organiccotton

Cotton tales

Cotton plays an important part in our lives - you are probably wearing something made from

cotton as you read this. But have you ever stopped to think about where it comes from and

how it is grown?

It is likely that the cotton you are wearing was grown using large amounts of

strong synthetic pesticides and fertilisers - because cotton isn't a food product, the laws on the

use of chemicals are not very strict. As a result, dangerous chemicals go into the air, soil and

water around the cotton fields, harming and killing farm workers and wildlife. Each year, three

million people around the world suffer the effects of pesticide poisoning and 20,000 die.

But there is an alternative. This is the story of a group of cotton farmers in Peru who have

stopped using chemicals, and of the companies in Europe that are turning their crop into

fashionable clothes.

organiccotton

Why go organic?

In Canete, Peru, Practical Action has been working with local company Oro Blanco to convince

local farmers to change to organic methods of growing cotton. While Practical Actiontrained

farmers on the alternatives to using chemicals, Oro Blanco made a commitment to buy cotton

in advance from farmers who were willing to go organic.

At first, many of the farmers were anxious about changing to organic methods because yields

(the amount of cotton they could grow on their land) fell without the help of chemicals. At the

same time, costs rose because they had to employ more people to look after the crop, rather

than simply spraying it once a fortnight to keep it pest-free.

However, the farmers who persevered are now benefiting in a range of ways. Oro Blanco pays

them a guaranteed price for their cotton (at least 25 per cent more than for conventional

cotton). Although labour costs have risen, the farmers don't have to spend money

on pesticides and all say that they much prefer giving money to workers than to the chemical
industry. The health of farmers, farm workers and their families has improved now that they

are no longer using chemicals. The soil has become more fertile and the farmers are gaining

satisfaction from producing something that they know is natural. Many of the farmers have

now become shareholders in Oro Blanco.

The European connection

But what happens to the organic cotton once it has been harvested by the Canete farmers?

There would be little point in producing a pure raw material if it went on to be processed using

lots of chemicals and sewn in a sweatshop.

One answer has come through Oro Blanco's link with Solidaridad, a Dutch organisation that

fights injustice and poverty through fair trade. In 2004 Solidaridad launched MADE-BY - an

initiative to clean up the fashion industry by creating sustainable production chains where

clothing, from cotton to end product, is manufactured in a responsible way. As part of this,

MADE-BY has linked the organic cotton farmers of Oro Blanco with fashion labels that want to

manufacture clothes in an environmentally-friendly, ethical way.

One of the MADE-BY labels is Kuyichi, a style-conscious jeans company based in the

Netherlands. The team at Kuyichi is in direct contact with the Peruvian farmers who supply

material for its collection of organic tops and jeans. As well as using organic cotton, the

company is trying to improve the working conditions at the factories that manufacture its

clothes. Step by step, it is aiming to make its manufacturing process as clean and honest as

possible.

Oro Blanco, which has farmers as shareholders, is now a shareholder of Kuyichi. This means

that if Kuyichi succeeds, the farmers in Canete will benefit directly.

Product analysis: Kuyichi jeans

The market

Young men and women who are looking for stylish clothing that has been produced in

an environmentally-friendly, socially-responsible way. Kuyichi describes its products as:

'directional jeanswear collections for the young urban consumer.' Kuyichi clothes are on sale in

150 Dutch shops and other outlets in the UK, Sweden, Italy, Greece, Spain and Australia.
Product function

Kuyichi products are everyday clothes that people want to be seen in. The collection includes:

 denim jeans for men and women in a range of cuts (e.g. low loose flare, low boot
fit, slim fit). These are available in a range of shades and weights of denim
 sweatshirts
 lightweight pilot jackets
 T-shirts
 casual shirts.

Tops come in a range of vivid colours and striking prints.

Materials

Kuyichi clothes are made from organic cotton grown in Canete, Peru, without the use

of syntheticpesticides or fertilisers. The cotton bolls, consisting of seeds and fibres (lint), are

picked by hand.

Production

Some of the organic cotton is processed in two Peruvian factories. The rest is shipped to India,

where the yarn is spun and the clothing made in two specially selected factories. Kuyichi is

trying to ensure good working conditions in all of the factories that are involved in making its

clothing.

Safety

As organic cotton is grown without synthetic chemicals, it is much safer for farmers, farm

workers and their families. It also reduces damage to the environment and animals. The

fair trade organisations involved at every stage of the cotton and Kuyichi clothing production

ensure that workers involved have safe working conditions.

In addition, some people believe that clothing made out of organic cotton is safer to wear. In

the words of organic cotton farmer Ulysses: 'It's natural, it allows your skin to breathe.'

Aesthetics
The appearance of Kuyichi clothing is vital. If it is to succeed, Kuyichi has to sell fashionable

products that people want to be seen in. As a result, its designers work hard to create stylish,

colourful, attractive clothes that follow the latest trends.

Are Kuyichi clothes sustainable?

Think about the following.

 The clothes are made from organic cotton that is grown
without synthetic fertilisers or pesticides. This reduces damage to
the environment, animals and people's health.
 The Peruvian cotton farmers are guaranteed a fair price for their crop (whatever
the state of the world market) and are paid quickly or in advance.
 Working conditions are good for the farmers and factory workers who make
Kuyichi clothes. The rights of women, children and disabled people are promoted.
 Workers are guaranteed fair pay.
 The farmers are shareholders in Oro Blanco, which in turn has shares in Kuyichi.
This means that the farmers benefit directly if Kuyichi is successful.
 In the long term, Kuyichi clothes have to sell well if they are to be sustainable.
The company's designers are aware of this and produce collections that are at the
cutting edge of fashion. Customers buy Kuyichi jeans and tops because they look
great, as well as for their environmental credentials.

Activities

 Put together a scrapbook on eco-fashion. You could look out for information and
pictures about: 
- famous fashion designers who use sustainable materials 
- the organic production of textiles 
You could also include freehand sketches of garments that you might make from
organic materials.
 As a class, discuss the following statements: 
- Can you look good and wear sustainable clothing? 
- Should there be tax reductions on clothes made from organic materials?
 Design and make a product (a bag, puppet or T-shirt) from textiles that do not
harm people or the environment(sustainable textiles) such as using materials
from organic or ethical sources or with logos and designs, which highlights ethical
messages.
 Once you have designed and made your product, find out as much as you can
about the environmental impact of your product. Carry out an evaluation in
groups. Who gave you the knowledge and materials to do the work? Who should
have ownership of your design and product?

Finding out more

Websites

www.solidaridad.nl

The website for Dutch organisation Solidaridad, giving background information about its

philosophy and work.

www.oroblanco.org

Oro Blanco's website, with information about the Peruvian farmers drive for organic cotton.

www.made-by.org

Information about the MADE-BY fashions and makers.

www.kuyichi.com

The website for Kuyichi jeans.

www.imps-elfs.nl/

The website for Imps&Elfs childrenswear, another MADE-BY label.