Known fashion designer labels and clothing brands are nowadays offering organic apparel lines. Of all organic fibers, organic cotton is the one enjoying the highest demand. As a result, there has been a sharp increase in the number of organic clothing manufacturers in the United States and worldwide.
Another reason for this rise is the high demand by major brands for organic apparel products. If we go through details about the burgeoning organic cotton industry in a more detailed way, it will become easier to understand why this demand is emerging. You will also see why it makes perfect sense to deal with organic apparel and textile manufacturers these days. Let’s start off by explaining some facts that surround this emerging organic cotton business.
What Is Organic Cotton?
Organic cotton is grown and cultivated with well-studied strategies and materials that have a minimal impact on the environment. Organic production systems maintain soil fertility, scale back the employment of toxic and chronic pesticides as well as fertilizers. The plans build biologically sound models of agriculture.
Third-party certification organizations verify that organic producers use strategies and materials allowed in organic production. For example, organic cotton is fully grown and harvested without the use of toxic pesticides or artificial fertilizers.
Additionally, federal rules forbid the use of genetically modified seeds for organic farming. All cotton sold as organic within the United States must meet strict federal rules. The U.S. is becoming a leading producer of organic cotton, but it is far from being the only country getting into this nascent sector.
How Much Organic Cotton Is Grown On A Global Scale
According to the fourth annual Organic Exchange Farm and Fiber Report in 2009, organic cotton production grew by more than 20% in 2008 to one 175,113 metric tons (802,599 bales) grown on 625,000 acres (253,000 hectares). Organic cotton was cultivated in 22 countries worldwide. The top 10 producers include India, Turkey, Syria, Tanzania, China, USA, Uganda, Peru, Egypt, and Burkina Faso.
It is estimated that about 220,000 farmers are producing this new and valuable cash crop. Organic cotton currently represents 0.76% of worldwide cotton production. As you can understand from these numbers, organic cotton is accepted as the primary raw material in the garment production sector. We are seeing that many conventional cotton producers are starting to get into the organic cotton game.
What Is The Value Of The World Organic Cotton Market?
According to the 2009 Organic Cotton Market Report, international sales of organic cotton apparel reached approximately $4.3 billion. Firms reported strong growth of their organic cotton programs, and they readily adopted standards addressing organic product traceability and proper textile processes.
Many textile firms are changing their manufacturing processes. Then they can be certified for traceability in the Organic Exchange (OE). The OE implements hundreds of standards for tracing organic fiber from seed to finished product.
Several manufacturers jointly became certified to the Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS). The GOTS addresses textile process stages and includes full labor provisions.
How Much Is Organic Cotton Cultivated Within The U.S.?
American growers of organic cotton increased plantings by 26% in 2009 over what they had planted the previous year. This is according to preliminary information compiled by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) in a survey funded by Cotton Incorporated.
Other survey findings indicate that the typical value per pound farmers received for organic cotton in 2008 ranged from $0.52 to $1.35 for organic cotton in 2008, compared to $1 to $1.50 in 2007. Organic Pima cotton costs ranged from $1.05 to $3 in 2007, compared to $1.75 in 2008. We can observe a value decrease in organic cotton and also more equity in the earnings of farmers. The equity is, in turn, indicative of higher demand and more significant sales.
Organic cotton producers in the U.S. were asked what their greatest barriers are with regard to planting additional cotton in 2010. Growers cited finding a marketplace for their cotton as difficult. This lack of market happens because the demand for grown organic cotton is not in sync with produced quantity.
Finding a market that will pay a higher premium for organic products and production challenges like weeds and insects management were listed as other problems in addition to labor prices. Finally, American growers cited competition from international organic cotton producers such as Turkey. They also factored in the financial cost of transitioning to organic business processes.
How Is The Apparel Industry Working With Organic Cotton?
Clothing manufacturers are developing programs that either use 100% organically grown cotton, or mix tiny percentages of organic cotton with standard cotton in their apparel product lines. However, some specialized organic clothing manufacturers in the U.S. and other countries are becoming more engaged with organic cotton. They are aiming to tap into a select market. For the most part, consumers who specifically seek organic clothing are willing to pay more for this kind of product.
Organic cotton fiber is employed in everything from aid things (sanitary products, make-up removal pads, cotton puffs, and ear swabs), to home furnishings (towels, bathrobes, sheets, blankets, bedding), children’s product (toys, diapers), garments of all types and designs (whether for fashion, sports or the workplace).
Organic cottonseed is used for animal feed. The oil is used in many food products such as cookies and chips. This use of organic cotton emphasizes fair use of natural resources that do not cause undue harm to Mother Nature.
Organic Apparel Is An Organic Clothing Manufacturer In the USA
Organic Apparel USA would be happy to provide you with more information about our operations. We offer options for private label clothing, with high-quality fabrics.
Learn more about our organic cotton farms and textile manufacturing firms that supply materials as well as finished garments to American distributors. Contact our office today so that we can discuss doing business together.
