An important factor when choosing clothes and underwear, in addition to the cut and color, is also the material from which the product is made. Each fabric has its own specific properties and its pros and cons, according to which we make decisions. In our mini series "Introduction to Materials", we gradually focus on the individual materials from which we make our products at ELKA LOUNGE, and introduce them to their origin and everything you may not have known. In this episode, the choice was made for organic cotton.
It is no secret that water consumption is growing rapidly worldwide. We consume a lot of water in our homes, but it is also important to remember that water is also used extensively in every sector of industrial production. There is probably no product in the world that could be produced without using a single drop of water. The first place in terms of water consumption and environmental pollution is occupied by the oil industry, followed by textile production and fashion.
Does this mean that we should not buy more clothes to protect our planet, or are there other ways in which we, as small consumers, can influence more sustainable textile production?
The best way to save key natural resources such as water and soil is to choose clothes made from organic materials such as linen, hemp, organic cotton and materials with international certifications such as GOTS, FairTrade or OEKO-TEX100. Certificates guarantee the origin of the material and also that it was produced under fair working conditions.
COTTON AT OUR HOME?
Cotton as such has become one of the most used materials in the textile industry and is undoubtedly the most important natural fiber that has become a common part of our everyday lives. It has gained popularity due to its softness and durability, which is not found in other fabrics.
Cotton fiber has many good properties and a few bad ones. It absorbs moisture perfectly and dries quickly. High-quality cotton does not pill, can withstand high temperatures during ironing and washing, and does not hang up when wet. It is pleasant to wear, but it is not very elastic, which is why cotton fabrics are more wrinkled and stretched in stressed areas. Damp cotton easily becomes moldy, so it is necessary to let damp and wet laundry dry or leave it in a well-ventilated place.
WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
Cotton has been known since 5000 BC and its fibers were found in the Indus and Ganges valleys, in what is now Mexico and western Pakistan. It gradually spread throughout the ancient world and reached Europe at the end of the Middle Ages through the hands of the Romans. Its production was too expensive for the conditions of the time, and cotton clothing was therefore intended only for a significant elite. The magic of cotton was rediscovered between the 17th and 19th centuries and since then it has become one of the most popular materials.
COTTON AS THE SALVATION OF OUR WARDROBE OR THEIR BAD CONSCIENCE?
Cotton is a natural material, but its cultivation and processing is very problematic from an environmental protection perspective. The cotton plant needs specific conditions to grow, it requires enough humidity, a lot of heat and an extreme amount of water. Up to 2,500 liters of water are used to produce one T-shirt, while 7,000 liters are needed for jeans.
The crop is most often grown in third world countries. Long cotton fields can be found in West Africa, Brazil, Uzbekistan, but also in the United States of America, China and India. The last three countries are among the largest cotton producers in the world. For example, there are up to 16 million cotton growers in India. There are 30 million farmers worldwide, for whom growing cotton is very risky and not very profitable.
RETURN TO THE ROOTS. WITH ORGANIC COTTON.
The solution to this problem is clearly organic cotton (organic cotton), which is significantly more gentle in cultivation, but also in production. Organic cotton is classic cotton, but its cultivation is carried out without the use of artificial fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.
With organic cotton, farmers return to traditional and natural methods of cultivation. All undesirable cultivation procedures are replaced by simple processes such as hoeing, natural irrigation or the use of biological pests instead of pesticides and other chemicals. It is grown without the use of artificial fertilizers, does not come from genetically modified cotton seeds and is processed separately from fields with conventional cotton in all stages up to the final product.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?
Growing organic cotton also solves the problem of enormous water consumption. Research confirms that up to 91% less water is consumed during its cultivation than with conventional cotton. Farmers do not rely only on local water sources, but usually irrigate their fields with rainwater, which they then have reprocessed in a wastewater treatment plant. Unlike conventional cotton, organic cotton does not deplete the soil, which is then of higher quality and can retain more carbon dioxide, which is good for the climate and for the lives of local residents.
The traditional approach is also applied to the cotton harvest itself, which is done by hand and does not unnecessarily harm the soil. We do not find harmful chemicals even during its further processing, when it is used to make, for example, cotton satin. The imaginary return to the roots has also helped farmers discover new types of cotton plants that can produce colored cotton without any further modification. The natural way of growing allows the cotton's true colors to stand out - from cream tones to green to brown.
DYEING ORGANIC COTTON
In addition to the natural coloring of some types of cotton, there are also alternatives for dyeing and printing organic cotton. Natural oils are used to finish the surface of organic cotton fibers, and it is also dyed with clay, herbs, or organic dyes.
WHAT IS ORGANIC COTTON BENEFITS WHEN WEARING?
Thanks to the fact that organic cotton is grown and processed only in a natural way, which is gentle not only on the fabric, but ultimately on our skin as well. Organic cotton is a breathable material, does not wrinkle too much, and maintains a constant size and softness even after several washes. Our skin, which is the largest organ of the human body, will also thank us for wearing organic cotton clothing or underwear. Many substances from clothing enter the body through the skin, and with organic cotton we avoid this chemical cocktail. In the case of GOTS certification, organic cotton is safe for health and suitable for infants and allergy sufferers, and enables people to live a better life thanks to ethical and clean production.
MICROPLASTIC CYCLE
With organic cotton and cotton in general, the problem of releasing microplastics during washing is eliminated. These are textile materials that come from nature. However, around 70% of all textiles used are purely synthetic and are made from plastic, including polyester, acrylic or polyamide. Thanks to the water cycle during washing, small parts of plastic from these materials end up back in nature, that is, back into water, rivers and oceans. Aquatic organisms living in them (such as fish) mistake them for food and thus end up back in the food chain and the human body.
GOTS CERTIFICATION
The Global Organic Textile Standartd (GOTS) is an international certification covering the entire organic cotton processing process, from growing to clothing production. It is the strictest certificate that guarantees organic production from growing, through processing to distribution of the finished product. This includes all stages of processing: spinning yarn, weaving fabrics, dyeing and printing. You can find products made from GOTS certified materials in our CLOTHING, organic cotton versions of underwear, shorts, T-shirts and HOODIES.
OTHER IMPORTANT CERTIFICATES
In addition to GOTS certified materials, all our products are made exclusively from OEKO-TEX100 certified materials: an internationally recognized seal of quality for textile materials that are made only from health-safe materials and can be used even for children under 1 year of age, i.e. in its strictest version. You can find OEKO-TEX 100 on all our materials, including those with GOTS certification, e.g. on men's and women's TROUSERS and UNDERWEAR.
#ETHICALLITY.
At ELKA LOUNGE, we use organic cotton most often for the production of clothing or bed linen, of all sustainable fibers. Our brand aims to save water and not contribute to polluting our planet more than is absolutely necessary. That is why our products are made only from natural materials with the shortest possible carbon footprint. This means that everything you find here is sewn in the Czech Republic, from fabrics that, thanks to their geographical location, have a natural origin where they manage to be most effective and are further processed at the highest level of control.
Organic doesn't end with fabrics for us. We are switching to 100% cotton labels, buttons made of natural Corozo material, we use only 100% natural packaging (without hidden foils), we don't use plastic tag holders and we also monitor the origin of the print color, so even the colors on our products have GOTS certification. Of course, we also have a long way to go, because the issue of sustainability goes much, much further than we describe on our blog to simplify the issue.
Choose a t-shirt or sweatshirt made of organic cotton and make the world a little better place.