ORGANIC COTTON / COTTON

Cotton Fabric Properties

Cotton can be a controversial fibre.  Given it's reputation for large use of water and pesticides, it could be argued that is isn't a very sustainable or environmentally friendly crop.  With all that in mind, Cotton and Organic Cotton more-so has some great properties and we love it for its natural properties and ability to be recycled or returned to the earth at the end of it's useable life, making it part of the circular economy.  

Being the most widely used fibre, Cotton became so popular after the industrial revolution and with the invention of the cotton gin.  Mainly grown in the US, Uzbekistan, India, China, Pakistan, Turkey and Australia, it is often transported to other countries to be milled into cotton fabric.   

When sourcing virgin fabrics, we will always choose Organic Cotton, as it is grown without any toxic pesticides, making it better for famers, consumers and the environment.  If we purchase deadstock fabric, we will select some cotton fabrics, as they still have the benefit of being a natural fibre.

 

Growing and Cultivation - Organic Cotton

• Uses no harmful pesticides
• Natural biodegradable fibre
• Land and water intensive
• Manual labour intensive

 

Processing and Use

• After being harvested and ginned, the lint (soft fluffy part) and seed are separated
• The lint is bailed and graded for resale to merchants or fabric mills
• The seed is separated again, where the linter (fuzzy outside part of the seed) is reused for paper, batting, or if not discarded made into Cupro fabric.  Cupro is an amazing fabric as it is soft, silk, breathable 'vegan' silk, that also utilises an undervalued and sometimes redundant product.   
• The cotton seed is resold for use as oil, meal (stockfeed).

 

Fabric Properties

• Breathable
• Strong (gets stronger when wet)
• Manufactures well
• Moisture absorbent
• Recyclable
• Biodegradable