Organic Cotton VS Non-Organic Cotton

Organic vs. Conventional (Non Organic) Cotton

What is the difference between Organic and Non-Organic cotton?
The difference between organic and non-organic grown cotton is mainly in the farming methods
used. Below comparison chart shows us the difference between organic cotton and conventional
cotton farming form seed preparation to harvesting Part.
SEED PREPARATION
Conventional
Typically treats seeds wit wit
!"ngicides or insecticides
#ses $%O seeds !or appro&i'ately
()* o! #S grown cotton
Organic
#ses "ntreated seeds
Never "ses $%O (genetically
'odi+ed organis') seeds
SOI, -ATER
Conventional
Apply syntetic
!ertili.ers
Re/"ires
intensive irrigation
Organic
0"ilds strong soil tro"g crop rotation
Retains water e1ciently
-EED CONTRO,
Conventional
Applies igly
to&ic er2icides to
3ill weeds
Organic
Pysical re'oval instead o! ce'ical 'etods
PEST CONTRO,
Conventional
#ses igly
to&ic pesticides
#ses
Insecticides acco"nting
!or appro&i'ately 45*
o! world cons"'ption
Organic
#ses 2ene+cial insects6 2iological and c"lt"ral
practices to control pests
%aintains a 2alance 2etween pests and teir nat"ral
predators tro"g ealty soil
7AR8ESTIN$
Conventional
De!oliates wit
to&ic ce'icals
Organic
Relies 'ostly on te seasonal !ree.e !or de!oliation
Soc3ing 9acts a2o"t Conventional (Non Organic) Cotton
Worldwide6 conventional cotton !ar'ing
#ses 4.): 2illion po"nds o! syntetic !ertili.ers (!or'aldeyde6 Sodi"' ,a"ryl
S"lpate6 para2ens6 ce'ical dyes etc) per year
#ses 45* o! te world;s insecticides
#ses only a2o"t :* o! te !ar'land 2"t cons"'es appro&i'ately 45 percent
o! tece'ical pesticides and !ertili.ers (<= 'illion po"nds o! ce'ical pesticides
per year)
Organic cotton saves lives
No pesticides6 a.ardo"s ce'icals (2elieved to ca"se "p to a 'illion cases o!
poisoning a year and 4)6))) deats)
No !or'aldeyde ("sed as a +nis)> According to a National Cancer Instit"te
(NCI)st"dy6 tere is a lin3 2etween !or'aldeyde e&pos"re and cancer o! te
nasoparyn& (te "pper'ost part o! te troat)
No nic3el wic can ca"se s3in rases.
#SDA Organic Standards
Four principal labels for cotton fiber products are:
1. 1! "rganic #otton. This must contain 1! organically produced cotton.
$. "rganic #otton. This must contain %&! organically produced cotton.
'. (ade With "rganic #otton. This must contain at least )! organically produced cotton.
*. (ade With ++! "rganic #otton. This must contain the percentage of cotton advertised.
$lo2al Organic Standards
International -or3ing $ro"p;s $lo2al Organic Te&tile Standard ($OTS). Te
International -or3ing $ro"p on $lo2al Organic Te&tile Standard is co'posed of the
"rganic Trade ,ssociation -"T,./ The 0oil ,ssociation -12./ 3nternational ,ssociation 4atural
Te5tile 3ndustry -364. -7ermany./ and the 8apan "rganic #otton ,ssociation. #ompanies/
manufacturers/ and producers wishing to be licensed must comply with all compulsory criteria for
their products to be labelled 97lobal "rganic Te5tile 0tandard:.
Organic E&cange6 9a &1-#.-'. charitable organi;ation committed to e5panding organic
agriculture/ with a specific focus on increasing the production and use of organically grown fibers
such as cotton: -www.organice5change.com.. "rganic <5change has developed two standards:
"< 1 and "< Blended 0tandards. #ompanies wishing their products certified to these
standards/ should contact one of the "rganic <5change licensed certifiers.