REPORT / PEOPLE TREE

Emma Watson Unveils Her Third Fair Trade Collection

Emma Watson has arrived with her third and final collection for eco fashion label 'People Tree' this month. Emma went to Bangladesh last year with People Tree and saw the plight of workers producing fast fashion there and has been advocating eco fashion ever since.

“I designed the collection last year after I’d started university in the US. Safia, People Tree’s founder, and Misato, People Tree’s designer, came out to work with me in Rhode Island. Together we decided on all the colours, fabrics, shapes and craft skills. Most of all, we took care to design a really wearable collection that truly celebrates the traditional skills of People Tree’s Fair Trade groups around the world” says Emma Watson to People Tree magazine.

All the items of clothing under this collection are made entirely from organic and fairtrade materials. With this chic collection, Emma tries to draw the attention of people, especially people of her age towards Fairtade and its importance.

The spring/summer collaboration with People Tree is being launched with Fairtrade Fortnight, which starts February 28.

To read the full story: Emma Watson Spring Collaboration Preview

NEWS REPORT / mybangalore

Masala Tee Boutique: Serving Sustainable Tees

Masala Tee, a brand that is inspired by tea, tee and India, not only uses organic cotton to manufacture its t shirts, but also supports the cause of empowering underpreviledged Indian women and children.

Founded by two tea lover friends, Sheikha Mattar-Jacob from Singapore and Indo-French Noelline Besson the brand name Masala Tee is a play on the quintessential Indian masala tea, says a news report in mybanglore. The former came to India because her huband got posted here and the latter came only to visit the country to discover her birth place. The whole idea of this business started over a cup of tea when they met.

“Over a cuppa masala chai, we concocted and brewed the Masala Tee concept. The tee-shirt concept was brewed, frothed, spiced, sweetened and sparkled in India for the world.  The word masala refers to our diverse background and at the same time it symbolizes something fun, quirky and totally Indian,” says Sheikha to mybanglore.

The brand offers vibrant tee-shirts with screen-printed faces of women, embellished with Swarovski crystals and is truly inspired by India. Each t shirt is packed in its individual tea bag.

Wearing a Masala tee is not just about being an upper class fashionista (prices start from Rs 2000), but also about making a conscious fashion choice. Last year, in a Masala Tee Humani-tee week, the company announced that each of its tee sold would subsidize one month of education of an underpriviledged child in India. A percentage of the sale proceeds go towards various NGOs that work for the underprivileged children and women.

 To read the full story: Masala Tee: Eco-friendly designer wear from 'Tee Wallahs'

PRESS RELEASE / BENETTON

One United Color Is Green

Six hundred fewer tons of plastic in the environment in 2011: this is the green result that Benetton Group will achieve by introducing innovative, lightweight liquid wood clothes hangers – 100% biodegradable and recyclable – in place of the plastic hangers usually used to display garments. The eco-hangers, developed in partnership with the Fraunhofer-Institut für Chemische Technologie in Pfinztal-Berghausen (Germany), will gradually replace their plastic predecessors throughout the worldwide network of Benetton stores, says a Benetton Press Release.

The liquid wood hangers are just part of a far broader eco-sustainable business plan launched by Benetton in a context of attention to social issues. Benetton’s green journey includes two other tangible environmental sustainability programmes, involving organic cotton garments and eco-friendly paper shopping bags.

In the Benetton children’s collections, organic cotton already accounts for over 30% of all cotton apparel, and with the spring-summer 2011 collection, organic cotton garments will reach a total of 13 million across the Group’s various brands. These products are all certified according to the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) ethical and environmental criteria, a worldwide benchmark that guarantees adherence to key organic standards in fibre production.

Read the Press Release

NEWS REPORT / CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

Pratibha Syntex: A Profile In Sustainable Textile Making

While India continues to be the top organic cotton producing nation for the third straight year, the key to sustainable textiles will be the way in which textile manufacturers adapt to the needs of not merely growing cotton but also processing and manufacturing. A fair number of Indian companies are today showing the way, none more so than Pratibha Syntex which started its organic - and sustainable manufacturing journey -- before the turn of the Century.

"Where the industry is today is not really sustainable for the long term," says Shreyaskar Chaudhary, chief executive of Pratibha Syntex, a textile manufacturer based outside Indore, India, talking to The Christian Science Monitor.

Writing in the The Christian Science Monitor, Michael Benanav says, "with something of an "if you build it, they will come" attitude, Mr Chaudhary has steered Pratibha toward the leading edge of eco-friendly textile production."

Pratibha began making clothes with organic cotton in 1999. Initially, the company couldn't find enough organic farms growing cotton in central India to supply its factories and had to convince conventional cotton farmers to change their growing methods.

Pratibha provided seeds, cultivation instruction, and a guarantee of fair-trade prices for their crops. Today, says the report, Pratibha has a network of 28,000 organic cotton growers across the central states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Orissa.

Within the factories themselves, Pratibha has invested some $100 million in sustainable technologies over the past three years. Thanks to innovative salt-free, low-impact dyes used on all material they produce, 92 percent of their manufacturing waste water can be reclaimed and reused. Pratibha meets 90 percent of its water needs by using water recycling and rainwater harvesting technologies, says the report.

The Vasudha Project is an organic farming program run by Pratibha Syntex to "grow clean and eco-friendly cotton, to produce a clean cotton garment, spread environmental sensibilities amongst people, generate direct and indirect employment and ensure farmers' welfare." The Vasudha Project covers 125,000 acres and touches the lives of thousands of farmers, their families and their communities. Pratibha has dedicated a full-time team of experts to train the farmers on farming organically, to research seed varieties and develop more effective farming techniques, and to monitor farmers to ensure that they are meeting organic certification requirements.
Read the full story in The Christian Science Monitor: Trendy threads from waste
Additional information and photos: Pratibha Syntex

NEWS REPORT / GUARDIAN

BCI Brings Good Health To Pakistan's Cotton Farmers

Better Cotton Initiative's work in Pakistan is turning up results at the ground level. Simple ways to protect people working in cotton fields seem to be touching a chord as men and women learn to minimize the impact of pesticides. And the learning has come from training programs being organized by Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) which has companies such as Ikea and H&M as its commercial partners while the training is organized by WWF, Oxfam and local civil society organizations in Pakistan. BCI is a global programme made up of producers, international retailers and not-for-profit groups.

There are currently 3 BCI projects working towards growing Better Cotton in Pakistan. WWF Pakistan is BCI implementing partner in Pakistan.

Writing from Bahawalpur for the Guardian Weekly, Rina Saheed Khan says that in the past five years, WWF- Pakistan and its local partner, the Kissan Welfare Association (KWA), have conducted hundreds of training sessions, known as farmer field schools, for small farmers in the area. The report says that since the field schools were launched six years ago, farmers have reduced water and pesticide use by 75 per cent while increasing their revenue by 70 per cent due to a combination of savings on lower use of pesticides and fertilizers and better growing practices.

What started as a small NGO project run by WWF-Pakistan has now become a successful business model. By December 2011, almost 50,000 metric tonnes of cotton had been grown and processed in accordance with BCI standards.

Photo Courtesy: BCI. Farmers in a Cotton Field in Pakistan

Read the Guardian Article: "Pakistan's cotton farmers reap health benefits from using less pesticide"

NEWS REPORT / FIBRE2FASHION

Saving Wildlife

Do U Speak Green’ an eco-friendly clothing brand promoted by the Shishir Goenka, has been credited as India’s first eco-friendly webstore of an eponymous name, says a news report in fibres2fashion. It uses only hand picked organically grown cotton which is dyed using environmentally safe natural dyes.

When fibre2fashion asked Shishir Goenka how he got the idea to launch this brand, he said, “Our inspiration for ‘Do U Speak Green’ came about due to the absence of smart looking clothing for the nature lover & also absence of organic clothing in India. Most importantly, I have a passion for wildlife & helping preserve our natural environment, hence the decision to contribute 10 percent of sales for the environment.”

‘Do U Speak Green’ also launched its new collection – ‘Stories of the Wild’. The collection with its hand printed images of wild animals is inspired by protection, conservation and respect for wildlife. ‘Stories of the Wild’ is created with organic cotton and bamboo fiber and only natural dyes and prints have been used.

Talking about the challenges, he said that in India, online sales still have a long way to go. Besides, people are not informed. They are not many people who are aware of the importance of organic clothing. Therefore a video showing how the cultivation of conventional cotton is killing farmers and damaging environment has been put up on the website.

To read the full story: Do U Speak Green' - Clothing with passion for environment

PRESS RELEASE / H&M

H&M Introduces Conscious Collection

This April as part of the focus on sustainability H&M will introduce the Conscious Collection – The collection which is for women, men and children is made from enviromentally – adapted and greener materials such as organic cotton, Tencel® and recycled polyester. H&M’s designers have been inspired by different shades of white. The Conscious Collection will be on sale in all H&M stores from 14th April.

“It’s not just about organic cotton any more, the possibilities for creating a complete fashion statement with eco smarter materials are huge now. By designing recurring Conscious Collections we have the opportunity to show in a variety of ways what’s possible using more sustainable fabrics,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M Head of design. “Shades of white are the season’s biggest fashion trend and it feels right for this collection. White creates a romantic feeling with lace and Broderie Anglaise, but is also the basic colour in a sporty, relaxed style and in a preppy tailored look for men.”

Womenswear is inspired by an updated romantic style in which blouses, tunics and T-shirts with Broderie Anglaise are a key trend. Tiered dresses are perfect for day or more dramatic Grecian gowns for night. Long floaty skirts are key as are cut-off shorts. The collection also includes the perfect white blazer and pleated trousers for a more minimalist look as well as Broderie Anglaise and lace lingerie.

Read the Press Release: Conscious Collection

Photo Courtesy: H&M

NEWS REPORT / INDIAN EXPRESS

Indian Origin Designers Turn to Eco Fashion

Following the footsteps of international fashion designers, Indian origin designers from the US, Canada and UK designers too are standing up for the cause of eco fashion, says a news report in Indian Express. A few of them are playing significant roles.

Swati Argade, USA

This Indian American designer uses hand woven fabrics and has a signature style of mixing ethnic and bohemian aesthetics that is transformed into an urbane looking collection. She chooses fabrics and dyes consciously keeping sustainability as a priority.

Swati also goes for recycling, re-purposing and upcycling, but firmly believes that the design is paramount and there should be no excuse to compromise on it. Last year, she launched a collection of coats made from recycled bottles and organic cotton under her ‘Bhoomki’ collection. She says, "These coats will have the lowest carbon footprint vis-a-vis competition in America."

Karishma Shahani, UK

She is a London College of Fashion graduate and is working to evolve her sustainable fashion label rooted in traditional arts and crafts.  She is also promoting traditional Indian crafts by converting waste material into a contemporary textile line for a high end home furnishing house.

For her final year collection at London College of Fashion, she came up with a collection called ‘Yatra’. It was a colourful collection for which Karishma got an artisan from India to dip-dye natural fabrics like cotton, silk, linen, and muslin using plants from his local market. She is also collaborating with Amy Sol, an American artist, in a women's empowerment project rooted in a weavers' village in Madhya Pradesh.

Sheena Matheiken, USA

Sheena, who was born in Ireland and raised in India and is famous for her ‘Uniform Project’, tries to promote re-use and ethical fashion. She hopes her efforts would encourage smart designers to launch ethical collections, with support from informed consumers. Sheena adds, "It would make sustainability the norm rather than the exception."

She says to Indian Express,”The Uniform Project was born out of a desire to do something creative that was also consequential. We are now a social enterprise that converges ethical fashion and philanthropy, challenging women to simplify their wardrobes without compromising on expression and style."

She took the challenge of wearing one dress for 365 days. She used to wear the same dress differently (sometimes even wearing it inside out!), with different accessories and it looked different everyday. It turned out to be a huge success with people getting inspired and Sheena raising funds for educating kids of Akanksha Foundation.

To read the full story:  Indian origin designers go green

Photo Courtesy: http://www.swatiargade.com/

PRESS RELEASE / ORGANIC TRADE ASSOCIATION

2010 US Organic Cotton Planting Highest In A Decade

2010 plantings of US organic cotton were the highest since year 2000, says preliminary data collected by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) in a survey funded by Cotton Incorporated.

Growers of organic cotton in the US increased plantings of organic cotton acreage by 12 per cent in 2010 over that planted in 2009, according to preliminary data collected by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) in a survey funded by Cotton Incorporated.

Analysis of available data collected by an OTA survey of US organic cotton producers and incorporating additional data from the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative (TOCMC) put planted acres for 2010 at 11,827 acres, up from an estimated 10,521 acres planted in 2009. The 2010 number is the highest since 2000, when US farmers planted 13,596 acres to organic cotton.

Although survey data show that planting has increased each year since 2003, overall cotton acreage is 15 percent lower than in 2000 and 52 percent below the high of 24,625 acres planted in 1995.

The 2009 and Preliminary 2010 US Organic Cotton Production & Marketing Trends report produced by OTA as a result of the analysis estimates that approximately 9,321 acres of organic cotton were harvested in the United States in 2009 and increased to approximately 11,262 acres in 2010.

Meanwhile, bale production increased eight percent between 2001 (the earliest available bale data) and 2009, to reach 10,731 bales produced in 2009. Of these, 10,569 bales were upland cotton, and the remaining 72 bales were pima cotton. The number of bales produced in 2010 is not yet available. Because acreage data from the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative (TOCMC) were not available before 2007, earlier bale data, which do include TOCMC tallies, are likely the most accurate reflection of historical production trends.

To read the full release: 2010 plantings of U.S. organic cotton highest since 2000

NEWS REPORT / WORKING WATERFRONT

Cotton: The Importance of Asking Questions

How many consumers ask questions before buying an item of clothing? How many producers ask questions while purchasing cotton for their textile companies? Considering the impact of cotton cultivation on the earth and cotton farmers, a lot of important factors should be dwelled upon.

Recently, Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia clothing company stressed on the importance of asking questions related to cotton at the Seafood Choices Alliance Seafood Summit in Vancouver B.C.

It all started in the early ‘90s when Yvon asked where Patagonia's cotton came from and what was known about it. It turned out, not much was known. Then he explained how his company soon learned that the cotton used in their clothing was actually 80 percent fiber and 20 percent chemicals. Patagonia staff also came to know that 25 percent of all the pesticides in the world are sprayed on cotton, a crop that represents 3 percent of agricultural production.

Soon, Yvon and others started coming face to face with many facts as they visited the places where the company was buying their cotton from. They found contaminated valleys and basins and communities that had cancer rates that were 10 percent higher than the national average. The cotton seed oil byproduct and the cotton dyes were also discovered as toxic. The source of the dying facilities they were was  killing rivers in Europe.

After many initial hiccups, it took some years for Patagonia to move to entirely organic cotton clothes. It took some questions to be answered and some alternate solutions to be found out. It seemed a rather unusual topic to discuss at a Seafood Summit till Yvon told the audience of seafood industry groups and NGOs to ask the same questions about seafood industry and try to make a difference.

To read the full story: Apparel and Seafood: Paving the road to values-based living with questions

NEWS REPORT / BRISTOL247

Fairtrade Fortnight At Bristol On March 5

After the success of the 2009 and 2010 Fairwear Fashion shows, Bristol is all set to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight 2011 on March 5 at The Galleries shopping centre, says a report in bristol247.com.

Last year, Emma Watson’s creation that she had created in conjunction with Fairtrade design brand, People Tree, debuted at the Fairwear Fashion show. Wombat, Spunky, Bishopton Trading Company, FiveG at Debenhams, Ethics Girls, Co-operative were among the various fashion houses that showcased their ethical collections.

This year, the event is sponsored by Green Capital and FiveG at Debenhams which sells Fairtrade cotton clothing for men. The event has been organised by Bristol Fairtrade Network in partnership between the Soil Association and the University of the West of England (UWE).

To read the full story: Bristol fashion: Celebrating Fairtrade Fortnight on the catwalk

Photo Courtesy: Fairwear 2011

PRESS RELEASE / ANVIL KNITWEAR

Anvil Knitwear Joins Hands with CMiA


After making a commitment to double the production of organic cotton in the US a few months ago, Anvil Knitwear has now joined hands with the Cotton Made in Africa initiative.

Cotton Made in Africa is an initiative by the ‘Aid by Trade Foundation’, established in 2005. The purpose of this foundation is to remove poverty and promote economic development through sustainable development projects.

Aid by Trade Foundation is expanding the Demand Alliance for its Cotton Made in Africa (CMiA) initiative to the USA. The idea is to invite companies to buy CMiA cotton for the production of their goods and hence increase the demand for it. Anvil is one of the biggest consumer of sustainable cotton and its joining the CMiA initiative would ensure an increased demand of sustainably produced cotton and hence help African farmers fight poverty.

Anthony Corsano, Chief Executive Officer of Anvil Knitwear explains the widening of the company's sustainability strategy: “Cotton made in Africa is another source of sustainable fiber for Anvil. It is rain fed, utilizes principles of soil conservation, reduces pesticides, and incorporates important ILO labor principles. We also hope our purchases help African small-holder farmers improve their own living standards.”

West African countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Zambia and Mozambique are covered under the CmiA project. The initiative provides training to cotton farmers on how to use efficient methods of cultivation and make judicious use of natural resources.

CMiA would continue to build its Demand Alliance of international textile companies. The Alliance currently includes over twenty textile major companies.

To read the full story: Anvil Knitwear Becomes First US-based Company to Join Cotton made in Africa Initiative 

NEWS REPORT /ECOTEXTILE

BCI Expands To New Regions

With its goal of sustainable cotton being traded on the global commodities market, Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is looking to expand into growing regions such as China, Turkey and the USA.

During the implementation phase (2010-2012), the BCI is mainly focussing on four regions: Brazil, India, Pakistan and West & Central Africa. However, BCI is an open and inclusive multi-stakeholder initiative and is keen to see how it can help make cotton cultivation sustainable beyond their focus regions.

The BCI and Solidaridad have already signed a consultation agreement for China. At the end of 2010, the BCI Council confirmed that the 'Procedures for consulting on and establishing the Better Cotton System' in China have been complied with. A successful multi-stakeholder workshop was held in Beijing in November 2010.

With all these efforts, the coming years should see a growth of sustainable cotton farming practice in China. Funding is currently being sought to support this work.

BCI's vision is to develop a market for ‘Better Cotton’. It strives to bring long-term benefits for the environment by reducing the use of synthetic fertyilizers and farmers by helping them increase their incomes.

Guido Verijke, IKEA’s Global Business Leader said to Ecotextile News, “We are looking to develop projects in China, Turkey and the USA to grow production volumes. This is because for Better Cotton to trade as a commodity, we need to reach more than one million tonnes per annum. This will ensure that long forward commitments are possible which secures the farmers income and also ensures that less water, pesticides and fertilisers are being used.”

To read the full story: BCI Targets New Cotton Regions

NEWS REPORT / ONE WORLD SOUTH ASIA

Chetna, Japanese Companies Help Farmers 'Grow Better, Trade Better, Profit Better'

Indian organic cotton farmers have a reason to smile as Japanese catalog retailer, Felissimo Corporation, is launching a ready-to-wear line that is made from 100 per cent fair trade organic cotton exported from India, says a report in One World South Asia.

Felissimo is also supporting the project called 'The Peace by Peace Cotton', which was started in 2010 in collaboration between Felissimo Corporation, Chetna Organic and Fair Trade Cotton Intervention Program. Its aim was to promote organic farming and fair trade in India by helping farmers go back to nature to 'grow better, trade better, and profit better.'

Under the Peace by Peace Cotton intervention, Felissimo is not only helping farmers to go organic but is also helping them educate their children by awarding scholarships to meritorious and needy students, and encouraging their enrollment in schools.

The program started in 2010. So far, Felissimo has assisted 1317 farmer households in 10 villages in Golamunda and Bhawanipatna clusters in Kalahandi to switch to organic cultivation.

Tatsuya Kasai, Manager, Felissimo says, “It is the buyer in Japan who supports organic, who is actually funding the program. We only try to inform them how their purchase of organic contributes to a larger cause in India, and it is this advocacy that brings in more consumer support to Peace by Peace Cotton.”

Photo & Image courtesy: Chetna Organic and Felissimo

To read the full story: Fashionably conscious: Japanese consumers help support cotton farmers in India

POINT OF VIEW  / PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK

The Fix For Africa's Food vs Cash Crop Dilemma

Africa has been growing cotton for a long time and it supplies over 10 per cent of the world’s cotton. But the question is that when a large part of the African population are starving, should they be growing cash crops (such as cotton) instead of food crops and is it ethical to buy that cotton from Africa? Or should African farmers grow food for themselves instead of growing cotton for the world?

In West Africa, conventional cotton farming not only harms the environment because of use of excessive harmful pesticides and fertilizers, it also leads to contamination in food crops that are sometime fatal.  It also gives the farmers meagre incomes which makes it difficult to meet their family needs.

According to a Pan UK’s short guide ‘Can Organic Cotton Feed Africa’, in 2002-2003 in Senegal’s Velingara region, a major cotton growing zone, 82 per cent of households in Nemataba village were hardly able to meet their daily food needs. Prices of synthetic fertilizers were rising and that of cotton was decreasing (as subsidized cotton from China and US flooded the market). African farmers were finding it hard to make ends meet.

The guide suggests that with careful planning and by practicing crop rotation, organic cotton cultivation can help African farmers to bring the food crisis to an end.

Organic farming is not just about leaving out chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It is also about maintaining a balanced ecosystem that leaves the soil enriched for other crops. Crop rotation is an important aspect of organic cultivation. Farmers in Senegal for example, practice one of five different crop rotations across their fields. In the first year they grow peanut followed by cereals in the second and third year and cotton in year 4. The fields are left uncultivated in the fifth year for the soil to rest.

Consequently, organic cotton allows African farmers to produce more food crops and hence helps them contribute to their food security. Selling organic cotton also allows farmers to earn more money, enabling them to educate their children, buy tools for their fields and lead better lives.

To read the full story: Can Organic Cotton Feed Africa