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)

Press Release of the 2010 Organic Exchange Sustainable Textiles Conference

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Source: Heather Hocker (Monday, March 07, 2011)

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)