Organic cotton India conventional cotton India

Organic cotton World

production

SUSTAINABLE COTTON PROJECTCalifornia's Central Valley

ORGANIC COTTON

SUSTAINABLE COTTON PROJECT

ORGANIC COTTON REDUCTION IN AGROCHEMICALS

World Organic Cotton Production 1992-1997 (in tons)

Country 1992 1993

1994 1995

1996 1997

Argentina 2 120 126 132 70

Australia 479 500 750 400 500 400

Benin 5

Brazil 2 9 1 5 5

Egypt 38 141 598 600 650 630

Greece 450 500 475 400

India 206 268 398 928 900 900

World Organic Cotton Production 1992-1997 (in tons)

Country 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

Israel 100 100 50

Mozambique 90 90 50

Nicaragua 16 20 20 20

Paraguay 100 75 50 50 50

Peru' 400 700 924 1516 1500 650

Turkey 2 20 30

Tanzania 33 100 100 200

World Organic Cotton Production 1992-1997 (in tons)

Country1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

Uganda 16 150 250 300 800

USA 2155 4274 5365 7425 3396 2852

Zambia 35 30 30

Zimbabway 5

Total 3408 6201 9498 12864 9028 7967

Organic T shirtorganic sweat

shirtorgnic terry robe

Organic fashion wear

Organic night gown

Organic slippers

Earth Friendly Fashions

Simplify Life, Relax Your Mind, Calm Your Soul, Open Your Heart.

Experience Fisher Henney Naturals

Organic cotton body wear

Organic cotton apparel

Organic cotton apparels

NATURALLY COLOURED COTTON

COTTON THAT GROWS WITH NATURAL COLOURS DURING CULTIVATION

BOTH WHITE AND COLOURED COTTONS KNOWN SINCE TIME IMEMORIAL

IN INDIA

NON POPULARITY OF COLOURED COTTON

LOW YIELD

SEED AVAILABILITY

LOW FINENESS, LOW STAPLE LENGTH

LOW STRENGTH

POOR SPINNABILITY

LOW YARN AND FABRIC QUALITY

LIMITED COLOUR RANGE

CONTAMINATION OF WHITE COTTON

ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION WAVE

IMPETUS TO THE CULTIVATION OF NATURALLY COLOURED COTTON

SHADES

PISTA GREEN AND ALMOND BROWN MOST COMMON

OTHER SHADES

CREAM

PINK

MAUVE

COUNTRIES

INDIA

USA

ISRAEL

CHINAPERU

IMPORTANT ASPECTS

EARLIER

LOW FIBRE LENGTH, POOR SPINNABILITY

YARN SPINNING OF 10 TO 12s COUNT

RESEARCH INPUTS

IMPROVED FIBRE QUALITY

POSSIBLE TO SPIN YARNS OF 30 AND 40s COUNT

SUITABLE FOR WEAVING AND KNITTING

IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS

GREEN VARIETY TURNS BROWN IF NOT HARVESTED ON RIPENING

BROWN VARIETY DARKENS WITH AGE AND EXPOSURE TO LIGHT

GREEN AND BRWON DARKEN ON LAUNDERING

NOT FAST TO BLEACHING

COTTON CORPORATION OF INDIA AND CENTRAL COTTON RESEARCH INSTITUTE NAGPUR

1996-97 INVESTMENT Rs. 80 LAKHS

CULTIVATION OF COLOURED COTTON AT

KHANDWA, MADHYA PRADESH

DHARWAD, KARNATAKA

PROJECT DID NOT SUCEED DUE TO POOR MARKET RESPONSE

DEMAND OF HIGH PRICE BY FARMERS

MAJOR PROBLEM

CONTAMINATION OF WHITE COTTO FIELDS

NECESSARY TO HAVE SEPARATE AREA FOR COLOUR COTTON CULTIVATION

MEANS TO OVERCOME TECHNICAL PROBLEMS

LOW STRENGTH AND POOR SPINNABILITY

BLENDING 30-50% OF WHITE COTTON WITH COLOURED COTTON

CHANGE OF SHADE ON LAUNDERING

ON LAUNDERING SHADE BECOMES DEEPER

ALKALINE SCOURING STABILIZES THE SHADE CHANGE

POOR BLEACHING FASTNESS

DO NOT BLEACH

Dr. B.M. Khadi at the University of Agriculture Science Dharwad

developed

Brown, Green and cream coloured cotton

Seeds available for cultivation

Till 1960 coloured cotton grown in some parts of India was exported to

Japan

Coloured cotton is insect and desease resistant and also drought tolerent

Innovation failed to take market place

The Cottton Project at the college of agriculture, Khandwa is engaged in research to boost the production and productivity of

coloured cotton

In 1996, the centre has been successful in developing a variety of cotton which produces seed cotton having natural almond

brown colour (JCC-1).

There is a vast scope in this direction as such a genotypes will avoid the use of synthetic dyes

the demand of organically grown cotton is increasing very fast.

Some more colours are being developed

Rocklea spinning Mills in collaboration with Australian farmers introduced range of yarns from brown and green

varieties of cotton

Blending of coloured cotton with white cotton in diffferent proporations produce shade

varieties

Australia

In Australia, Jeff & Marilyn Bidstrup, pioneered Australian

coloured cotton,

When blended, this cotton produces a beautiful "Sand Dune"

colour, ideal for our first EcoDownUnder towels.

The Bidstrups are leading the industry with Landcare Australia

awards and minimising their impact on the environment through "dry

land farming" rather than irrigating.

Environmental management by rotating cotton crops every 3

seasons and no harsh chemicals applied to their land for over 3

years has seen yields become some of the highest in the industry.

NATIVE COLOUR COTTON PROJECT

PERU

•COMMENCED IN 1984 TO DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY TO SUPPORT

INDIGENOUS FARMERS AND TRADITIONAL ARTISANS

•15000 FARDMERS CULTIVATE COLOURED COTTON

•50000 WOMEN INVOLVED IN TRADITIONAL HAND SPINNING AND

HAND WEAVING•COLOURED COTTON IS PRODUCED WITHOUT THE USE OF SYNTHETIC

FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES•COTTON PLANT GROWS UP TO 5

METERS HIGHYIELD 10 KG PER PLANT

•REMARKABLY RESISTANT TO PEST AND DISEASES

•THRIVES IN MARGINAL SOILS WITH LITTLE OR NO RAIN FALL

PRE-HISPANIC GRAVE in the Chancay Valley of Peru is heaped with naturally colored cotton bolls.  The ancient people of this coastal area filled the body of the deceased with the cotton, which would absorb the bodily fluids, thereby aiding in the process of mummification.  The arid sands of the region preserved the cotton (which was removed from the body when this grave was looted.)

SIX PRINCIPLE COLOUR

VARIETIES

CREAM

Pista green

MEDIUM BROWN

REDDISH BROWN

CHOCOLATE BROWN

MAUVE

Brown verities possess anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties

COFFEE FILTERS MADE FROM CERTIFIED ORGANIC COLOURED COTTON FREE FROM

PESTIFCIDES, BLEACHES ANDSYNTHETIC COLOURS

Natural coloured yarns and fabrics are certified by SKAL, Dutch certifying agency

PERUVIAN TAPESTRY from A.D. 1000 depicts a cotton plant complete with roots, leaves, stems, flowers and ripening cotton bolls spilling forth with naturally pigmented cotton

Four species of cotton have different lint lengths.

COTTON HARVESTING is done by hand in Peru

Women then sort the cotton, also by hand, for color and quality.

Traditional spinning bowl

LINT FIBER greatly enlarged reveals the natural twist   The dark masses impart the natural color.

Coloured cotton bolls are hand picked

Small quantity is used for craft production and domestic consumption in rural market.

Large quantity is consumed in uraban market as

textile products

Medical remedy for over fifty somatic and psychosomatic disorders

Colour cotton cultivation by traditional farmers is officially protected

Large number of traditional farmers are immensely benefited

No patents are held on native colored cotton, respecting and promoting the crop

protection rights of the indigenous   people of Peru.

Today Indian descendants of ancient Peruvian cultures still harvest, gin and spin by hand the natural colored cottons of Peru.

Slivers of coloured cotton

Naturally coloured yarn for Kniting and Weaving

Coloured cotton fabrics

COTTON CLOTHES in naturally occurring colors are produced in Peru

Sally Fox was introduced to colored cotton while

working for a cotton breeder, whose focus was

developing pest-resistant strains of cotton.

The peoples of Central and South America had spun

these strains for centuries, but the fiber qualities were

not sufficient for modern machine spinning.

Here was Sally Fox’s opportunity to combine her

concern for the environment,

work in her field of entomology,

and practice her favorite pastime, spinning and weaving

Sally Fox in 1982 took on the challenge of improving an ancient agricultural art.

Fox successfully bred and marketed varieties of naturally coloured cotton she calls FoxFiber ®.

Today, Sally Fox designs fabrics with her cotton and continues research.

Fox has received a patent and three Plant Variety Protection Certificates for her naturally colored cottons which, in addition to browns, she now grows in reds and greens.

Her invention has been so popular it has sprouted two successful companies -- Vreseis, Ltd. and Natural Cotton Colours, both operating in Arizona.

Natural qualities found in Fox Fibre:Furnish lasting color; repeated washings intensify colors bringing out the warm and rich color tones

Enable our cottons to be spun from 100% solid color

to any percentage of color blends. Blends of Fox Fibre colors (with each other or with white) can

create all of the color shades within the beige, khaki, brown, red brown, dark brown, and green color

spectrums

Provide a fire retardant tendency

Eliminate the need for bleaches, dyes, & other costly processes during textile and product manufacturing

Sally Fox is associted with Athena Mills Arizona

Athena Mills is recognized as a leader for two environmentally descriptive trademarks - Colorganic® and Colour-By-Nature®.

Both marks ensure the final product's color is from naturally colored cotton.

Colorganic additionally ensures certified organic growing practices for all of the cotton fibers in the final product.

Fox Fibre offers consumers an ecological alternative in cotton: today's purchase for tomorrow's environment

ECO LABELS

Eco-labels are product labels that

inform consumers about the environmental impact of a

product. They encourage producers to switch to environmentally sound production

process methods (PPMs) for advantage in the marketplace. Eco-labels allow producers to

differentiate their products from products that are less

environmentally friendly and

thus to reach environmentally conscious consumers. 

ECO LABEL CRITERIA

ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLINESS OF THE ENTIRE LIFE CYCLE OF THE PRODUCT

CRADLE TO GRAVE ASSESSMENT

1. Production of raw materials

2. Production of the end product

3. Packaging and transport of raw

materials and the finished product

4. Use of the product by companies and

consumers

5. Disposal of the product

e.g. assessment of a T-shirt starts in the

cotton field and ends in the incineration

plant.

ECO LABEL CRITERIA

•As little use as possible of chemical substances harmful to the environment

•No or very few heavy metals in the product

•Energy conservation during production and use

•The lowest possible amounts of harmful

substances in wastewater

•Requirements which ensure that the product works well and will last long

Opportunities for recycling/reuse

•The product should be as unproblematic as

possible in terms of waste

POTENTIALLY HARMFUL SUBSTANCES

pH

Formaldehyde

Heavy metals (As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni,

Hg)

Pesticides Chlorinated phenols

Dyestuffs (specific classifications)

Chlorinated organic carriers

Boicidal finishes

Flame retardent finishes

Colour fastness

Emission of volatiles

Odours

Republic of China–TaiwanGreen Mark

Thailand (Thai Green Label

Korea Environmental

Labelling

Japan Eco Mark

India Eco MarkAustralia/New Zealand Environmental ChoiceEuropean Union Eco-label “Flower”

scheme

Nordic Countries (Nordic Swan )

Austrian Eco-label

Croatia (Environmental Label)

Netherland Ecolabel Foundation