Cotton hasn't had a good press recently. Large amounts of water, energy and pesticides are used in its production. This is where organic cotton (see more about organic cotton below), used in Budd Shirtmakers' new range, comes into the picture.
As well as being cut in organic cotton, the shirts come with a spare set of cuffs and collar so they can be made to last for years. Budd will replace them when the time (eventually) comes.
Finally, of course, Budd make their shirts in Hampshire, so the 'shirt miles' are limited, reducing the environmental impact of transport pollution.
Budd outline the advantages of organic cotton as follow:
"Organic cotton production uses 88-91% less water than ordinary cotton production.
The organic cotton industry uses 66% less energy.
Organic cotton is hand picked as opposed to being mechanically harvested. This is labour intensive, however, this also results in higher employment numbers in local communities. Farm owners must ensure that employees work to STeP standards and have a holistic approach to their care and working conditions.
Organic cotton seeds are untreated and natural. They are non GMO.
No pesticides or insecticides are used in organic cotton production. Farmers instead introduce bugs to eat and destroy any pests, leaving the eco-cycle unharmed. The conventional cotton industry accounts for 16% of the world’s insecticides and 7% of pesticide consumption.
The growth cycle for organic cotton is 5-6 months. This includes the first bloom at 60-70 days and the appearance of the crucial cotton boll 50-70 days later.
Organic cotton farmers tend to rely on rainfall as opposed to intensive irrigation. The organic content of soil also means that it is able to retain 30% more water than chemically treated soil.
The Feel Good Factor - organic cotton has a wonderful softness to it. This is due to the care that is taken during the handpicking process. The gentle approach ensures that the purity of the cotton is preserved and fibres remain unbroken and undamaged. This results in longer staples, which ultimately results in a smoother cotton, one that can be more finely spun and double twisted.
Budd Shirtmakers are happy to make repairs on all their shirts and also replace buttons, cuffs, collars etc.
This is an unsponsored post and is part of a series looking at sustainable style. Read other features in my Sustainable Style series here.
