Organic Cotton Market Tops $3 Billion in 2008
Going green is all the rage. Nowadays most grocery stores have organic sections. Food producers are rolling out more and more organic products. Even clothing is going organic. I recently bought an organic t-shirt. No, you can’t eat it.
It’s made from 100% organic cotton. Actually, organic cotton is becoming a huge cash cow. Last year, global sales of organic cotton apparel and textiles jumped 63% to $3.2 billion, up from $1.9 billion in 2007:
“It is a sign of the times that despite ominous financial forecasts, brands and retailers are standing fast to their commitment to making their product lines more sustainable by ever increasing their use of organic cotton and other organic fibers such as wool, linen, and silk,” said LaRhea Pepper, Organic Exchange (OE) senior director.
The amount of organic cotton farmers grew worldwide in 2007/08 increased 152%, according to OE’s Organic Cotton Farm and Fiber Report 2008, organic cotton production increased to 145,872 metric tons (MT) (668,581 bales) grown on 161,000 hectares in 22 countries worldwide (from 57,932 MT (265,517 bales) produced in 2006/07).
OE notes that during 2008, certified organic cotton fiber supplies grew by 95%, significantly higher than annual growth rates of 45% in 2006 and 53% in 2007.
Certainly seems like a good idea. After all, cotton comes from a plant, just like fruits and vegetables, and organic fruits and vegetables are better for the environment, so why wouldn’t organic textiles be good too.
