Organic Cotton vs Non-Organic Cotton: The Facts

It's strange to think that only ten years ago, the organic grocery industry was only just gaining some form of recognition. It feels like 'going organic' has been an option for much longer than that. Everybody is aware of organic produce nowadays, and the whole organic 'green' lifestyle is a whole industry and way of living in it's own right.

We think about apples, spinach and coffee in a perfectly logical way; exposure to chemicals can't be a good thing. That mindset is exactly the right way to think. However, what we often don't consider is that anything with a natural source can be organic. The largest non-food product with which we come into with on a day-to-day basis is probably. Many people don't think of textiles in terms of organic/non-organic, but cotton is grown in the ground, just like any fruit or vegetable. In fact, cotton might just be one of the most chemically contaminated things on the planet.

The next logical step for the the organic generation is to really explore where else we might be exposed to the chemicals which we try to avoid in food.

Cotton is cotton, right? We wear it, lie on it, sit on it. What else is there to think about? Cotton is one of the biggest industries on the planet, dating back hundreds of years.

Cotton has, more than perhaps any other plant, an incredible history. During the American Civil War, the South even attempted to use cotton as a way of involving Britain and France! They believed that their cotton, farmed by slaves, was enough to draw Britain for fear of a shortage (Britain's industrial revolution heavily relied on the cotton trade). The South eventually lost it's battle and slavery was abolished, decimating the once of thriving economy of the South.

That, and many other countries growing and selling their own cotton, changed the cotton industry forever. There are now far too many countries relying on the cotton trade, churning out huge volumes quickly. This is where one of the biggest questions in the organic/non-organic debate arises: Are the chemical pesticides and fertilisers used on cotton harmless? Or would it simply be too expensive to admit they're not?

Chemical pesticides became especially prevalent during the US outbreak of boll weevils in the early to mid 1900s. Once the boll weevil situation was under control, the pesticide use did slightly decrease, but it set a precedent for global pesticide use. Cotton now accounts for a tremendous 25% of the global annual pesticide use.

The kind of chemicals which are used to make the pesticides used on cotton aren't the same as your everyday DIY store weed killers. Although it sounds pretty morbid, the chemicals used to make industrial pesticides such as aldicarb, are designed to kill the animals with which it comes into contact. Not only is aldicarb designed to kill these insects, it is designed to systematically paralyse them, preventing them from travelling any further. It would, of course, be absurd to suggest that pure forms of the pesticide can make it to your cotton bed sheets, but it is certainly unclear what traces remain. Aldicarb is still used to grow cotton in the US, the third largest supplier on cotton in the world. Certainly worth thinking about.

Organic cotton, needless to say, is not treated with an chemical pesticides, insecticides or fertilisers. Any farm caught using any form of chemical agent on their crops will instantly lose their licence from the Soil Association or the Global Textile Standard, the agencies responsible for the licensing and certification of organic cotton. The strict regulations for organic farming lead to numerous other benefits: There is a constant communication between regulators, manufacturers and farmers, ensuring the highest quality cotton. The strict guidelines also mean that every square inch of organic cotton has to be grown, woven and stitched with immense attention to detail, in order to avoid any chemical contact.

An area where cotton differs from non-organic fruit and vegetables, is that it actually has a significant impact on the environment. Cotton is amongst the thirstiest plants on earth, requiring an incredible amount of water to survive. A non-organic cotton plantation will require even more water, due to the growth acceleration caused by chemical fertilisers. Non-organic cotton plants can require up to six pints of water in order to grow one single cotton bud. The environmental impact of such water consumption is something to worry about. Cotton sucks up so much water and nutrients from the soil, that surrounding plants and wildlife simply can't survive. Organic cotton grows slower, making it more expensive, however far less thirsty. Organic cotton cosumes roughly half as much water, which is the difference between wiping out an entire eco-system, and living side-by-side with other plants and wildlife.

All of the organic cotton mattresses in 4 Living's range are made using an organic cotton certified by either the Soil Association or Global Organic Textile Standard. The mattress range includes organic pocket sprung mattresses, natural latex mattresses and a number of other certified organic materials. You can try their collection of organic mattresses in their showroom, where their mattress experts will be happy to answer any questions.