Organic materials are raw materials without additives. The premise is to grow, harvest or collect everything naturally with as little environmental impact as possible.
For example, with organic cotton you can see that the plant has not been genetically manipulated. No artificial fertilizers and harmful pesticides such as pesticides and herbicides have been used in its cultivation. In addition, the farmland is kept healthy through crop rotation and other farming practices. This reduces water and energy consumption, which benefits both the environment and the cotton farmers and animals.
When it comes to animal materials such as wool, animal welfare is on top. The animals are well cared for and treated respectfully. In addition, the environment they live in is clean, safe and environmentally friendly maintained. Mulesing - removing skin from the hindquarters to keep it clean and prevent parasites - is not practiced on sheep that supply wool responsibly.
To what extent are organic materials sustainable?
When we look at organic cotton, it is in some ways more environmentally friendly than traditional cotton farming. Still, it remains an intensive form of farming. This is because the cotton plant itself requires a lot of water and soil to produce a good yield each year. Moreover, organic cotton is more vulnerable to diseases and pests.
If we start looking critically at wool, the sheep themselves are big polluters. You can think about the amount of feces, intestinal gases and urine they produce daily, as well as deforestation to make room for the animals to live. Especially when animals are kept on a large scale, it can have a solid negative impact on the environment.
>It is important to note that the term "organic" says nothing about the further processing of the raw materials. For example, some textile mills still use toxic chemicals and dyes in the production process.
To what extent are organic materals fair?
The fact that raw materials such as cotton are grown organically does not guarantee fair compensation for cotton farmers or good working conditions for textile workers. Nor does it automatically mean that no child labor or slavery is involved. Fortunately, many clothing brands strive to sell ethically sourced clothing in addition to eco-friendly ones. If in doubt, you can always look for the Fairtrade Cotton label or the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) label. Suitable only works with proven certified producers.