FEATURE/TRACK MY T

Tracking the Journey of A T Shirt

As a responsible consumer, wouldn't it  be great if one could know everything about his t shirt? Well, that is possible with an Anvil's website called Track My T!. One simply needs to type in the T Number (located on the left side panel of the inside of his Anvil t shirt) and one can get to know all about the journey of his T Shirt, from the farm land to the wardrobe.

The website tells about the farm, cotton gin, yarn spinner, textile mill, cutting and sewing process, distribution center etc. It also answers basic questions like how much cotton is needed to produce one t shirt, where does most of America’s cotton grow etc. It has a conventional farm image gallery and a conventional farm video to let readers know how does the process start. In fact, it has photo galleries and videos for every stage of production explaining things in a simple and organized manner.

Track My T helps consumers to know how and where exactly the process can be made more sustainable. For example, there is information about eco friendly screen printing, recycling etc. After going through the website, one would discover there are many things he or she did not know. For example, cardboard boxes, light bulbs, plastic cases and even the water used in the dyeing process can be recycled and how scraps of fabrics can be used to make more shirts.

The website is an effort from Anvil to enable the consumers buying its t shirts to know what a tracking label means, how was the t shirt produced, what was the estimated carbon footprint and how they can reduce their own carbon footprint.

To know more: http://www.trackmyt.com

NEWS REPORT / FIBRES2FASHION

Arvind Gears Up For Organic Denim

Consumer demand for organic cotton is rapidly increasing as more and more people are now aware that their choice of clothes has a huge impact on environment. Consequently, the demand for organic cotton is high among in the textile sector. This includes the denim industry.

India's denim industry is not far behind global trends. Arvind Limited, for example, is working with over 1000 small and marginal farmers in the Vidharb region of Maharashtra, helping farmers grow organic cotton. A team of Arvind’s organic farming experts provides constant technical support for farmers in the form of weekly consultation visits, practical demonstration of composting and organic pest management methods, and village-level training programmes on all aspects of organic farming.

Mr Mahesh Ramakrishnan, Head of Agribusiness at Arvind Limited, in a presentation at the International Denim Conference was reported by fibres2fashion.com pointing out that denim is the single largest consumer of cotton accounting for around 17 per cent of global cotton consumption.

Arvind started organic denim production in 2007, with capacity of one million meters and today produces eight million meters a year, about 8 per cent of its total production. Wal-Mart, Patagonia, C&A, Timberland, etc are major supporters of Arvind's organic denim initiative.

Arvind's organic cotton contract farming project is located in the cotton growing belt district of Maharashtra; Akola. From just 2 talukas, 33 villages, 293 farmers and 1,355 acres of cotton acreage in 2007-08 it has now enlarged to 6 talukas, 132 villages, 4,000 farmers and cotton under cultivation, has also surged around 12 times to 16,500 acres.

Photo Courtesy: Arvind Limited
To read the full story: India: Organic cotton demand outstrips supply – Mr Mahesh, Arvind Ltd

FEATURE / THE GREEN STYLIST

Project Chetna: Setting Transparent Standards

The big issue in any farm linked organic produce that works through an elaborate supply chain is the issue of integrity of the process through its various stages. Now, more and more Indian cotton growers and farmers applying organic means are making sure that organic growing efforts in the field are transparently recorded, certified and carried through to manufacturing. 

One such organization that is connecting organic farming in tribal areas is Chetna Organic which represents the belief of more than 8000 predominantly tribal farmers in the practices of sustainable agriculture and ethical trade. According to Chetna Organic, it is an effort to support small and marginal tribal farmers from the rain-fed regions of Andhra Pradesh (Telengana), Mahrashtra (Vidarbha) and Western Orissa (Kalahandi & Bolangir) to adapt agrarian systems which are more sustainable and more profitable, by minimizing their dependence on external factors.

Garments manufactured with Chetna cotton can be traced back to the farmer’s field they came from, says an article in The Green Stylist.  They have both internal and external inspections by Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) to track all inputs and outputs. Chetna also complies with third party inspections to show their transparency . Finally, farmers are trained extensively in regards to quality control and certification standards.

Project Chetna (an organic cotton project) started in the year 2004 as a supply chain initiative. The goal was to improve the livelihoods of cotton farmers who had small farm lands through making their farming systems more profitable and more sustainable.

At Chetna, 100% organic cotton is produced with fair trade practices. The production does not involve child labor, synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, or GMOs.  Most of the cotton produced is purchased by organic and Fair Trade certified facility Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills (RCM), a Kolkata based manufacturer which produces and exports organic textiles.

Photo Courtesy: Chetna Organic

To read the full story: Fair Trade Apparel Factory – The Chetna Organic Cotton Project

NEWS REPORT / NATURAL NEWS

Top Brands Driving Organic Cotton Demand

As customers are becoming more concerned about the environment, the demand for organic cotton is increasing sharply. Top textile brands like Nike and Levis Strauss are hence driving the change. It is a good trend considering the fact that big brands are trusted and known and therefore can play a big role in promoting organic cotton.

John Mowbray, editor of the magazine Ecotextile says, "There's a paradigm shift in the textile sector.” Three years ago, sustainability was not on the agenda. Now a lot of retailers and brands want to move regardless of what their suppliers think. They think consumers want transparency. Brands are driving change."

According to Natural News, in 2009, with a global recession producing a 7 percent decrease in the global apparel and textiles market, sales of organic products increased 35 percent. This is consistent with the average 40 percent yearly growth in the organic cotton apparel and home textiles market since 2001.

Organic cotton production increased 20 percent in 2009, and is expected to grow another 20 to 40 percent through 2011. Organic products are now offered by big brands Nike, Adidas and Levi Strauss, and are sold at discount stores such as Wal-Mart in the United States and Tesco in the United Kingdom.

To read the full story: Organic cotton suddenly in demand among top textile brands

NEWS REPORT / LUBBOCK ONLINE

Anvil Goes For Double

Anvil Knitwear is betting big on the organic cotton future, sharply taking up its commitments on procurement. According to a news report in Lubbock Online, Anvil recently made a commitment with the Lubbock-based Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative to double the production of organic cotton in the US. That means Anvil Knitwear, the largest consumer of US organic cotton, will pay a premium for all the production from the increased acreage and will encourage other producers to switch to organic cotton. The New York-based company will also purchase any of the cotton making the transition into organic production at a price close to the price of organic cotton.

Anvil offers 17 eco friendly styles in fibers such as organic cotton, recycled cotton, transitional cotton (or cotton in conversion) and recycled polyester from PET bottles. Anvil was recently ranked the 6th largest organic program in the world by the Organic Exchange.

Photo Courtesy: Anvil
To read the full story: Clothing retailer commits to doubling organic cotton production

NEWSLETTER / COTTON CONNECT

CottonConnect Celebrates Its First Anniversary

This month CottonConnect celebrates its first anniversary, having created in the year past a team of highly experienced textiles, fashion, brand, farm and cotton supply chain specialists, while developing an extensive network on the ground to connect farmers with markets around the world.

According to CottonConnect, the year has been spent in working closely with a number of major retailers to better understand their cotton needs. Looking forward, things look bright as well.

According to a CottonConnect newsletter, it is now working with over 15,000 cotton farmers in India – through specifically designed farmer training programmes and social development projects. CottonConnect is also working at every level of their customers’ supply chains to create greater transparency.

CottonConnect estimates that today it is already impacting the lives of approximately 75,000 men, women and children in their communities.

However, CottonConnect believes that the real challenge is to make sure these benefits can be sustained and made to impact greater numbers of people and the environment by encouraging economic engagement that benefits everyone – right from the farmer to the finished product.

CottonConnect's target is to touch and impact the lives of 500,000 people by 2015 as more and more clothing brands look toward creating sustainable cotton sources for their supply chain even as it looks at developing its work further in South Asia and China in 2011.

To read the full story: Celebrating success - One year on

NEWS REPORT / DECCAN CHRONICLE

Co-optex Introduces Green Collection for Children

The Tamil Nadu (India) government-owned enterprise, Co-optex, has introduced an “eco-friendly” collection for children for the first time. All the clothing items in the new collection are made with organic cotton, using natural dyes, according to a news report in the Deccan Chronicle.

The Tamil Nadu state handlooms minister KKSSR Ramachandran has said that the collection has been launched keeping in mind the importance of children’s health. It is available in all the 131 showrooms spread across Tamil Nadu and in addition at 69 sales outlets functioning outside the state. The collection targets infants to children up to five years of age and the price ranges from Rs200 to Rs450.

The Tamilnadu Handloom Weavers' Co-operative Society, popularly called as Co-optex was established in 1935 and has a long and rich tradition in handlooms, history that dates back over 75 years, even before Indian Independence.

To read the full story: Co-optex turns green for kids

NEWS REPORT / TREE HUGGER

Designer T- Shirts For a Cause

Argentinian firm La Remera, has committed to donate one t- shirt to children in rural communities for every purchase, according to a report in the Tree Hugger, . It is called BoGo model: Buy One Give One model. The t- shirts manufactured by the company are made of materials such as Pima cotton through a sustainable manner.

The BoGo model became popular after TOMS shoes adopted it. The model is based on investing profits from sales to donate products to segments in need, and is growing with new projects every day.

La Remera sells at a boutique in a posh neighborhood in Buenos Aires located in Rue des artisans. The company was founded by Ariel Estanga, an Argentine designer that worked for big fashion companies like Zara and Mango.

In a quest to do something meaningful, Ariel partnered with APAER an association of citizens that supports rural schools. APAER says that they support rural schools because they believe that change is possible only through education.

To read the full story”: Sophisticated, Responsible T-Shirts Help Rural Schools In Argentina
Photo Courtesy: La Remera

FEATURE / CHRISTMAS GIFTS

Give Your Loved Ones Wholesome Gifts
Christmas is around the corner and this year you can make a statement by giving eco-friendly gifts to your loved ones. Even if your friends are not tree huggers, they might turn into green beginners at least. Below are a few gifts that you can buy this Christmas and feel good about giving them:

1. You can give an organic cotton apron to friends who are chefs or the ones who simply love to cook. These aprons have 2 front pockets, an adjustable neck strap and it says, "don't panic.... it's organic! Check out Green Fibres.

2. You can give an Azuri organic cotton scarf to all your lady friends. This scarf is not only warm but also acts as a great fashion accessory. It comes in 110 different colors and is 100% organic cotton. It looks cool with jean and tees, dresses and almost everything. Check out Nimli.
3. Every year, so much money is spent on Christmas decorations. This time, you can think of doing something green while decorating your house. Instead of using napkins — cloth or otherwise — you can consider using People Towels. These lightweight, organic cotton, reusable hand towels also double as napkins. Check out People Towels.

4. You can buy toys made of organic cotton as a gift for children. With an organic cotton toy, even if your child is chewing its ears, you can relax as it would not harm her. Check out Sckoon.

5. In case you want to gift your dog something, you can try buying designer dog clothes made of certified organic cotton. Sckoon's new ‘Natural Pet Apparel’ collection includes organic cotton dog kimonos, dog T-shirts and pet soft toys - stylish, soft, and colorful. Check out Sckoon.

6. If there is a newborn in the family waiting for a Christmas gift, you can give organic baby clothings or blankets for her. If you want something that is sustainable, yet colorful to babies, check out butters&beans.

And yes, one of the most important parts of giving a gift is packing. Instead of packing your gifts in wrapping papers, buy an organic cotton bag and stuff your gift in it. This way, you are giving two gifts and saving the environment too!

There are many such wonderful ideas. You simply need to give it a thought. This Christmas, you can gift your friends something that is organic. This Christmas, you can make a difference.

PRESS RELEASE / PR NEWSWIRE

A Label to Ensure Fairness

Fair Trade USA, the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States, has announced that a full range of Fair Trade Certified™ clothing items are now available in the United States as part of a two-year pilot test, says a PR Newswire press release.

With the popularity of sustainable fashion, many brands in the market have launched new collections and started calling themselves fair. But how fair are they? Now, Fair Trade USA has taken the initiative to ensure fairness, right from the cotton fields to people’s wardrobe.

"Maybe you've already had a green makeover, but ethical fashion is about more than just protecting the environment. It's about people, and 'fair' is just a knock-off without third-party certification to deliver the proof," said Heather Franzese, Senior Manager of Apparel and Linens. "With the Fair Trade Certified™ label, consumers can now be confident that cotton farmers and factory workers earn more and have safe working conditions, the environment was protected, and the people who made the high-quality product can look forward to brighter futures."

Fair Trade USA is currently working with brands like Greenlight Apparel, prAna and Indigenous Designs to launch Fair Trade Certified clothing items, sourced from India, Liberia and Peru, in Spring 2011 and beyond.

The certification would help consumers and companies create jobs and sustainable livelihoods for garment workers and cotton farmers who are struggling with poverty in India, Latin America and Africa.

According to Fair Trade USA, Fair Trade principles include:

Fair price: Democratically organized farmer groups receive a guaranteed minimum floor price and an additional premium for certified organic products. Farmer organizations are also eligible for pre-harvest credit.

Fair labor conditions: Workers on Fair Trade farms enjoy freedom of association, safe working conditions, and living wages. Forced child labor is strictly prohibited.

Direct trade: With Fair Trade, importers purchase from Fair Trade producer groups as directly as possible, eliminating unnecessary middlemen and empowering farmers to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace.

Democratic and transparent organizations: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers decide democratically how to invest Fair Trade revenues.

Community development: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers invest Fair Trade premiums in social and business development projects like scholarship programs, quality improvement trainings, and organic certification.

Environmental sustainability: Harmful agrochemicals and GMOs are strictly prohibited in favor of environmentally sustainable farming methods that protect farmers’ health and preserve valuable ecosystems for future

To read the full story: Fair Trade USA Launches First Ethical Fashion Certification Label

PROFILE / LYDIE N'TCHA, ORGANIC FARMER

Lydie N'TCHA: Motivation for Organic Cotton Farmers in Benin

Lydie N’TCHA is an organic cotton farmer in the village of Bouanrou in Benin. She started growing organic cotton after Mrs. Placide Suzanne TAMA, coordinator of the local NGO AFVA introduced her to it in 2007. In February 2008, she along with some other farmers went on an exchange visit to the village of Fada N’gourma, in the East Region of Burkina Faso.

According to Lydie, after the exchange with peers from Burkina Faso, some of her fellow farmers got motivated enough to be involved while others were worried. Lydie was one of the forty women farmers who decided to start organic cotton farming.

The timing was good, considering the fact that Fada N’gouma, situated at the border with the North region of Benin was in a good location for growing cotton, especially organic cotton. Happy with her production of 0.25 hectare in 2009, Lydie has decided to increase her production area to 0.5 hectare.

Good production by farmers like Lydie inspired three other neighbouring communities, Pehunco, Kouande and Kerou, to join the program. Lydie is the president of Inter-communal Union and aims to expand the project Faaban Winsu (UI-CPCB) to be able to create a belt with the project Alafia, organic cotton, which is developed around the Pendjari reserve.

Lydie is happy with organic cotton as she does not need to invest much. There is no need of mineral fertilisers or chemical pesticides. She noticed that on the soils where organic cotton has been produced, because of the organic fertilisers, the cereals (maize, sorghum etc.) grow very well. She further says, “Before we got involved in organic production, I occasionally witnessed some of my younger goats die because of intoxications, but since then it has never happened again. In addition, at home it is safe to eat our products.”

A few challenges that she faces include purchasing of seeds and climate variablity, though that cannot be controlled. But she still would like other farmers to consider organic production, more so if they have a guaranteed supply of seeds.

To read the full story: Organic Exchange Monthly Farm Bulletin