a) Why?

a) Because the cotton  it is made of is the world’s dirtiest crop. The cotton produced on about two  per cent of the world’s farmland consumes nearly 20 per cent of insecticides  and pesticides – nearly double of any crop produced across the globe. Not only  this, as insects and pests are gradually becoming resistant to these chemicals,  ever-increasing amounts are being applied. Moreover, the ‘intensity kill’ of  these chemicals is also being amplified.

b) Because those ‘easy care’ tags that your cotton clothes carry come after the clothes are treated  with chlorine bleach, heavy metal dyes and formaldehyde resins. Actually, the chemicals  used in dyeing the cotton fabrics are among those dangerous chemicals that are  responsible for contaminating the earth’s groundwater reserves.

Reality

The fact that points a)  and b) are trying to establish here is that less than  10 per cent of the chemicals applied to
cotton – at any stage – accomplish their  task; the rest are absorbed into the plant, air, soil, water and eventually our  bodies. Sprayed in the air, these highly toxic chemicals drift into  surroundings, poison farm workers, contaminate air, ground and surface water,  and cause major ecosystem imbalances.

It was ‘okay’ until we  did not know”and making fashion statements with those designer cuts was in vogue. But now, with friendlier, healthier, cheaper and yet fashionable  alternatives around, wearing the same shirt is no less than a sin. It might  sound like an extreme statement coming from a treehugger, but it does make sense if you see it this way: cotton clothes made in the conventional manner  are made at the cost of a few farmers’ lives. To simplify, farmers using toxic  chemicals have shorter life spans as they are slow-poisoning their bodies on an everyday basis.

Moreover, the scene in  India is worse with farmers’ suicides, especially by cotton farmers, which have  been making headlines since the 1990s. Investigations into these suicides have revealed that in order to buy GM seeds, some farmers get into unmanageable debts  and when the going gets too tough, some decide that the only way out is to take  their own lives.

The way out

So, should we be starting a large-scale campaign against cotton clothes, making it a  worldwide revolution, and bringing cotton farming and the entire clothing  production industry to a standstill?

This of course is not possible, and even if  it could happen, the fallout will beget a whole new bunch of complications that  may turn out to be self-defeating for the original purpose.

So what shall we do?

The only way out is to encourage organic  farming: let insects eat their share (in measures) and pay a few rupees extra  to the farmer for that smaller (maybe half-eaten) yet chemical-free cotton bud.

This solution is quite simple and  practical. It has already been successfully implemented in a few pockets globally  by forward-thinking social entrepreneurs and lovers of the earth who are  standing by these entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs have tied up with farmers  to grow cotton organically – produced with no sprays (insecticides and  pesticides), no GM seeds, and no artificial fertilizers. Organic cotton represents a return to safe  and sustainable practices. It is grown with natural fertilizers and is free  from toxic chemicals.

Organic farmers rely on crop rotation to  replenish and maintain soil fertility. Mechanical cultivation and botanical or  biological means are used to control pests and weeds. A field is certified  ‘organic’ after being pesticide-free for at least three years, and the cotton  there is processed according to international organic standards.

Once a farm is certified organic, the farmer  is spared the extra costs of chemicals, and his produce, for being an organic  rarity, fetches him more money than artificially/conventionally produced  cotton.

Rewriting the fashion code

The fabric produced with this cotton does  not go to traditional dyeing factories, but to select facilities wherein they  use organically-produced, eco-friendly vegetable colours to get those earthly  yet trendy hues – the process consumes far less water and electricity as  compared to that in the ordinary dyeing factory. Interestingly, the garments  produced at these facilities are in sync with the latest trends – they are  designed and styled by professionals and are being retailed parallel with other  fashion brands online or through shop-in-shops.

Shishir Goenka, managing director of Fusion Clothing, is one of those entrepreneurs who pioneered the organic clothing  revolution in the country. The company’s Do You Speak  Green? (popularly known as DUSG?) label is one of the largest  selling organic and bamboo clothing brands in the country. The brand is gaining  popularity not only because of its ‘organic’ nature, but also for offering cuts  and styles in sync with fashion trends. Be it spring, summer or fall  collections, these organically produced clothes surpass many brands in terms of designs.

DUSG is the sole brand in the country that has  managed to get Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) certification.

‘We have been exporting knitted garments,  especially organic and bamboo clothing, across the globe for over 20 years. The  last 4″5 years have seen the urban Indian consumer becoming more aware about what he eats and what he wears. Besides, the farmers too needed  an alternative to the conventional form of producing cotton. Hence, DUSG was  conceptualized.

‘As expected, the brand steadily gained  popularity solely through word-of-mouth. In the last two years, we have grown  by over 100 per cent and the majority of sales happen through our webstore.’

Commenting on the challenges, Goenka said,  ‘The ideal scenario would be where there is major competition among organic clothing manufacturers – one where customers and farmers are the end beneficiaries. However, that is not happening in the near future as we are  still at a “build consciousness and spread awareness” stage. There is more talk  and less translation into our daily living. Hence, a major challenge is to  identify and reach out to conscious consumers and also continue to make them more  conscious of what they wear.’

‘It is not just about the health of the earth;  organically produced clothes keep our health also in a better condition. For  instance, people with allergies and chemical sensitivity especially benefit  from organic cotton clothing, as conventional cotton may retain harmful toxic  residues. Even if you don’t have sensitive skin, organic cotton will just feel  better against your skin,’ said Goenka while talking about the benefits of  organic clothes.

When asked about the pricing, as a large  number of Indians are more price-sensitive and less environment- or even health-sensitive,  Goenka talked about the peculiarity of the situation thus: ‘Organic farming  would have been easier and the money spent to treat toxic residues and making the  farm organic could have been saved if the problem was not created in the first  place. Unfortunately, the farms have been damaged considerably and the initial  costs of going organic, getting certifications and still not being sure that  the produce will come through, make organic cotton a rarity. Hence, it is  expensive too. Over time, however, I believe that we will have more and more organic  farms and, as a result, productivity of the soil will be richer. This will help  in price reduction of organic cotton, and gradually of the organic clothes too.’

Well, until such a day comes, the market will continue to grow at a relatively slow pace. Of course, the conscious ones will  continue to pay a little bit extra for organic products, as the payback is  tremendous: for oneself as well as the planet.

Note: This feature story is a part of ‘responsible products and services promotions’ that CauseBecause  does for its sustainability.