used in the production of clothing and textiles, pollute wastewater, the soil, the sea, the local environment and the entire global ecosystem (as most chemicals end up in the sea).
The health of textile workers: The people who help make our clothes are at risk of developing cancer, being exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, developing allergies, falling ill and, in the worst cases, dying as a result of their work in the clothing and textile industry.
Support green businesses when you go shopping
If you’re looking for inspiration on where to find sustainable and eco-friendly clothing retailers selling garments made from fabrics with the right environmental labels, the GoGreen Danmark website is a good place to start. Here you’ll find your way to Denmark’s sustainable shops and online stores. You can also pick up one of their physical city maps featuring green businesses in Copenhagen at the Ecouture showroom.
Labelling schemes for textiles are constantly evolving. If you’d like to keep up with developments, Hanne recommends checking the labels’ websites from time to time. In the EU, there are environmental labels for clothing that we don’t see very often in the Nordic region, such as German labels like IVN Better, IVN Best and kbA. Perhaps new labels will have arrived in Denmark in a few years’ time – and then, of course, we’ll update you with a new, exciting article.