Sustainable Action Leadership

Organic Cotton Fact Check... Part III of IV

Organic Cotton the Journey………

This is the journey of cotton environmental marketing claims, as it relates to both conventional and organic cotton.

This is not about content and or care labeling nor third part organic certification. If you would like to have more information regarding the USDA National Organic Program labeling or third party certification criteria as it pertains to organic cotton please see previous posts on this blog ( Part II of IV of this post or previous post 2/19/08.) Also you can click here to visit Organic Trade Association.

It is also recommended that you review part one and part two as well.

Where we have been:
Organizations committed to organic cotton incorrectly utilizing and reporting outdated data, that had not been updated for almost ten years. (See part I of III) Reporting; "1/3 pound (150 grams or 5 ounces) of pesticides and fertilizers to grow enough cotton to produce one tee shirt" reporting this as a global number when it was actually data reported for US Cotton in the 90's. Also not indicating the weight of the "one tee shirt?" this is prevalent throughout the industry; comparison of a tee-shirt without specifying the weight of that tee-shirt, enough to cause mass confusion right from the start.

What can we do now?

Facts:

There are no known global conventional cotton pesticide numbers by which to compare organic cotton to conventional cotton.

Cotton production worldwide varies greatly by region, country and season.

According to PAN-UK "The US is the only country in the world with accurate and publicly available data on inputs used." There have never been globally reported numbers for comparing organic cotton to conventional cotton:

The only current, quantifiable information is provided publicly by the USDA as it pertains to USA cotton which includes all cotton (conventional and organic.)

(Note; this report dated 5/06 is the most recent report available. According to the USDA, 2007 report will be available May ’08. Also this report does not include fertilizers. That information has been requested, as that information is received it will be posted on this blog and added to the calculation.)

Calculation method (A) from the above document; Nine US States grew cotton. Texas represents almost half of that; Texas also uses the least amount of applied pesticides per acre.

In total, all nine states applied 55,738 pounds of pesticides divided by the total 12,425 planted acreage equals 4.4859 pounds applied per acre of cotton. 4.4859 pounds equals 71.774 ounces applied per acre. For the documented year, the yield per acre was 831 pounds of cotton fiber per acre. 71.774 ounces divided into 831 pounds of cotton fiber per acre equals 0.08637 ounces of pesticides used to grow a pound of cotton fiber in the US. * US cotton application of pesticides vary by State. This is the preferred calculation method by Cotton Inc.

Calculation method (B) from the above document: Some organizations (see Part I of IV are choosing to look at each individual pesticide(type) per acre application. Then dividing that into the total of acres that the pesticide was applied to, when calculated this way the total is .1144 ounces of pesticides per pound of cotton grown. (Please contact me if you want the detail of this calculation.)

As mentioned previously, fertilizers are not included in these calculations. This information will be updated when it is received.

Facts:
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Environmental Marketing Guides.

“Your label claims CANNOT be deceptive.” “It is deceptive to misrepresent, directly or by implication, that a product, package or service offers a general environmental benefit.”

Additionally, claims should be adequately qualified to avoid consumer deception. What claims can an organization committed to organic cotton agriculture make? #1 Always abide by the FTC Guidelines:

A.) Supply Chain Transparency: Where does your cotton come from?

If the answer is that your organic cotton was grown in the U.S. then according to the rules set forth by the FTC, for your environmental marketing claims; if you are choosing to compare organic cotton to conventional cotton then you are able to utilize USDA information, of 0.08637 ounces of pesticide application per pound of cotton grown, While this number actually includes organic cotton, as noted below organic cotton is a very small portion of US production.

B.)  If you do not know the origin of your organic cotton, or if it comes from a country other than the U.S. there is no comparative number to use at this time, and you would not be able to make an environmental marketing claim as it pertains to organic cotton versus conventional cotton. If indeed you do have qualified comparative conventional cotton information in the country where your organic cotton was grown in order to quantify the claim you could report that number. It is possible, though highly unlikely given the following statement from PAN-UK.

C.) Some organizations are choosing to utilize the USDA 0.08637 ounces per pound comparison number for global organic cotton purchases. If you are such an organization, a disclaimer in your marketing materials indicating that you are using USDA conventional cotton comparisons to your global organic cotton purchases might be the right thing to do, this is a decision your organization will have to make and I would advise you to contact the FTC for full disclosure guidelines.

The US grows 16% of the conventional global cotton crop. The US also grows 6.6% of the global organic cotton crop. The total number of US cotton bales in 2007 was 119 million bales (480 pounds per bale) of the 119 million bales of cotton produced in the US last year, 11,537 bales were Organic Cotton or .0006% of the US production.

It is notable since the first post Part One of Organic Cotton Fact Check dated March 13, that several organizations have removed the outdated information of 1/3 pound of pesticides used to grow one pound of conventional cotton from their websites.

Again this is no longer viable correct information of which to use in your marketing materials.

The purpose of the above reported information is to correct the facts which have been misused.

I remain committed to organic agriculture, make no mistake there are harmful pesticides that cause harm to both our ecosystems and to our people used in current conventional cotton production.

*The above calculation does not include fertilizers. That information will be posted as it is received.

** Part I of IV the calculated pesticide application reported was .1188 ounces of pesticides per pound of cotton grown. This was calculated using the same data as above; by individual input rather than the sum total, in addition a different yield number was used.

***Pesticide applications not only vary region to region, season to season, but must be updated annually or whenever new data is reported.

 

 

 

 

Shouldn't Every Hour be "Earth Hour?"

Earth Hour.org

Earth Hour  is now annual international event started by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia in 2007. This is a great example of how a ‘grassroots’ movement has spread to a global effort and event.

Held on the last Saturday of March, this year March 29--WWF asks households and businesses to turn off their lights and non-essential electrical appliances for one hour in the evening from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

My question is this: Shouldn’t every hour be ‘Earth hour?’ An idea might be to hold Earth Hour once a month? The last Saturday of EVERY MONTH?   

Organic Cotton Fact Check...Part II of IV

So, just what does all this mean? Simply put, all of us have a responsibility to present the facts to our consumers.

Not only is it our responsibility but all environmental claims are regulated by the FTC.

Ideally, we should all be asking the  #1 question; "Where does my cotton come from?" The next step? Tracking those raw materials and their impacts to that particular region--and then reporting the specifics for that region and season.

Note this previous post:

Navigating Organic~Eco Labels; Smart Solutions for Sustainable Business

The terms “eco, green, sustainable and organic” are being used openly and interchangeably in the market with the term ‘certified organic.’ Inappropriate use of environmental labels has caused confusion in the apparel market. To be sold in the US as certified organic cotton, all textile fiber must be certified organic in accordance with the USDA NOP (National Organic Program) program (or) for Europe the EU organic certifications EU 2092/91. Currently that is the legal requirement for certified organic cotton.

This is NOT business as usual, nor is this a trend, this is an entirely new business model, one where you need to know your supply chain clear back to the farm or fiber production facility. Where does your fiber come from? What is the country of origin? Bottom line: There needs to be Supply Chain Transparency back to the farmer and to the seed.

One reason that there is confusion in the apparel market is that the NOP Organic Standards were originally created for food.

So why is cotton included? The USDA considers cotton a food product until it leaves the gin. Upon completion of the ginning process, where the seed and fiber are separated, cotton consists of 60% seed and 40% fiber. Cotton seed enters the food chain. Cottonseed oil is found in many processed snack foods, among them chips, cookies, crackers and salad dressings. Cotton seed is fed to livestock, dairy cattle and poultry as a high protein supplement. The remaining fiber is baled and shipped to textile mills to be spun into yarn for fabric.

The Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS)is premiering the new GOTS Logo at BioFach in Nurenberg, Germany this week.GOTS has offered the world the first globally accepted standard for certified organic fibers. (As early as Fall 2008, we may see the USDA NOP adopt GOTS as the USDA NOP official standard for fiber. )

The GOTS standard for organic textiles covers the production, processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, exportation, importation and distribution of all natural fibres. The final products may include, but are not limited to fibre products, yarns, fabrics and clothes.

“The aim of the standard is to define requirements to ensure organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labelling in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer.” The standard provides for a subdivision into two label-grades. “ according to GOTS.

a) "organic" or "organic in conversion" 95% or more of the fibres must be of certified organic (or in conversion) origin. The remaining balance up to 5% may be made of non-organic fibres including defined regenerated and synthetic fibres. Blending (= mixing the same fibre in organic and conventional quality in one product) is not permitted.

b) "made with x % organic materials" or " made with x % organic in conversion materials" 70% - 95% or more of the fibres must be of certified organic (or in conversion) origin. The remaining balance up to 30% may be made of non-organic fibres. Regenerated and synthetic fibres are limited to 10% (resp. 25% in the US). Again blending is not permitted.

There is concern in the organic food and apparel market with standards that seek to certify blends and or low percentages of organic fiber content. If USDA/NOP recognizes GOTS as the US Standard for apparel, this will become the minimum standard for which all apparel must be certified.

FTC’s GREEN GUIDES
(click here)

Your label claims CANNOT be deceptive according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Environmental Marketing Guides.

“It is deceptive to misrepresent, directly or by implication, that a product, package or service offers a general environmental benefit.” Additionally, claims should be adequately qualified to avoid consumer deception.

FTC is an Independent Agency, appointed by the President. Its goal is to enforce consumer protection and antitrust laws AND the FTC has jurisdiction over environmental claims and Textile Labeling.

The Green Guides do not set performance standards or grant eco-labels but require that labels and communications:

• Tell the truth
• Have substantiation
• Are based on consumer perceptions and require claims controls so they are not misleading
• Have clear qualifications & disclosures
• Specify whether claims apply to the product, the package, or both
• Do no overstate the product attributes

General Environmental Claims:

• Qualify: identify specific "green" attribute
• Third Party Certifications must be independent from advertiser
• Certification does not insulate advertiser - Avoid broad claims unless it is based on LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) and sustainable product standard addressing multiple environmental impacts      across the supply chain and social equity.

Symbols

• Avoid unqualified symbols, e.g. generic recyclable or biodegradable
• Use disclosures to qualify claims. Recyclable e.g. for this bottle may not exist in your area.

Bottom line;

Before you label, print marketing materials before you address crowds of influential people including the press----check your facts and educate yourself, that is what I am doing.

We want to maintain the integrity of the organic industry and we certainly DO NOT WANT to misinform or misrepresent any industry that is working towards sustainability .

 

Fact Check; Organic Cotton...Part I of IV

by Coral Rose

Is your Tee-Shirt Toxic? You decide.

So, just what is certified organic cotton? Certified Organic cotton sold in the United States is cotton that has been certified organic under the USDA National Organic Program(NOP) Standards. This certified organic standard is for the GROWING of the cotton ONLY.

Why is cotton certified by the USDA? And besides I don’t eat my clothes, so why would I care if my t-shirt is organic cotton? Cotton seed does enters the food chain. Cotton is considered a food product until it leaves the cotton gin. Upon completion of the ginning process, where the seed and fiber are separated, cotton consists of 60% seed and 40% fiber.  Cottonseed oil is found in many processed snack foods, among them chips, cookies, crackers and salad dressings. Cotton seed is fed to livestock, dairy cattle and poultry as a high protein supplement. The remaining fiber is shipped to textile mills to be spun into yarn for fabric. 

So just how much of those nasty pesticides end up in your tee shirt? Well actually none. The pesticides that are quoted are actually the amount that is used in the growing phase of conventional cotton. Note that you can look for apparel certified to the Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) that addresses the other inputs and impacts of the complex apparel process, thus ensuring the integrity of the total garment including dyes and other processing.

I heard that there is 1/3 pound of pesticides in the average t-shirt? I also recently read that there are 2 pounds of pesticides in the average cotton sheet?

These facts at one time, in the late nineties were correct for U.S. Cotton, however today they are outdated.These numbers were never meant to be used as a a valid number in which to average worldwide cotton. This also refers to the pesticides used in the growing process, these chemicals are not present in the actual textiles/garments.

Chemical use and other inputs of cotton cultivation vary widely from region to region in the world, they also vary season to season.  These numbers are being misused to reference cotton production in general, that is cotton that has been grown globally anywhere and everywhere in the world. This figure varies greatly by region and seasonally, e.g. some regions such as India might differ from a region such as Turkey or Africa as an example.

Where did the number that I read everywhere, 1/3 pound of pesticides in a tee shirt originate?
"This information was painstakingly put together by researchers at Sustainable Cotton Project (SCP) in the late nineties and cross referenced with Pesticide Action Network (PAN) who at the time concurred with SCP findings. This research was based on average volumes of chemicals used on cotton in the United States, divided by the average yield of cotton per acre in the United States....and then multiplied by the average poundage of cotton used in a medium classic 14 oz  jean  (2 pounds including cutting and spinning waste) Chemical use on cotton in US has since shifted and we have not tracked the data to know if this figure still stands or is higher or lower. So, for the above reasons, Sustainable Cotton Project (SCP) can no longer stand by the statement.  It was accurate at the time with the above qualifiers, but we simply don't have the data either way to verify this now.” According to Lynda Grose, Sustainable Cotton Project.

According to PAN-UK there have never been globally correct numbers for comparing organic cotton to conventional cotton: "The US is the only country in the world with accurate and publicly available data on input used."

What are the current facts on pesticide usage?  The current number being averaged for US and global cotton by some organizations is estimated at .1188 ounces per pound of cotton grown (formulated using USDA data.)  Cotton Inc. reports the current data/number for the amount of 'crop protection or pesticides used in growing the average t-shirt at .035 ounces or about the amount in a packet of sweetener  (Cotton Inc, estimates this t-shirt at a third of a pound.) Please note that when a 'average'  t-shirt comparison is used-there is now a reported discrepancy in what constitutes an 'average' t-shirt. Cotton Inc is using approx. 5 ounces while most other organizations reporting this fact for years have used 'one pound' or 16 ounces to 'average' a t-shirt.

The Cotton Inc website states: .09 ounces per pound of pesticides used in growing US Cotton. The US Cotton pesticide number has shifted dramatically downward showing improvement largely due to added new technologies, including higher yields. Noted that over the last ten years that 87% of the cotton grown in the U.S. is now of a Genetically Modified variety (GM Cotton is not allowed in organic cotton production or any organic agricultural production,the USDA NOP Standard prohibits all GMOs) U.S. Cotton also utilizes the use of highly technical machinery with GPS tracking attributes, which when used is able to spot spray crops vs. spraying an entire area.

For comparison purposes the once correct US Cotton number that was misused to represent a global number: 1/3 (150 grams) pound of pesticides and fertilizers to grow enough cotton to produce one tee shirt is estimated at 5 ounces.

You can see that this information has shifted greatly in the last ten years, since the first SCP study and varies greatly, from previously reported 5 ounces for US Cotton.

The EPA Definition of a Pesticide : A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest. Pests can be insects, mice and other animals, unwanted plants (weeds), fungi, or microorganisms like bacteria and viruses. Though often misunderstood to refer only to insecticides, the term pesticide also applies to herbicides, fungicides, and various other substances used to control pests. Under United States law, a pesticide is also any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant.

Basically, for the most part, I believe most individuals and organizations have not acted intentionally and are just simply unaware and unknowingly utilizing once correct but now, outdated information.

I am urging retailers and manufactures to start reporting current information on their marketing materials and websites. If there is data that is current but not yet published in the market, then I urge those organizations to publish the data. I would also urge organizations to conduct reliable scientific research by region to begin accurately reporting numbers as it pertains to your organizations products and textiles.

Again, currently this outdated number of 1/3 pound of pesticides per pound of cotton grown is being reported as  "an overall global" fact when indeed it was only factual for US grown cotton in the 90's.

The pesticide usage varies greatly on a regional and seasonal basis around the world.

I admit that I have unknowingly misused and misquoted the information incorrectly over the last 5 years, and that is the reason I am setting the record straight and urging others to do the same. Currently this outdated information is widely reported by organizations promoting as well as organizations that are selling organic cotton, it is nearly impossible to estimate the impact that this outdated information has had, as many organizations have these facts imbedded in their marketing materials-on garments, websites etc.

Make no mistake, cotton is one of the most widely sprayed crops in the world. There are pesticides used in cotton cultivation, however when averaging a global number, care must be taken to look at all available facts, and the facts need to be current and reliable.

I remain committed to increasing the usage of organic and sustainable cotton. Cotton that is grown with better management practices (integrated pest management) including Fair Trade and Organic Cotton.

We are living in a fast moving world that is in a critical state of depletion, to quote Andrew Winston "No single tool or strategy, will work in all companies or in all circumstances"......the world consumes a lot of cotton---and other fibers.......we need all fibers to be sustainable and better for the health of farmers, ecosystems and the planet.

I also realize that this is the 'green' elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about. This isn't about being popular, this is about doing the right thing and setting the record straight.

I do want to acknowledge Wal-Marts integrity and leadership position in the market, they are currently using the reported .1188 per pound ratio for cotton instead of the 1/3 pound that can no longer be verified.

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Sustainable Fibers-Unraveled.......

Fibers are classified into the following three groups;  Natural, Man-made and Synthetic

Natural fibers are subdivided into two classifications; Animal (Protein) fibers and Plant (Cellulose) fibers.

Animal fibers include wool, and other hair fibers such as cashmere and alpaca, silk is also among the animal fiber classification. 

Plant fibers are produced by plants, and are products of agriculture. They are further broken down into three subcategories; Bast (stem) fibers, Leaf fibers and Seed fibers. Cotton is a seed fiber; Flax and hemp are bast fibers. 

Man-made fibers are sometimes known as Regenerated fibers.

Man made fibers are fibers that have been created by man using building blocks provided by nature e.g. proteins or cellulose) as opposed to fibers made entirely by nature e.g. cotton.

An example of Regenerated fibers would be natural materials that have been provided for by nature that has been converted by wet-chemical process which then allows the production of continuous filaments which can then be spun into fiber e.g. viscose. There are two primary types of regenerated fibers. 

Regenerated fibers from cellulose; Lyocell-trademark Tencel ® that is derived from eucalyptus, would be an example of a regenerated cellulosic fibers. 

Regenerated fibers from protein sources are called Azlons and sources of the proteins would include: Soy, milk, maize (protein derived) and peanuts. 

Synthetic fibers are those in which man has produced the entire operation of the fiber production without allowing nature to manufacture the fiber forming substance (called polymers.). Usually synthetics are made from chemicals derived from non-renewable resources such as coal or oil. The most widely recognized synthetics are polyester and nylon. 

PLA is classified as a synthetic. The monomer in PLA is based on a renewable resource. This manufacturing process converts the corn to sugar and then changes the molecular composition into a high performance polymer called polylactide (PLA), which is branded NatureWorks TM PLA. Ingeo TM fibers are extruded from NatureWorks PLA polymers. (Burden, Rose, eco-textiles 2006) 

Q. Is Flax fiber available certified organic?
A. Yes. Flax is a Natural-Plant fiber. 

The spinning and weaving of linen is depicted on wall paintings of ancient Egypt. As early as 3,000 B.C., the fiber was processed into fine white fabric and wrapped around the mummies of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs. Finnish traders are believed to have introduced flax to Northern Europe where it has been under cultivation for centuries. 

Flax is the plant that produces flax fiber, after the fiber is spun it is known as linen yarn. Certified organic flax seed for oil is grown in about half of the USA, however, textile-grade flax fiber is imported to the US. Certified organic flax fiber is grown in Europe and China. Organic Flax can by certified by any accredited third party certification organization that is a member of IFOAM. (http://www.ifoam.org/) (Burden/Rose 2007) 

Q. Is Hemp available certified organic?
A. Yes. Hemp is a Natural-Plant fiber 

Hemp fiber dates back to 2800 B.C. Prior to 1880 the US economy was based on hemp. Industrial hemp was a primary source of food, fuel and fiber. It is now illegal to grow hemp in the US. Hemp grows well without the use of chemical herbicides and pesticides. Manufactures of hemp fiber claim that the fiber is biodegradable. All hemp fiber in the US is imported. China and Eastern Europe are the primary producers of hemp. 

Although seed for food consumption is readily available certified organic, certified organic hemp fiber is not widely available. To date, IMO certifies only one organic hemp farm in Inner Mongolia. (www.imo.ch/) 

Q. Is wool fiber available that is certified organic?
A. Yes. Wool is a Natural-Animal fiber. 

The most common source of wool for textiles is from sheep of various breeds such as Merino, Corriedale and Rambouillet to name a few. “Wool” refers to all natural-animal hair fibers, some common examples of specialty wools would be; Angora, Mohair, Cashmere (from Kashmir goats) and Alpacas. 

In order for wool to be certified as "organic," it must be produced in accordance with NOP federal standards for organic livestock production.  Federal requirements for organic livestock production include:

• Livestock feed and forage used from the last third of gestation must be certified organic;
• Use of synthetic hormones and genetic engineering is prohibited;
• Use of synthetic pesticides (internal, external, and on is prohibited, and
• Producers must encourage livestock health through good cultural and management practices.

Organic livestock management is different from non-organic management in at least two major ways: 1) sheep cannot be dipped in parasiticides (insecticides) to control external parasites such as ticks and lice, and 2) organic livestock producers are required to ensure that they do not exceed the natural carrying capacity of the land on which their animals graze. Organic wool can by certified by any accredited third party certification organization that is a member of IFOAM.( http://www.ifoam.org/) Wool can also be certified organic to EU standards standards e.g. NASAA in Australia. (http://www.nasaa.org) (www.ota.com)

Q. Is certified organic silk available?
A. Yes, however the supply is limited. Silk is a Natural-Animal fiber.

Wild silk, sometimes known as “Tussah Silk” is produced from silkworms that feed on the leaves of dwarf oak trees and are allowed to live out a complete lifecycle in their natural habitat. The silkworms are humanely cultivated, meaning the wild silk cocoons are only processed using natural methods and only after the moth emerges naturally from the cocoon. Humanely produced silk is also sometimes known as “Peace Silk.”

Although not widely available or recognized as a certified organic fiber, Alkena Textiles, a joint venture among China, Switzerland and Germany, claims to produce certified organic silk. Alkena claims to produce organic and biodynamic silk in accordance with the European Economic Community (EEC) organic standard, which prohibits the use of methoprene but would not necessarily rule out killing the worms. This silk is certified by IMO. (www.alkena.com.cn/) Skal International (now Control Union) also certifies silk to their EKO Standards for Sustainable Textile Production in accordance with EEC No. 2092/91. (www.controlunion.com) 

The conventional alternative to organic or wild silk is silk derived from silkworms that feed largely on mulberry leaves, usually indoors in large trays. This type of silk is called “cultivated.” In large, industrial run farms, artificial cultivation including the boiling of the cocoon with the worm inside in order to kill the worm before it becomes a moth and emerges from the cocoon.  (Hustvedt, Rose,eco-textiles 2006)

Q. What can you tell me about this relatively new fiber bamboo?
A. Bamboo is a Regenerated-Cellulose fiber.

Bamboo is not, in and of itself, recognized as a fiber in the US or EU.  What is referred to as bamboo fiber in the market is actually viscose/rayon.

All viscose or rayon fiber from Bamboo (as a source) that is imported into the US must carry a legal fiber content label declaration of viscose or rayon. All bamboo imported into the EU must use of the legal content declaration viscose; the EU does not permit the use of the word rayon. (Rose, Burden 2006/ 2007)

As one of the fastest growing plants in the world, bamboo grows to its maximum height in about 3 months and reaches maturity in 3-4 years.  It spreads rapidly across large areas. Because of relatively quick growing time and the ability to be grown without fertilizers or pesticides, the fiber is currently being marketed as an ‘eco-green-sustainable fiber.’ There are also claims that viscose or rayon from bamboo is biodegradable and anti-microbial. There are potential risks associated with using bamboo as a polymer source for rayon since there is currently a lack of transparency in the supply chain. It is not always clear which type of bamboo is used for fiber, where it is grown, how it is cultivated, harvested etc. To date there are no known organic certification of bamboo. 

The process to make viscose or rayon fiber from bamboo is the same process used to produce viscose/ rayon from any other plant source. The cellulose is extracted from the bamboo, and then the cellulose is mixed with chemicals to convert the plant pulp into textile quality fiber. This process can be very polluting unless it is carefully controlled, which can be influenced by the age and condition of the equipment as well as whether there is any by-product recycling or effluent treatment. (Burden, Rose, eco-textiles 2006) 

There is only one case of manufacturing a regenerated cellulose fiber-where the chemicals used in the process are completely recycled  with a recovery rate of 99.5%, this is known as a closed loop system. The fiber made using this closed looped process is Lenzings TENCEL ® Lyocell. More accurately described Lyocell is a solvent spun fiber in which the cellulose is directly dissolved keeping the cellulose much closer to that found in nature. TENCEL® Lyocell,  also carries the Oeko Tex 100 certification and FSC certification ( http://www.fsc.org/en/) Currently organic standards are not in place for certifying regenerated fibers using trees as a source e.g. Eucalyptus, or Beechwood.  FSC certification for TENCEL® Lyocell is for the forest and for the pulp, they also have been awarded the European-Eco flower label. (www.Lenzing.com) 

Q. What is recycled cotton?
A. There are two types of recycled cotton. They may or may not contain organic fibers. At this time there are no standards and or certifications for recycled organic cotton. The two types of recycled cotton that is available;

1.) Internal spinning waste recycled in the same spinning plant, usually mixed with virgin cotton to achieve a usable yarn.

2.) Recycling various types and percentages of waste fibers; scrap yarn, scrap fabric, garment fall-out and scrap garments. (Burden, 2007) 

Q. What about recycled polyester, where is recycled polyester produced and what do I need to know about recycled poly?

A. Recycled polyester is currently produced in Japan, USA, Taiwan, China, Portugal and Lebanon. 

A. There are fundamentally 3 questions that should be asked about recycled polyester; what is the origin of the waste? What is the method of converting waste to chips? and how do you know the product is produced from recycled materials? 

1.) Q. What is the origin of the waste?

A. There are three origins of waste

· Mill waste. Waste produced in the original polyester chip and/or yarn making process.

· Post industrial waste. Polyester that has left original producer has entered into next phase’s fabric making, garment making in which there is also waste such as fabric fall-out from garment cutting and sewing.

· Post consumer waste. Product that has entered into the consumer chain of supply, and is then disposed of such as plastic bottles (made from PET) and polyester clothing. 

Producers of recycled chips tend to produce recycled chips with varying percentages of recycled and or PET content. Some use only 100% post consumer waste.

2.) Q. What is the method of converting waste to chips?

  A. There are fundamentally 2 methods

· Direct method; melting waste and reforming into chips which is the least expensive, lowest energy, impacts, however there are fewer yarn denier/filament options, and potential streakiness in dyeing due to impurities

· Chemical method based on de-polymerization of waste polyester and then re-polymerization into effectively "virgin" polyester. This processing is more expensive, consumes more energy; however it does provide a larger choice of denier / filament, with fewer impurities and potentially better dyeing outcomes.

3. Q. How do you know it’s recycled?

A. At this time there are no international certifications as there are no published standards. Some national authorities operate a recycling certification scheme e.g. Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency. (Burden, Rose, 2007)

 

Fair Trade; What is it all about??????

Fair Trade certification is a market-based model of international trade that benefits over one million farmers and farm workers in 58 developing countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Fair Trade is sometimes used interchangeably with Ethical Trading, they are distinct from one another.
Ethical Trading means companies are involved in a process of ensuring that the basic labor rights of the employees of their third world suppliers are respected.

The FAIRTRADE Mark, applies to products rather than companies.

The FAIRTRADE Mark; Core Standards and practice behind the Five Guarantees;

• · Guarantees farmers a fair and stable price for their products.
• · Extra income for farmers and estate workers to improve their lives.
• · A greater respect for the environment.
• · Small farmers a stronger position in world markets.
• · Closer link between consumers and producers. 

Roots of Fair Trade can be traced back to projects initiated by churches in North America and Europe in the late 1940s. Their goal was to provide relief to refugees and other poverty stricken communities by selling their handicrafts to Northern markets. Alternative Trade Organizations (ATOs) offered higher returns to producers in the developing world through direct trade and fair prices. In the US, ATOs such as Ten Thousand Villages and Equal Exchange, are worker owned co-operatives, formed to import Fair Trade crafts and coffee to the US market.

In 1988, world coffee prices began a sharp descent, triggering the birth of the first Fair Trade certification initiative.. The Netherland's Max Havelaar label offered mainstream coffee industry players the opportunity to adopt a standardized system of Fair Trade criteria.

Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) is the 'umbrella organization' that establishes Fair Trade standards, globally for the industry using a multi-stakeholder process involving producers, workers, mission-based companies, conventional traders and third party certification labeling Initiatives like TransFair USA.

Currently The United Nations “Least Developed” Countries are the only countries eligible for Fairtrade certification.                          

Watch Fair Trade the MOVIE here.