Textile Exchange partnered with 24 of their member brands, retailers, manufacturers and organic cotton producer groups. Together 12 schools were supported, many in the heart of an organic cotton growing community.

Each child created a masterpiece of art or craft – “From the field to my plate” - looking at the different food crops, grown alongside the cotton, that they enjoy eating on a regular basis.

Follow the link to see the winning entries.

Source: Textile Exchange (Thursday, June 13, 2013)

Due to poor availability of genetically unmodified seeds in the Indian market, the bioRe® Foundation, together with the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and the University of Dharwad in India, has conducted a seeds-evaluation project for three years. Last year six ....

Source: Remei AG, Newsletter (Monday, June 10, 2013)

The first European award scheme that commends the use of Fairtrade cotton useage throughout the supply chain has been launched this week by the Fairtrade Foundation

Source: EcoTextile News (Friday, May 24, 2013)

TE has now released the 2012 Organic Cotton Farm & Fiber Report, which includes the highlights and trends for the 2011-12 season! We explore the reasons behind the biggest growth and the barriers to growth in specific regions, and discuss the reasons why we think they’re occurring.

Press Release; http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/5/prweb10762733.htm

Source: Textile Exchange (Wednesday, May 22, 2013)

Over 3000 textile facilities were certified to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) in 2011-2012, with an increase of 44 per cent in the number of certified facilities in Europe to 728, according to new data released by the GOTS International Working Group.


The number of facilities certified to the GOTS rose 11 per cent to 3016 facilities in 2012, with the greatest number of companies and plants receiving certification in India, Turkey, China and Germany.

New Zealand, Paraguay, Kenya, Colombia and Bahrain also received their first GOTS certification in 2011 – 2012, with certified facilities now available in 62 countries.

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, April 24, 2013)

Although the overall market for organic products in the UK dipped by 1.5 per cent in 2012, demand for organic textiles continues to rise with the Soil Association reporting a 10 per cent jump in the turnover of its licensees, which mirrors a 10.4 per cent rise in the number of GOTS-certified textile mills globally.

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, March 20, 2013)

A new traceability tool from Swiss manufacturer Remei AG allows consumers to track the supply chain of their organic cotton clothing using a code on the garment’s label.

Source: EcoTextile News (Tuesday, February 26, 2013)

University students in the US are willing to pay a 25 per cent premium for an organic cotton t-shirt over a conventionally produced cotton equivalent – provided their parents are doing the buying. That’s a key finding of a recent pilot study funded by the WSU Agricultural Research Centre, which found that participants who pay for their own clothing were not willing to pay a premium.

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, February 20, 2013)

Textile Exchange head La Rhea Pepper is confident the organic cotton ‘brand’ won’t suffer any long-term damage in the wake of the recent Organic Trade Association report, which showed that severe drought conditions caused organic cotton production in the US to plunge by 45 per cent in 2011.

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, February 13, 2013)

H&M was the biggest user of organic cotton worldwide for the second consecutive year in 2011, according to Textile Exchange’s latest Organic Cotton Market Report.

Source: Environmental Leader (Friday, November 09, 2012)

The not-for-profit Textile Exchange has released its sixth annual Organic Cotton Market Report, which reveals a massive 37 per cent drop in organic cotton production in 2011, despite a brand survey that indicated a high proportion of retailers would actually expand their use of organic cotton. The current top users of organic cotton include H&M, C&A, Nike and Inditex.

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, November 07, 2012)

The New Organic Cotton Initiative will set the record straight – communicating to both brands and consumers how organic production and processing offers the highest standards and the most reliable, trustworthy system for advocates of sustainability.

The initiative is detailed in a briefing paper - released today, which spells out five unique benefits organic production offers:

1. Give control to farmers, not GM companies
Organic farmers don\'t have their choices controlled by GM companies

2. Eliminate hazardous synthetic pesticides
Organic cotton doesn’t use dangerous pesticides, protecting farmers’ lives and the environment

3. Help farmers feed their families
Organic cotton enables farmers to grow other crops for food and income

4. Save precious water
Organic cotton uses less water, preserving a scarce and precious resource for the future

5. Combat climate change
Organic cotton farming uses less energy and healthy organic soils store more CO2

Source: GOTS & Soil Association (Thursday, October 04, 2012)

African organic cotton project bioRe Tanzania says it forecasts a bumper harvest for the 2012/2013 cropping season with an estimated 10,000 tonnes of cottonseed expected to be produced.
Unseasonal wet weather in Tanzania, with rain falling through the normally dry period from mid-March until mid-May, together with an increase in the number of farmers, has boosted the organic cotton yields at bioRe Tanzania by around 50%.

Source: EcoTextile News (Tuesday, September 25, 2012)

Two Japanese companies have responded to a global initiative that encourages companies to combine commercial success and sustainable development by pledging to back organic cotton farmers in India.

Under the guidelines of the Business Call to Action (BCtA), Japan-based Itochu Corp. and Kurkku a supplier of sustainably sourced food and apparel have committed to help scale up production of organically produced cotton, with around 30,000 low-income cotton farmers expected to benefit.

The two companies have pledged to scale up their Pre Organic Cotton (POC) Programme, which encourages farmers in India to switch from conventional to organic cotton production by guaranteeing to buy the cotton that is organically produced at a price higher than that of conventional cotton. The commitment is said to be critical to the initiative s success since it typically takes three years for farmers to obtain an organic certification; in the meantime, they are growing organic cotton, which costs more to produce, but are forced to sell it at cheaper, conventional cotton prices.

Source: EcoTextile News (Thursday, August 30, 2012)

PUMA today opened a sustainable PUMA Store in India, with products including organic cotton and other sustainable materials.

Source: Cotton 24/7 (Wednesday, August 29, 2012)

An interim agreement has been signed between the Aid by Trade Foundation (hold CmiA) and BCI.

Source: Ecotextile News (Monday, July 30, 2012)

The latest in the 'Future Shapers' series, launched by Textile Exchange to celebrate its 10th Anniversary, is a profile of European retailer C&A which includes details of its commitment to ‘Bio Cotton’ and the journey the company has taken to become one of the two largest buyers of organic cotton worldwide.

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, August 15, 2012)

The burgeoning market for organic textiles has seen Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority of India (APEDA) launch certification standards for organic textiles.

National Organic Textile Standards (NOTS) have recently been included under the National Programme for Organic Productions (NPOP).

Source: EcoTextile News (Tuesday, August 14, 2012)

To raise awareness about sustainably produced cotton the Initiatives for Sustainable Cotton (ISC) was announced during Berlin Fashion Week, which is being backed by the Aid by Trade Foundation with Cotton Made in Africa, TransFair e.V. (Fairtrade Germany) and stakeholders involved in the organic cotton sector.

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, July 18, 2012)

From the 2013 summer collection, Jack Wolfskin will be using exclusively organic cotton

Source: Jack Wollfskin (Thursday, May 31, 2012)

Since its introduction to Burkina Faso in 2008, Bt cotton now accounts for 70% of the planted cotton area in the country, yet new reports say it is being phased out after failing to deliver on quality.

Source: EcoTextile News (Sunday, April 15, 2012)

Sales of Fairtrade certified cotton textiles in Germany dropped last year for the first time since 2008, which was in stark contrast to an overall 18 per cent rise in sales of Fairtrade certified consumer goods in the country.

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, April 25, 2012)

In recent years, the share of organic cotton has developed pleasingly from 0.1 % to over 1 %, which is mainly down to the big conventional textile firms like C&A and Nike. More than 200,000 farmers now earn a good living in this segment. 50 % of the fairtrade production now has an organic certificate, as Rossitza Krüger from FLO (picture) explained.

Source: organic-market.info (Monday, April 16, 2012)

The 2011 Farm & Fiber Report covers the significant decline in organic cotton fiber production, the reasons behind it, and the need for industry action. For the first time, we’ve also covered other sustainable cotton initiatives including Better Cotton Initiative (BCI, Fairtrade, Cotton made in Africa (CmiA), and customized cleaner cotton programs with notes from ICAC and Cotton Inc.).
The full report is available to members of Textile Exchange at no cost, for non-members, it may be purchased for $400 USD. The 27-page Executive Summary, also available at no charge to TE Members, may be purchased by non-members for $50 USD. Follow the link for more information.

Source: The Farm Engagement Team at Textile Exchange (Thursday, April 19, 2012)

Cotton is a valuable raw material that is widely known as "the white gold". Yet, growing cotton can also cause serious social and ecological damage. Organic farming and fair trade try to respond to this.

The TDC presents an overview of fair and organic guarantee systems for cotton and describes their functioning and the guarantees provided by each system.

Source: BTC Trade for Developpement (Thursday, March 08, 2012)

The Japanese Organic Cotton Association has abolished its document verifying certification system and the use of the two quality labels ‘pure’ and ‘blended’. Instead it will now certify organic products in relation to the Global Organic Textile Standard while also offering the JOCA ‘family’ label.

Source: Ecotextile News (Monday, February 20, 2012)

Organic cotton yields in Benin are benefitting from the introduction of a new treatment designed to 'attract and retain beneficial insects'.

Source: EcoTextile News (Monday, January 23, 2012)

Nicaragua will shortly harvest its first organic cotton crop which has well as boosting the country’s domestic textile industry, is expected to help attract new foreign investment projects.

Source: Ecotextile News (Thursday, January 12, 2012)

On Dec. 15, 2011, Bloomberg News published an article entitled, “Victoria’s Secret Revealed in Child Picking Burkina Faso Cotton” that alleged Victoria’s Secret purchased cotton from farms that utilize children workers forced into labor.

Since the story was published, a third-party investigation commissioned by Limited Brands was conducted and has uncovered substantial factual inaccuracies, most notably:

The “young girl” who was the centerpiece of the article, Clarisse Kambire, is 21 years old – not 13 years old,as reported by Bloomberg News.
Clarisse does not live nor work on a registered organic cotton farm in Burkina Faso. Rather, she works on a vegetable farm.
Victorien Kamboule, who was reported to be an organic cotton farmer, does not raise cotton, according to records of the UNPCB which registers all cotton farms in Burkina Faso, as well as ECOCERT, a French certification organization that actively inspects and monitors organic agricultural production, including organic cotton from Burkina Faso. Victorien grows vegetables.

Source: Limitedbrands (Friday, January 06, 2012)

A US t-shirt printer has teamed up with a nearby apparel producer to bring organic cotton back to North Carolina for what it says is the first time in recent memory. The USDA-certified organic cotton will be used to produce blank t-shirts that will be printed using low-impact water based inks that do not contain plastisols.

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, December 21, 2011)

Bloomberg and other media reported on 12/15/2011 that the production of organic cotton used in the fairtrade collection of the American underwear brand Victoria’s Secret involves child labor. Victoria’s Secret sources its organic cotton from the national cotton producer union UNPCB in Burkina Faso, West Africa. UNPCB organizes all cotton producers in the country, organic as well as conventional ones.

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Source: HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation (Sunday, December 18, 2011)

CmiA aims to increase transparency about its work in Africa through the release of its environmental guidelines, the organization said. It plans to increase smallholder farmer’s ability for medium- and long-term environmental planning, create incentives for smallholders to adapt environmentally friendly farming practices and show ecological benefits of CmiA cotton compared to standard cotton.

Source: cotton 24/7 (Wednesday, November 16, 2011)

The Insiders Guide to Cotton and Sustainability, written by Simon Ferrigno and edited by John Mowbray, will be available for purchase from January 2012. Published by MCL Global, producers of Ecotextile News and Knitting Trade Journal, the 100 page booklet covers the ecological impact of cotton production and the environmental challenges that this presents.

Source: Ecotextile News (Wednesday, November 09, 2011)

According to a report by Textile Exchange released today, neither the recession nor unstable economies put a damper on the fast-growing organic textiles industry which grew 20 percent to an estimated $5.61 billion in 2010.

Source: PRWeb (Tuesday, September 06, 2011)

Despite the global recession in 2009, market for organic cotton continued to rise in the period 2005-2009. Organic cotton currently represents only 1.1% of total global cotton production, but the market for organic cotton is witnessing continued and rapid expansion driven mainly by growing consumer interest in ‘green’ products, significant expansion of existing organic cotton programs by brands and retailers, and the growing usage in personal care items, home furnishings, clothing etc. India remained the top organic cotton producing nation in 2009-10 for the third straight year. Other major organic cotton producers include Syria, Turkey, China and the US.

Source: researchandmarkets.com (Thursday, August 25, 2011)

Organic cotton now represents only 0.76 percent of global cotton production but it is still in a growth stage, being cultivated in 24 countries worldwide with the top three producers being led by India, China and Turkey. One of its primary keys to success is to build consumer preferences for this niche industry. Organic cotton revenues are on the rise because:

* New consumers are trying the organic products more, and
* A growing proportion of satisfied customers are making repeat purchases.

Source: Cotton 24/7 (Monday, August 01, 2011)

Interview with Simon Ferrigno Advisor Sustainable & Organic Farm Systems and Jens Soth, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation.

Source: Cotton 24 (Thursday, August 11, 2011)

Anvil Knitwear is a proud sponsor of Farm Aid 2011 whose mission is to build a vibrant family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. The concert will feature six exclusive Farm Aid designs on Anvil Knitwear t-shirts featuring Texas cotton from organic and transitional growers.

Source: Finanznachrichten.DE (Saturday, August 13, 2011)

Extensive use of genetically modified (GM) cotton seeds is destroying agricultural bio-diversity and jeopardising the livelihood of over four million cotton growers in India. In a common declaration, concerned stakeholders committed themselves to join forces to promote non-GM and organic cotton.

(Frick, July 6, 2011) India has become the largest organic cotton producer worldwide with the number of organic cotton projects increasing throughout the country. Conversely, in 2010 more than 80 percent of India’s cotton area used genetically modified Bt-cotton seeds. On account of this, the seed supply chain of non-GM cotton genotypes has become delinked. Since the private and also many public sectors have largely stopped producing non-GM cotton seed, the supply of non-GM seed to the remaining 20 percent of farmers, including organic cotton projects, has become of critical concern….. read more via link

Source: FiBL, Research Insititute of Organic Agriculture (Wednesday, July 06, 2011)

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) has welcomed a new policy memorandum from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in which it explicitly confirms that textile products that are produced in accordance with the GOTS standard may be sold as organic in the US.

Source: EcoTextile News (Monday, May 23, 2011)

An India-based organic cotton yarn manufacturer which works closely with WWF India and IKEA is aiming to more than double its production capacity.

Laxmi Cotspin, founded in 2006, currently operates 16,800 spindles but is undergoing an expansion process that will see it increase its capacity to 34,560 spindles by the end of the year.

Source: EcoTextile News (Monday, May 16, 2011)

The latest sustainability report from Hennes & Mauritz shows that the company used 15,000 tonnes of organic cotton in 2010, an increase of 77% compared to the previous year. The Swedish retailer has also announced a target to source all of its cotton from more sustainable sources by 2020.

Source: EcoTextile News (Monday, April 18, 2011)

This 18-page guide summarizes the technical and environmental practices and focuses specifically on fiber impacts, highlighting the positive and negative attributes associated with hemp, linen, organic cotton, recycled cotton, recycled polyester, and TENCEL™ from Lenzing.



‘The Beginner's Guide to Sustainable Fibers’ is a brand new benefit to Textile Exchange members at the $1,000 USD level and above. The addition and update of the information sheets within the guide will be an ongoing project, with revisions available to TE members during their annual term.



A sample of the organic cotton section and the full guide will also be available for purchase by non-members at: http://organicexchange.org/oecms/Textile-Exchange-Publications.html.

Source: Textile Exchange / Daren Abney (Tuesday, April 12, 2011)

Despite a picture of overall growth in Fairtrade products in 2010, sales of Fairtrade cotton items across the UK dipped in 2010.

The latest figures released by the Fairtrade Foundation show that although overall purchases of Fairtrade products rocketed by 40% to an estimated retail value of £1.17 billion, sales of cotton items such as garments, kitchen and bedroom linen and cotton wool slipped to just over 10 million units in 2010, the second consecutive annual drop.

Source: Ecotextile News (Tuesday, March 08, 2011)

The new version is a result of a stakeholder input process in which various organizations with expertise in organic production, textile processing and social criteria participated. It follows the overal approach of GOTS to define high level verifiable environmental criteria throughout the entire processing chain of apparel and home textiles (including spinning, knitting, weaving, dyeing, manufacturing, and trading) made from a minimum of 70% certified organic fibers and requiring social minimum criteria while still providing for a practical set of requirements that is technically achievable even in large scale industrial textile production and for mass market brands and retailers in order to achieve a considerable environmental and social impact in the textile industry.
All GOTS certified companies must fully comply with Version 3.0 by 1st of March 2012. They receive all required information through their applicable certification body.

Source: International Working Group on Global Organic Textile Standard (Tuesday, March 01, 2011)

Next month the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) will officially release its latest version of its standard which lifts a total ban on all biocides and certain fabric softeners, allows certain synthetic fabric finishes, prohibits functioning nanoparticles, asks for metrics on water and energy use and sets a date for a transition to post-consumer recycled polyester content.

Source: Ecotextile News (Tuesday, February 22, 2011)

UK supermarket chain J Sainsbury has agreed a deal to source all of its Fairtrade cotton from India.

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, February 16, 2011)

H&M launched its consciuos collection made out of recycled polyester and organic cotton. The collection will be available in H&M stores from April 14.

Source: hmconsciouscollection.com (Thursday, February 03, 2011)

US growers increased plantings of organic cotton acreage by 12% in 2010 compared to the precious year, according to a new report.

Analysis of available data collected by the Organic Trade Association (OTA), funded by Cotton Incorporated, and incorporating additional data from the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative (TOCMC) detailed planted acres for 2010 at 11,827 acres, up from an estimated 10,521 acres planted in 2009. The 2010 number is the highest since 2000, when US farmers planted 13,596 acres to organic cotton.

Source: Ecotextile News (Friday, January 28, 2011)

Marks and Spencer has launched a new sustainable fabric collection with every garment made using either organic or Fairtrade cotton in addition to sustainably sourced modal or Tencel.

Source: Ecotextile News (Thursday, January 20, 2011)

The production of organic cotton continued its steady growth in 2009-2010, buoyed by continued demand from manufacturers, brands and retailers.

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, January 12, 2011)

Textile Exchange releases 2010 Farm and Fiber Report.

The report presents continued growth for organic cotton in 2009-10. Production rose 15% from 209,950 metric tonnes (mt) in 2008-09 to 241,697 mt this year. The 100-page report covers 23 countries, 260 producer groups, and 275,300 farmers.

As this is the fifth year that the comprehensive report has been produced, we have taken the opportunity to look back over the five years to review the rise of organic cotton since 2005-06, when only 37,000 mt was produced.

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Source: Ashley Gill (Wednesday, January 12, 2011)

Two years ago, when going green was red-hot in the fashion industry, there were plenty of organic jeans to choose from. Brands including Levi’s, Banana Republic, Genetic Denim, 7 For All Mankind, Earnest Sewn, Aristocrat, Loomstate, Del Forte and J Brand offered at least one pair made with some amount of organic cotton, grown without environmentally threatening chemicals (according to the Sustainable Cotton Project, a nonprofit organisation, conventional cotton consumes 25 per cent of the world’s chemical pesticides and fertilisers).

Today, none of the brands do. Which raises the question: Where has all the organic denim gone?

Source: New York Times (Tuesday, January 11, 2011)

The textile industry, like so many others today, has been squeezed as consumers struggle through the global recession, but that hasn’t stopped organic cotton from continuing its remarkable growth trend, according to a story posted on www.naturalnews.com.

Source: Cotton 24/7 (Wednesday, December 22, 2010)

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations has reported that its on-going project with West African farmers has not only improved cotton yields and farmer incomes but at the same time has also cut the use of pesticides.

Source: EcoTextile News (Monday, December 20, 2010)

Price issues remain the main concern for more than 75% of UK consumers when it comes to choosing ethically and sustainable produced fashion while only 28% also believe that organic cotton is of similar quality to conventional cotton, according to a new report.

Source: EcoTextile News (Friday, December 17, 2010)

Insects expected to drop dead after feeding on genetically modified cotton plants have instead been found for the first time in India to be thriving and even successfully breeding on the plants.

Source: The Telegraph, India (Saturday, December 11, 2010)

A pre-conference event on Organic Textiles is to take place during next year’s IFOAM Organic World Congress in Korea.
The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements’ event, running under the theme ‘Organic is Life’, will take place in Namyangju City between September 26 and October 5, 2011 with the textiles seminar scheduled to run from September 26 to 28.

Source: EcoTextile News (Tuesday, December 14, 2010)

Swiss-based Spoerry 1866 Ltd. is now providing special holograms that are used on swing-tags attached to clothes sold in the Asia market which are made from its high-end certified organic cotton yarns.

Source: EcoTextile News (Thursday, November 25, 2010)

With many developing nations relying on genetically modified cotton to increase yields, researchers in the USA suggest that naturally occurring plant hormones may be an alternative answer – with research showing that these hormones could even boost cotton crop yields under drought conditions.

These findings were reported in September 2010 edition of Recorder, published by the International Cotton Advisory Committee.

Source: EcoTextile News (Thursday, November 25, 2010)

A new report from the Fairtrade Foundation claims that the West African cotton industry is being hindered by a wall of funding provided to US and European Union farmers from their respective governments.

Source: EcoTextile News (Monday, November 15, 2010)

SOCiLA stays for Support Organic Cotton in Latin America and is a German initiative for promoting organic cotton production and processing in Latin America

The new web site of SOCiLA, www.socila.eu, exposes a detailed analysis of the peculiar situation of organic cotton development in the region.

Cultivating organic cotton in Latin America – SOCiLA maintains – would not only allow cotton farmers to recover lost ground but also, and most importantly, give industrial enterprises entry possibilities into the globally booming organic cotton market Textile mills and apparel manufacturers could make better use of their installed capacities and employment would be generated at all levels of the value chain.

SOCiLA has so far been active mainly in Colombia. The initiative has, however, the intention to cover the entire area and is seeking partnerships and financial assistance for projects throughout Latin America.

Source: Alexander Grisar, SOCiLA (Wednesday, November 24, 2010)

The new GOTS Positive List System grants immediate access to all GOTS-compliant textile chemicals approved by the Institute for Marketecology (IMO) for processing of GOTS-certified textiles.

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Source: IMO, Dr. Ines Hensler, Public Relations (Wednesday, November 16, 2011)

In this issue we feature the new "Textile Exchange Solution," a booklet full of information pertaining to sustainable textiles. We outline the response to a successful 2010 Sustainable Textiles Conference in New York, address the OE Standards, link to Engage - The Monthly Farm Bulletin and remind our supporters that staff email addresses have been updated.


Follow the link for a complimentary subscription: http://organicexchange.org/oecms/eNewsletters.html. (Link will be updated to TextileExchange.org website soon.)

Source: Textile Exchange / Daren Abney (Thursday, November 18, 2010)

A new report from Fairtrade Foundation. Read about the wall of subsidies preventing the world’s poorest cotton farmers from making a living.

Source: The Fairtrade Foundation (Monday, November 15, 2010)

International cotton prices continued to rise steeply in October. On October 11, the Cotlook A Index broke the
previous record of 119.4 cents per pound established in April 1995, and continued to rise in the following weeks,
reaching 147 cents per pound on October 27, 2010. The Cotlook A Index averaged 127 cents per pound in
October 2010, 89% higher than in October 2009. Price volatility is also very high this season.1 It averaged 57%
from August to October 2010, compared to 11% over the same period in 2009/10. This was the highest volatility
recorded in the first three months of a season since the Cotlook A Index was first published in the 1960s.

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Source: ICAC Press Release (Monday, November 01, 2010)

Wal-Mart recently announced intentions to ramp up its commitment to sustainable agriculture, and last year made commitments to make its Faded Glory brand 100 per cent more sustainable, but reports from India indicate the global retail giant could be cutting back on its use of organic cotton.

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, October 20, 2010)

Organic Exchange (OE), the non-profit which has helped drive global sales of organic cotton apparel and home textile products to an estimated $4.3 billion in 2009, will announce its expanded role as the organization driving development of the global sustainable textile industry under the new name, ‘Textile Exchange,’ at its annual conference in New York City. The broadened focus positions the organization to serve as the non-profit convener, catalyst, and market-maker for the sustainable textile industry worldwide.

Source: Organic Exchange (Tuesday, October 19, 2010)

European retailer H&M has confirmed that by 2020, it will source only ‘sustainable’ cotton

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, September 29, 2010)

The G&T Group, LLC, through its wholly owned subsidiary “Tees 4 Trees” tm, is pleased to announce the launch of its new clothing line with a revolutionary and environmentally significant marketing plan. “Tees 4 Trees” tm, has developed both a clothing line manufactured with ecological sensitivity and a distribution plan which contributes to a reduced carbon footprint by planting trees in big cities and worldwide.
The tracking of the tree planting process for each individual tree is made possible through an arrangement between “Tees 4 Trees” tm and several worldwide environmental organizations. “Tees 4 Trees” tm has created this unique system which allows for every “Tees 4 Trees” tm customer to “locate” his or her tree on the planet (a process we call “geo- localization”)

Source: Scott Thompson, organic PR (Tuesday, September 14, 2010)

Itochu Corp., a general trading firm based in Tokyo, has announced that it will provide financial aid to growers in India who agree to forego the use of chemicals and produce organic cotton.

Source: Cotton International (Thursday, August 26, 2010)

Dutch fashion brand Kuyichi, which was founded by the NGO Solidaridad as a way to introduce more organic cotton into the mainstream market, has opened its first stand-alone retail concept store in Manchester, UK. The store marks the beginning of the roll out of Kuyichi across the UK, Ireland and France.

Source: EcoTextile News (Thursday, September 02, 2010)

The ICAC report Volume 63 - Numéro 5 Mai - Juin contains an article about the world situation of organic cotton "Organic Cotton: the challenges ahead".

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Source: ICAC, Elke Hortmeyer (Tuesday, June 01, 2010)

EcO 2 B.V. has joined the Control Union World Group. EcO2 B.V. is a Dutch-based fumigation company that provides non-toxic alternatives to Methyl Bromide and other toxic fumigants while providing the same level of effectiveness. Control Union Certifications is a division of Control Union World Group. Both companies will work closely in offering a combined service for both fumigation and certification.

contact: Robert Demianew (954) 916-2667.

Source: Control Union (Thursday, July 01, 2010)

The Organic Exchange has responded to suggestions in a recent magazine article that organic cotton farming in Africa is perpetuating the spread of malaria.

Source: Ecotextile News (Monday, July 05, 2010)

Source4Style, an online marketplace that allows fashion and interior designers to search and purchase sustainable materials from around the globe will hold a preview at this month’s Home Textiles Fabric Sourcing Expo.

Source: Ecotextile News (Friday, July 02, 2010)

In recent months, a group of specialists in the cotton industry have studied ways of delivering pragmatic and transparent processes and recommendations which will help to further strengthen efforts for the prevention of contamination of organic cotton in countries where the cultivation of GMO cotton is common.
Specialists from organic cotton projects, certification bodies, academics and supply chain managers have elaborated a guidance document which explains the Do's and Don'ts for maintaining high standards for non-contamination, via simple protocols from seed to bale, in line with International organic farming regulations.
The content provided in this document will remain the intellectual property of C&A which has sponsored the study. However, it has been decided to publish the results in the public domain, allowing more general use and reference for the benefit of the wider organic cotton community, and in order to further strengthen the integrity of organic cotton.

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Source: C&A, Helvetas, Organic Exchange, Cotton Connect (Monday, June 21, 2010)

The Draft National Fibre Policy was released. Section VIII is about organic cotton. Comments on the draft paper can be brought in. The Date for submitting feedback and comments is extended from 21st June, 2010 to 5th July 2010.

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Source: Narasimha Reddy Donthi (Wednesday, June 23, 2010)

Greenpeace has launched a new report which says that farming organic cotton in India is more profitable than growing genetically engineered varieties of cotton because of the higher input costs of GM and a greater potential for debt accumulation.

Source: Andrea Bischof, Organic & Fairtrade Competence Center (Tuesday, June 15, 2010)

C&A says it is planning to sell 23 million organic cotton products in 2010, which equates to 10% of its total cotton products.

Source: Andrea Bischof, Organic & Fairtrade Competence Center (Tuesday, June 15, 2010)

The 2009 Organic Market Report provides:
- An overview of organic cotton market growth from 2001-2010
-2009 global organic cotton market demand, including significant trends and growth accelerators
-Profiles of Top Twelve organic cotton users and significant up-and-coming companies
-Likely demand scenarios for 2010 and 2011
-Recommendations for sustainable growth of organic cotton supply and demand

The full report is available as a membership benefit, or can be purchased online; full details are at: http://organicexchange.org/oecms/Organic-Exchange-Publications.html.

Source: Organic Exchange / Daren Abney (Thursday, May 27, 2010)

The latest headline figures on organic cotton retail sales supplied by Organic Exchange (OE) show a healthy 35% growth to a value of US$4.3 billion in 2009, but they also suggest that like the conventional cotton sector, there is considerable ‘mark-up’ taking place along the supply chain with very little profit trickling back down to impoverished farmers.

Source: Ecotextile News (Tuesday, May 25, 2010)

After consultation with numerous stakeholders, including Organic Exchange, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan has completed its Guidelines of Labeling Organic Cotton. These guidelines apply to all products distributed and sold in the Japanese market, and set clear requirements on the certification of the organic fiber. OE is pleased to note that the guidelines allow for the labeling of both partial and full organic content, and do address processing inputs, which means that they can be supported by the OE 100, OE Blended and GOTS standards.

Source: Organic Exchange (Thursday, May 06, 2010)

India is targeting US$1 billion worth of organic product exports in the next five years, driven primarily by a greater demand for non-food products such as organic cotton.

Source: Ecotextile News (Tuesday, May 18, 2010)

The Indian government’s decision to ban cotton exports looks like having an unfair impact on the growers of Fairtrade and organic cotton in India, as upstream profits from soaring cotton prices fail to trickle back into Indian farmer’s pockets.

Source: Ecotextile News (Friday, April 30, 2010)

Sears Canada Inc. has launched ‘Live Green’, a new program which identifies eco-friendly products and services for customers looking to make greener choices.

Source: Ecotextile News (Monday, March 29, 2010)

At the end of March, Swedish retailer H&M will launch its first collection featuring 100% sustainable materials.

Source: Ecotextile News (Tuesday, March 23, 2010)

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is hoping to make the process of setting up a complete organic supply chain as transparent and easy as possible with the launch of a new online database.

Source: Ecotextile News (Wednesday, March 17, 2010)

Sustainable Global Sourcing, a new San Francisco–based venture, has opened its first apparel factory in Liberia and is ready to take orders for organic-cotton garments.

Source: Ecotextile News (Wednesday, March 10, 2010)

The first European fashion award for ecological and fair clothing will be presented to a young and rising designer at the spectacular Ozeanum in Stralsund in October 2010.

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Source: hessnatur, Verena Kuhnert (Friday, February 12, 2010)

Organic Exchange is proud to announce the new OE 2009 Organic Cotton Farm & Fiber Report is complete and now available. This valuable industry-serving report is available to OE members at the $500 membership level and above, member details here. This report is also available for purchase for $400 USD via the online order form, with any questions please contact Daren Abney: daren@organicexchange.org.

The OE 2009 Organic Cotton Farm & Fiber Report explains that organic cotton now represents 0.76 percent of global cotton production, while exploring the challenges of 2009 production.

Source: Organic Exchange, Daren Abney (Wednesday, February 17, 2010)

Global organic cotton production rose by 20% in 2009 tipping the scales at 175,113 metric tons (802,599 bales) grown on 625,000 acres (253,000 hectares), according to a new report from Organic Exchange (OE).

Source: Ecotextile News (Monday, February 15, 2010)

TLR International Laboratories (NL) have confirmed that garments sold under C&A's "Bio Cotton" label are free of GM-construct.

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Source: C&A (Tuesday, February 09, 2010)

The CICR confirms the misquotation in the FT article. K. R. Kranthi, Acting Director, Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur affirms that the CICR has neither collected samples from organic cotton producers in India anytime nor conducted any ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immuno sorbent Assay) studies with organic cotton at the institute.

Source: K. R. Kranthi, Acting Director, Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur (Sunday, January 31, 2010)

There has been an enormous amount of controversy and rumour in the global textile sector after a recent FT report alleged that leading European brands sold organic clothing which was knowingly certified as organic but which contained traces of genetically modified (GM) cotton from India. GM cotton is outlawed under organic standards.

Source: Ecotextile News (Thursday, January 28, 2010)

According to Organic Exchange (OE), allegations in a recent article in the German edition of the Financial Times that major retailers are knowingly selling as organic cotton genetically modified (GMO) cotton from India are unfounded.

Source: Organic Exchange, La Rhea Pepper (Wednesday, January 27, 2010)

In response to reports about the integrity of organic cotton coming from India, H&M has confirmed that promoting organic cotton continues to be part of its environmental strategy and says there is no reason to believe that organic cotton used in its garments comes from GM seeds.

Source: Ecotextile News (Tuesday, January 26, 2010)

European retailer C&A is the second major brand to come out today and re-affirm its commitment to organic cotton in the wake of press reports that claimed C&A – along with others – were unknowingly selling organic cotton clothing tainted with genetically modified (GM) cotton.

Source: Ecotextile News (Tuesday, January 26, 2010)

Clothing retailers across Europe have been quick to reassure their customers

that their garments sold under organic cotton labels are indeed environmentally

sound.

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Source: Organic Exchange (Monday, January 25, 2010)

The first German language Organic Textile Symposium will take place from 3-4 March, 2010 in Switzerland.

Source: Organic Textile Services (Friday, January 01, 2010)

The Dutch sustainable denim brand Kuyichi plans that in 2010 100% of the cotton they use will be certified as organic.

Source: Ecotextile News (Friday, January 08, 2010)

Organic cotton growers increased plantings by 26% in 2009 compared to the previous year, according to the preliminary data collected by the Organic Trade Association (OTA). However, those surveyed also highlighted the problems of securing a reliable market for their cotton.

Source: EcoTextile News (Tuesday, December 22, 2009)

Two South America-based label certifiers have been accredited by GOTS giving them the authority to certify to this globally recognised organic textile standard.

Source: EcoTextile News (Monday, December 07, 2009)

Terra Viva - about the organic cotton sector in India, with a video clip about the achievements of Chetna Organic Farming Association.

Source: euronews (Tuesday, November 24, 2009)

Attention Farmers and Farm Groups – OE is introducing the Farmer Visibility Map and needs your to help ensure we have as much information available as possible.

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Source: Ashley Currin (Wednesday, November 18, 2009)

Imagine a complete village growing ‘genetically modified’ Bt Cotton and then falsely certifying it as organic, and exporting it to EU, US, Switzerland and other importers!

Source: The Times of India (Saturday, November 14, 2009)

Anvil Knitwear has launched TrackMyT.com, an interactive, web-based scheme which chronicles the complete journey and environmental impact of a t-shirt, from cotton-seed to consumer.

Source: Ecotextile News (Monday, November 16, 2009)

Cotton Inc. has launched a manual for cotton textile processors which outlines a range of ideas and technologies for the sustainable production of cotton goods.

Source: cotton today (Friday, November 06, 2009)

The conference offered a platform with more than 30 workshops, keynote sessions and panel discussions, organized around four main topics: building partnerships along the chain, value chain integrity, marketing and communication, trends and policies.

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Source: Apparel Online (Sunday, November 01, 2009)

EarthPositive has won the Best Organic Textile Product 2009 at the Natural & Organic Products Annual Industry Awards.

Source: Ecotextile News (Wednesday, October 21, 2009)

It has not rained much recently in the northern regions of Benin in west Africa, the soil is hard and cracking. But from it sprout small and precious white flowers of organic cotton.

Source: France 24, International News 24/7 (Sunday, October 18, 2009)

This hands-on manual is meant to help mainstream retailers to decide on, to source and to market sustainable cotton.

Source: CREM (Monday, September 28, 2009)

The World Congress on Organic Cotton in Interlaken, Switzerland, has started today. More than 350 professionals are meeting 4 days to exchange and to learn about current issues on organic cotton. Read the blog and see the blips about the conference.

Source: Andrea Bischof, Organic & Fairtrade Competence Center (Tuesday, September 22, 2009)

Zameen Organic, a farmer-owned organic cotton trading and marketing company has received a Rs10 million (US$200,000) investment from venture capital firm, Aavishkaar India.

Source: Ecotextile News (Thursday, September 10, 2009)

The 68th Plenary Meeting of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) is underway. Speakers
during a Roundtable discussion on Sunday the 6th suggested that organic cotton has the potential to
provide new ideas that can influence and support wider sustainability drives in the sector.

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Source: International Cotton Advisory Committee (Monday, September 07, 2009)

The bioRe Foundation, which aims to improve the living conditions for more than 11,000 farmer families in India and Tanzania, is to receive a donation of CHF100,000 (US$94,00) from Remei AG, which was awarded the funds from the Zürcher Kantonalbank Sustainability Award.

Source: Ecotextile News (Wednesday, September 02, 2009)

India has set itself a target of US$1 billion worth of organic product sales by 2012 as it looks to capitalise on its already booming production capacity.

Source: Ecotextile News (Friday, August 28, 2009)

Anvil Knitwear has launched a new eco t-shirt made from recycled PET plastic bottles and transitional cotton, which has been grown on farms that are in the process of becoming certified organic.

Source: Ecotextile News (Tuesday, September 01, 2009)

An overview of Organic Exchange and its continued growth during a difficult year.

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Source: Organic Exchange (Friday, August 28, 2009)

A new 8 page exclusive report on the bioRe Tanzania organic cotton project has been published by Ecotextile News magazine and is freely available as a download from this web-site.

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Source: Ecotextile News (Tuesday, August 26, 2008)

In March 2009, Helvetas launched a nation-wide campaign in Switzerland to raise consumer awareness for textiles made from organic and fairtrade cotton. The campaign is implemented in collaboration with brands and retailers (Coop Switzerland, Switcher, Hess Natur), the State Secretariat of Economic Affairs SECO and various other organisations. It includes posters, a shop-finder where retailers can register their offer of organic and fairtrade textiles, and extensive media work.

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Source: Helvetas Organic & Fairtrade Competence Centre (Wednesday, April 01, 2009)

Fuel and fertiliser price hikes, insect infestations and chemical damage to soil have led some cotton farmers in West Africa to produce organic cotton. But the international recession has blunted demand for the new crop, according to an industry trade group.

Source: IRIN Africa News (Tuesday, February 17, 2009)

Despite the difficult retail sector, most brands selling organic cotton remain upbeat about the market for organics with many brands and retailers planning to expand their offers in 2009 and 2010.

Source: EcoTextile News (Wednesday, March 18, 2009)

A review of crops grown in rotation or as part of the organic cotton farm system.

Source: Organic Exchange (Thursday, May 14, 2009)