Benefits Of Organic Cotton: Exploring Regular Cotton Vs Organic Cotton

Or is it all fluff and no substance? In other words, is organic cotton as sustainable as they say, and how does it stack up when compared to its conventionally grown counterpart.

Pull on your big girl (or boy) biodegradable cotton pants and join us on our foray into one of the world’s most up-and-coming fabrics as winnow out the details on organic cotton benefits and unearth why organic cotton is better than regular cotton.

Organic cotton is simply cotton grown in a way that doesn’t require the use of pesticides or other harmful chemicals. Something is considered organic when all inputs come from the earth, meaning no synthetic substances, no harsh chemicals and no genetic modification (GM).

To replace harsh chemicals, organic cotton farming relies on growing cover crops, applying organic fertilizers and compost, using beneficial insects, incorporating crop rotation techniques, and opting for human labor for weed control.

So, why is organic cotton better for the environment?

Not only do organic growing methods have a reduced impact on the environment, but many beings benefit from them. Organic production systems produce crops that have zero persistent pesticide and fertilizer residues (better for us and the planet) and are known to help support soil fertility and increase biodiversity.

Unlike regular cotton fabric, the resulting fibers are also processed sans toxic chemicals, using natural or biological methods and substances (including azo-free sustainable dyes and chlorine-free bleaching) making organic cotton better for skin and overall human health.

One of the best ways to understand what organic cotton is, is to look at what it is not. So let’s start by taking a closer look at ‘normal’ cotton.

If you’ve been saying “OMG” about GMOs you may be surprised to find that one of the most popular genetically modified crops isn’t necessarily something that we put in our mouths… in fact, you might be wearing it right now. Cotton is one of the top four genetically modified crops in the world. Together, GMO cotton and conventionally grown cotton make up 95% of global cotton production, making their way into bedding, towels, clothing, and even processed foods.

So what’s the big deal? Cotton’s a natural material, right?

Regular cotton has earned a problematic nickname: the world’s “dirtiest crop.” It requires heavy amounts of toxic pesticides and one-third of a pound of synthetic fertilizers to grow enough conventional cotton to make ONE t-shirt—which combined poison thousands of cotton farmers and their families each year as well as pollute the environment.

Conventional cotton farming also uses some of the world’s most dangerous insecticides. Even though it only accounts for 2.4% of land in cultivation, it requires 10% of the insecticides sold worldwide.

Chemicals In Regular Cotton

• Insecticides: bifenazate, imidacloprid, esfenvalerate, acetamiprid, abamectin, bifenthrin, thiamethoxam, propargite, buprofezin, thiamethoxam, fenpropathrin, novaluron, naled, dimethoate, diflubenzuron, fenpyroximate, pymetrozine, imidacloprid, methoxyfenozide, dicofol, pyriproxyfen, methomyl, chlorpyrifos, malathion, hexythiazox, flupyradifurone, aldicarb, phorate, dinotefuran, and the list goes on…
• Pesticides: fluometuron, pendimethalin, prometryn, aldicarb (super hazardous), acephate, phorate (super hazardous), cyfluthrin, glyphosate, MSMA, ethephon, endosulfan (super hazardous) tribufos, paraquat, and the list goes on…
• For scouring and washing: hydrogen peroxide, ethylenediamine tetra-acetate (EDTA), alkylphenol ethoxylate (APEO), chlorine

Compare that to the heavily reduced list of “chemicals” (natural, non-synthetic) that are approved for use in the organic cotton production process:

• Insecticides: copper sulfate, insecticidal soap
• Pesticides: rotation crop practices (including wheat, alfalfa, and other food crops), natural predators, mixed cultivation, natural pesticides like neem spray, pyrethrum, and castor oil
• For scouring and washing: natural oils, potato starch

At the processing level, there are none of the toxic chemicals (think: formaldehyde, heavy metals, flame retardants, softeners, ammonia) commonly found in conventional cotton.

All of this means organic cotton fibers are significantly better from a health and environmental perspective, and support safer working conditions for cotton farmers and their families, the people most exposed to dangerous chemicals. Because let’s not also forget link between GMO cotton cultivation and farmer suicides in India.

We’ve established that organic cotton is superior to conventional cotton, but let’s look at how it stacks up to other fibers in the sustainable fashion universe.

Organic Cotton Vs. Hemp

Hemp fabric is highly regarded as one of the most sustainable. It’s another summery, breathable fabric, though one that’s a little less soft than both organic and regular cotton. That’s okay, though, in turn, it’s faster drying and provides more UV protection.

It’s similar to organic cotton in that it requires around 300 and 500 liters of water to grow 1 kg and it doesn’t require pesticides and fertilizers to grow well.

Hemp also lasts much longer than cotton (20-30 years compared to just 10 years) and is more sustainable than organic cotton from a plant perspective. It grows faster, has an even smaller land-to-product-yield ratio, has a regenerative effect on soil quality, and is a carbon-negative raw material that absorbs more CO₂ than forests.

Organic Cotton Vs. Linen

Linen is derived from the flax plant, and like hemp and organic cotton, it’s not water intensive and is grown without chemicals. Linen fibers are shorter than both hemp and cotton fibers, making the fabric lighter and more breathable, but less soft and durable.

Organic Cotton Vs. Pima Cotton

In the US, Pima cotton accounts for 5% of cotton production. While not organically grown, Pima cotton (like Egyptian cotton) is an extra-long staple cotton grown from the Gossypium barbadense plant. These longer individual cotton fibers make them a better quality (softer and silkier), and far more durable and resistant to wrinkles, fraying, and tearing than normal cotton.

Organic Cotton Vs. Semi-Synthetic Fibers

“Semi-synthetic” refers to cellulosic fibers or those made by dissolving plant cellulose and plasticizing it into a soft fabric. This includes bamboo, cupro, lyocell, and modal fabric.

Softer (in a silky way, as opposed to cotton’s plush tactile quality) and stretchier than cotton, these trending “green” fabrics certainly have their merit (if processed correctly), but organic cotton reins superior.

First, it requires minimal water to grow and process. While requiring little water to grow is also true of bamboo and eucalyptus trees (which are used for lyocell), they require a certain amount of water to process. Even the best semi-synthetics which are made using a closed-loop water recycling system still waste some water.

Second, these fabrics require chemicals to break down the plant pulp. While these can be eco-friendly solvents, as is typically the case with lyocell fabric, organic cotton requires no solvents.

Organic Cotton Vs. Polyester

Polyester is an attractive alternative—depending on how you look at it. Durability stands at the forefront. Polyester can withstand a lot of wear and tear (like that ‘90s windbreaker you just got from the thrift store).

However, this durability is also an indication of how awful it is for the planet. Polyester is a synthetic fabric, meaning it’s made of petroleum, which (unless recycled) doesn’t break down in the soil. Instead, it breaks into smaller pieces releasing dangerous microplastics into the environment—which it will also do each and every time it’s worn and washed.

While polyester is cheaper, the costs are picked up by the planet and the people who are involved with the chemicals required to process the fabric. Sure, it’s moisture-wicking and a better activewear alternative than cotton, but its embedded cost is very high for people and the planet.

The best bet for sustainable activewear is to look for mostly cotton activewear with a little bit of polyester (ideally recycled) to give it that stretchy, moisture-wicking quality necessary for workout clothing.

Environmental Benefits Of Organic Cotton

Non-organic cotton may be a cooling fabric, but it takes 2,700 liters of water to produce a t-shirt, making it one of the world’s thirstiest crops—and the world produces around 25 million tons of cotton each year. This insane amount of water isn’t just from irrigation, but from pesticides and inefficient water usage.

Organically-cultivated cotton takes a smaller sip, requiring 91% less water than its conventional counterpart.

Regular cotton also yields a lot of earth-damaging chemical runoff. All those toxic pesticides and fertilizers are contributing to global biodiversity loss. Insects are seeing the brunt of this, like butterflies’ and moths’ 58% decade-long decline in areas of mass agriculture.

The energy demands of organic cotton farming are also much lower (remember, fertilizers come from fossil fuels). A life cycle analysis (LCA) by Textile Exchange found that the energy demand of organic cotton was 62% lower than conventional cotton.

Compared with regular cotton, the organic version is responsible for 46% fewer carbon emissions, simply by using alternatives to nitrous dioxide-releasing pesticides and fertilizers. Using less mechanized farming practices and retaining healthier soils (aka “carbon sinks”) helps, too.

Speaking of carbon sinks, organic cotton has a place in the growing field of regenerative agriculture because of its potential to sequester carbon from the atmosphere and actually improve biodiversity. Regenerative agriculture can be used in agricultural systems that increase the amount of organic matter found in soil and create resilient ecosystems and farming communities.

And because it’s handpicked from longer fibers, the structural integrity of organically-cultivated cotton fibers is maintained. Since it’s less likely for each fiber to get broken, frayed, or weakened, it results in a softer, more durable fabric.

Social Benefits Of Organic Cotton

We mentioned the association between GMO cotton and farmer suicides earlier, but here’s another shocking fact: when farmers do commit suicide, they commonly do so via pesticide poisoning, using the very pesticides they’re unable to pay off. It’s both devastating and telling that the tool that supposedly supports these farmers’ livelihoods is in fact what ends their lives.

Not to mention concerns about all of the farmers and their families who are exposed to these life-ending pesticides on a daily basis simply by carrying out their work. Some of these pesticides have been associated with health conditions like chronic coughing, skin allergies, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, loss of consciousness, and seizures. Long-term exposure can cause depression and anxiety and has been associated with birth defects and several cancers.

Such agrochemicals also compromise mental health when they see the damage these chemicals have on soil (making for unhealthy crops in the future) and ecosystems as a whole.

It comes down to not just a farmer’s health, but their livelihoods, too. Sustainable agriculture has been associated with ethical lending and microfinance opportunities that allow organic farmers to escape the debt cycle brought on by needing to buy new seeds and chemicals every year.

Additionally, traditional techniques are more likely to be supported with organic cotton, as are locally-sourced biological inputs and natural seeds. This keeps the skills and knowledge transfer local, allowing farming families to pass down indigenous knowledge that is essential for resilience against climate change.

Health Benefits Of Organic Cotton

Non-organic clothing has been found to contain formaldehyde, which is responsible for allergic reactions and other more long term health problems. By avoiding toxic pesticides and harmful substances used during manufacturing, organically-grown cotton is a safer choice for sensitive skin and those prone to skin allergies.

Arugments Against Organic Cotton Sustainability

Despite everything we’ve looked at so far, it’s not always as simple as organic cotton = good. In some cases, it gets a little hard to separate the bolls from the stems.

Some argue that compared with regular cotton, the organic version is less efficient per hectare. Largely due to biotechnology, conventional cotton’s yields have grown 42% in the past few decades. On two comparably-sized fields, the one with conventionally planted cotton will produce more. While organic farming will use less water and require no pesticides or fertilizers, it will take more land to produce a similar yield.

It may come as no surprise that those who critique the merits of organic cotton include Cotton Incorporated, the research and marketing company representing US cotton growers and importers. It’s no wonder they would want to cast a negative light on the rapidly growing organic cotton industry—even when all other evidence points the environmental blame in the opposite direction.

GOTS-Certified Organic Cotton

GOTS, or the Global Organic Textile Standard, is the “worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers”.

While it doesn’t come without controversy (as with nearly everything in the textile industry), GOTS is recognized as the toughest third-party organic textile standard. In addition to ensuring that the cotton (or other textiles) have been grown organically, it must also:

• Contain a minimum of 95% certified organic fibers
• Be processed without bleach, dye, formaldehyde, and other toxic chemical inputs
• Be produced in a mill that has strict environmental and social standards (i.e. one that minimizes waste, has full records of energy and water consumption, promotes freely chosen employment, prohibits child labor, assesses wages based on the living wage gap, and supports freedom of association and collective bargaining)
• Be free of azo and chemical dyes that release carcinogenic compounds

Other Sustainable Cotton Certifications

GOTS organic cotton is certainly the OG in the world of organic cotton, but there are some others to look for when shopping sustainably:

• Organic Content Standard (OCS): The Organic Content Standard is a third-party certification that can be applied to any non-food product that contains at least 95% organic material. Unlike GOTS, it doesn’t include any standards around social or environmental issues, but it is the next most stringent in terms of sustainable farming practices.
• Fairtrade: While not always organic, Fairtrade-certified cotton bans genetically modified cotton seeds and has practices in place to protect farmers’ health and safety, in addition to providing fair wages.
• Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC): This relatively new certification scheme is for products that meet some of the highest standards ever set for animal welfare, soil health, and farmworker fairness. Many of our favorite brands were involved with piloting this certification (including Dr. Bronner’s and Patagonia).
• Organic Trade Association (OTA).

BCI Cotton Vs Organic Cotton

BCI cotton is intended to be “Better Cotton,” but it’s not organically grown. It can even be grown with genetically modified seeds.

While BCI membership now encompasses more than 2.2 million farmers across 24 countries, it’s unclear whether this is having an overwhelmingly positive impact on people and the planet.

BCI’s Principles & Criteria aren’t abiding standards. While it incorporates plans to reduce pesticide reliance, promote healthy soils, and encourage water stewardship, it doesn’t have a documented ability to conserve natural resources and avoid harmful environmental impacts, as organically-grown cotton does.

Truly organic cotton is all well and good. Unfortunately, a concerning question has been brought to light: how much of organic cotton is truly organic?

The industry has recently come under investigation for claims of fraudulence from first-hand sources, namely farmers in India who claim much of the cotton (as much as one-half to four-fifths) being sold as “organic” is not grown that way at all.

While Textile Exchange claims organic cotton production doubled between 2016 and 2019, industry insiders counter that there aren’t enough organic seeds in circulation for that to be possible.

While seeing “Certified Organic” on the label gives us a sense of comfort, it’s important to bear in mind that not all certifications are created (or rather upheld) equally. Many organic cotton certification processes are filled with holes and corruption, as we found out when doing a deep dive into GOTS-certified cotton.

While some have the best of intentions, organizations like GOTS and Textile Exchange don’t personally perform the required auditing. Instead, they rely on middleman inspection agencies, who can be paid off to give the rubber stamp or “organic” seal. Insiders call this system “trading paper,” because that’s the method used to pass these certifications on from farm to gin to mill until it eventually lands at the brand.

Recently, the credibility of some of these inspection agencies—Control Union, EcoCert, and OneCert—have tanked and the EU no longer accepts organic certifications from them. However, this only applies to raw Indian cotton, not processed or manufactured exports, and since many organic cotton products undergo the manufacturing process in India, it’s a convenient loophole.

While India has been the target of this scrutiny—producing half the world’s organic cotton supply—it’s worth noting China and Turkey are not immune.

All in all, the lack of a digital tracking system (which the Indian government promised to implement in 2009) and the fact that so many parties stand to financially benefit from this fraud create a recipe for disaster.

Sustainability sells, which begs the question: who pockets all that extra money made by “organic” cotton? The only thing certain is that it’s not the farmers. Even amidst market price spikes, truly organic cotton farmers are dwindling because they can no longer afford its higher operational cost.

A digital tracking system of all organic cotton produced would be a step in the right direction in ensuring that organic and regular cotton are actually produced in different ways (not just sold at higher premium prices). Until then, major players in the organic game are stepping up to bat. Like the EU, the USDA no longer accepts organic certification inspections from companies overseen by the Indian government, unless further accredited by the USDA’s NOP standards.

As consumers, the best answer appears to be to look for organic certifications backed by non-toxicity ones (such as OEKO-TEX, SGS, and bluesign® Approved). This means finished products are tested for harmful chemicals like pesticide residue that remains in the fiber from non-organic farming methods.

Done right, organic cotton fibers can offer a (cot)ton of benefits for people and the planet. And we’re not the only ones who understand why organic cotton is important.

Most of our favorite fashion brands are are increasing organic clothing offerings—of which organic cotton is largely the basis. Just a few examples of these brands include:

• Patagonia: Patagonia’s been using organic cotton for two and half decades. 100% of their cotton is now organic. Now, much of their organic cotton is also Regenerative Organic Certified.
• Pact: Pact reduces its impact on our planet by using mostly GOTS-certified cotton which they call “Earth’s Favorite Fiber”. Theirs is manufactured in Fair Trade factories.
• Coyuchi: Taking cotton beyond the wardrobe, Coyuchi uses mostly GOTS-certified cotton in their home textiles, like bedding, towels and blankets.
• LA Relaxed: Simple silouettes and timeless designs are created in the USA using either pure organic cotton or linen.
• MATE The Label: Their ultracomfy lounge basics and activewear and all either purely organic cotton, or mostly organic cotton.

Growing in popularity, organic cotton will hopefully eventually take the place of normal cotton so we’ll see thriving, biodiverse organic cotton fields in place of those that deplete soil, rely on chemical fertilizers, and put the health of all beings at risk.