Organic cotton

To the organic cotton textiles

Cotton and Ecological Textiles

Cotton is the most commonly used fiber for clothing textiles. Of course! Organic cotton from ECOLOGICAL TEXTILES feels comfortable, is gentle on the skin, reasonably strong, and can absorb about twenty percent moisture before feeling damp. Cotton's heat-insulating capacity is low, making it an ideal material for summer clothing. Thicker and heavier cotton fabrics and yarns can also be used for making winter clothing. Organic cotton is skin-friendly, suitable for sensitive skin, and easy to maintain.

In areas where cotton cannot be grown, such as most parts of Europe, it has long been considered a miraculous material: soft, reasonably elastic, beautifully white, a gift from nature. To this day, cotton remains the most beloved natural fiber for textile production. This includes not only clothing but also home textiles, such as towels, bathrobes, bedding, dishcloths, and curtains. Look around and you'll almost always see something made of cotton.

Organic and conventional cotton

What are the differences between organic cotton and 'normal' or conventional cotton? One of the main differences is that conventional cotton is sprayed with herbicides and insecticides. This is mainly done to increase yields or production. The ecological consequences are disastrous. According to some studies, a quarter of the pesticides used worldwide end up in cotton fields. It has been calculated that about 125 grams of agricultural poison are used to make a normal 250-gram T-shirt. Agricultural chemicals also contaminate crops in neighboring fields or plants growing nearby, inevitably reaching groundwater. The dramatic decline in insect, bird, and other animal populations, in short, in biodiversity, can partly be attributed to these so-called 'crop protectors'.

The consequences for humans are also significant. People working in sprayed fields are at high risk of serious illnesses. Conventional cultivation undermines biodiversity and is incompatible with the pursuit of healthy ecosystems.

In contrast, organic cotton cultivation prioritizes maintaining healthy soils and ecosystems. To quote the American organization Textile Exchange: 'Soil puts food on our plates, purifies the water, and is the beginning of all material production.'  For this reason, organic cotton is better for people and the environment. In the cultivation of organic cotton, no pesticides are used, natural enemies of the plant (insects) are combated in an environmentally friendly manner. Weeds are not sprayed but removed mechanically or manually. Picking the cotton balls is done manually, without defoliating the plant first. GMOs are prohibited. In addition, much attention is paid to the necessary restoration of the soil (through natural fertilization) and to water management.

It is important that we, as producers and consumers, understand that by choosing organic cotton, can contribute to sustainable agriculture focused on preserving healthy soils, good groundwater quality, and biodiversity conservation. And also that by doing so we show solidarity with farmers and other cotton processors. To quote Textile Exchange again: 'Those at the end of the supply chain should have direct, long-term relationships with those at the start.'

Aegean organic cotton

All our 100% organic cotton fabrics are made in Turkey. Turkish cotton is of excellent quality (long fibers, strong, and soft) and the country has a fairly large cotton industry. Farming and processing take place in the same region. Transport to the warehouse of ECOLOGICAL TEXTILES is possible by truck. Cotton is grown in various regions in Turkey. ECOLOGICAL TEXTILES only uses the so-called Aegean organic cotton, which is grown and processed in the region southeast of Izmir. Since 2005, we have built a good working relationship with weaving and knitting companies here. The factories we work with are all GOTS certified.