NEWS REPORT / GRIST

The Green Index For Apparels

Wouldn't it be really convenient for green shoppers if every piece of clothing came with a number that told how green it is? A group of apparel companies recently formed what they call ‘Sustainable Apparel Coalition’ to focus on making an innovative tool that could give a number to an item of clothi

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ng based on its sustainability.

The members of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition include apparel giants such as Adidas, Arvind Mills, C&A, Duke University, Esprit, Esquel, Marks & Spencer, Timberland, Gap Inc., Patagonia etc. These companies are planning to develop a database that would track the impact of a garment on environment at every level of production and on the basis of that, give a sustainability score to it. With the help of this score, they want to help individual apparel companies clean up their supply chain. The score would be based on a number of factors like energy efficiency, and labor practices, cotton growth, dye, and packaging.

According to the American Apparel and Footwear Association, Americans spent roughly $340 billion on clothing and shoes last year, which is about 25 percent of the global market, and virtually all of it came from somewhere else. Therefore it is not easy to study the supply chain by an individual company on its own.

Sustainable Apparel Coalition plans to focus on water use efficiency, minimization of chemical constituents of water discharges associated with manufacturing of apparel products, minimization of energy use, creation of apparel products with low carbon footprints with the help of technology among others. It will also stress on the importance of a workplace that is fair and safe.

This initiative is hoped to raise awareness among organisations, designers and those who can make the most difference: consumers. Jeffrey Swartz, the chief executive of Timberland recently said to New York Times , “This is really filling a void. The government has standards for miles per gallon on a car, but we have no real standards for clothing. This will ultimately put the power in the hands of the consumers, because the apparel industry is saying out loud, ‘We’re going to find a way to disclose to you what’s behind this purchase decision — beyond color, size and fit ”.

In an interview with Tom Philpott of Grist, Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia said, “I'm convinced that most of the damage done to the planet is done unintentionally. A lot of people don't want to intentionally be evil like that, but they just don't know. Given the choice, I think they'll make the right decisions. You get five pairs of jeans in front of you, one is a 2 [on a 1-10 sustainability scale], and one is a 10, and you zap your little iPhone on the barcode to find that out, you'll probably buy the 10. Without information, jeans are jeans, they're all the same. I think it's going to be a pretty powerful tool for consumers to use.”

To read a full report: Sustainable Apparel Coalition delivers the eco-skinny on your skinny jeans

NEWS REPORT / ECONEWS

Pants to Fight Poverty

With Fairtrade Fortnight 2011 focusing specially on cotton and the plight of cotton farmers, a lot of attention is on Fairtrade apparel industry. The event is being led by entrepreneur Ben Ramsden, founder of social enterprise 'Pants to Poverty', which makes Fairtrade cotton pants in India and ensures farmers are paid a fair price for cotton and no child labour is used.

To celebrate the launch and to show their support for Fairtrade Fortnight (28th February – 13th March), Pants to Poverty recruited over 150 students from Central St Martin’s to take to the streets of London to strut their stuff through the streets of London.

A few days ago, Pants to Poverty was also showcasing its new collection which celebrated the fifth anniversary of Fairtrade cotton at Pure Spirit fair in Lodon's Earl's Court. The new collections included new styles for women including mini shorts and the launch of a new woven collection in a pastel colour pallet and an array of rich and vibrant colours. Ben Ramsden, founder of Pants to Poverty, commented: “This is the first UK trade show we have shown at. We have been waiting a long time for a show like Pure Spirit to come along and we are very excited about how much the show are recognising and promoting ethical fashion!”

‘Pants to Poverty’ was started in the year 2005, the same year when Nelson Mandela stood in Trafalgar Square and called for a generation to rise up and ‘Make Poverty History’. Since then it has been continuosly working with farmers in India, making a difference in their lives via manufacturing organic underwear.

The cotton is sourced directly from fair-trade and organic cotton farmers in India and Pants to Poverty has developed a relationship with farmers in Vidharba, Maharashtra – an area notorious for terrible suicide rates of circa seven a day for the past 15 years.  By working with partners in India, two years ago Pants to Poverty set up a business unit owned by the farmers to produce the world’s first child labour free organic and fair-trade cotton.

Ben Ramsden says, 'Fashion can change the world. We want to show Fairtrade fashion is just as good as anything else out there and encourage retailers to sell Fairtrade cotton.

Photo Courtesy: Pants to Poverty 
To read the full story: Pants to Poverty - fairtrade underwear brand at Pure Spirit

PRESS RELEASE / PARIVARTAN AWARDS

Parivartan Awards: Driving Sustainable Change

With every passing year, resources are getting used up and becoming more scarce in the process of meeting the demands of the world’s economy. According to World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the supply of energy and material resources needed for industrial growth is expected to rise to 170% of the earth’s bio-capacity by 2040. Needless to say, sustainability is gaining paramount importance.

Parivartan (a Hindi word which means change) is a forum that aims to bring various organisations to a platform where they can discuss about how sustainability can improve business performance.

Recently, India Carbon Outlook invited nominations from firms for Parivartan 2011 Awards to recognize and showcase companies that have used innovation for making their products, processes, facilities and operations sustainable. The jury comprises of leading brands, buyers, industry players and influencers from four sectors i.e. automotive, packaged food and beverage, IT and IT enabled services and textile and apparel.

‘Parivartan 2011 Awards for Sustainability and Innovation’ would recognize and showcase companies that have, in their own innovative way, tried to make their products, processes, facilities or operations sustainable. Through Parivartan 2011 Awards, companies will have an opportunity to present unique innovations in products and services in front of an international audience and discuss sustainable and innovative business case studies with them. There would be sessions to attend and plenty of networking opportunities!

The winners of the Parivartan Awards 2011 would be announced at the Parivartan 2011 Awards Ceremony on March 24, 2011.

To read the full story: http://www.parivartanforum.in

REPORT / WWF-INDIA

Getting Better At Growing Cotton

The appetite for Cotton and cotton's own appetite for water, pesticides and fertilizers in the face of aggressive farming practices are inevitably driving cotton growing regions into degraded farm lands. Inextricably linked to cotton has been the health and financial well being of those who grow it when they faced with a crop that demands higher and higher inputs. But there was the other way, the better way and today entities such as WWF-India are working hard to change and to document the change that comes with it.

Last year, as a part of the project ‘Cotton in India - Challenges and Opportunities to Implement Better Cotton’, WWF-India developed Better Management Practices (BMPs) that would help farmers produce sustainable cotton. The Better Management Practices help farmers produce more sustainable cotton that reduce costs, increase crop yields, minimize health risks and environmental damage. These practices include reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides (that lead to long-term illnesses for the farmers and their families) along with better and more efficient use of natural resources, such as water and nutrients.

These practices include:

Better Water Management Practices

Cotton is a very thirsty crop which consumes a lot more water than we would like to believe. Therefore a better method of irrigation is the need of the hour. When Appasaheb Shere, a young farmer from Jalna district in Maharashtra switched from conventional flood method of irrigation to drip irrigation for his cotton crop, little did he know about the great results he was about to see.

He says “Earlier, when I used the flood method of irrigation, I used to get 25 quintals of yield from 4.5 acres of land. But by applying drip method for the first time, last year, I doubled my production to 50 quintals”, says the happy farmer.

Better Soil Nutrient and Pest Management

Chemical pesticides can harm the soil to the extent of making it barren. It also affects the farmer’s health adversly. WWF-India promoted substitutes which include decoctions such as ‘Amrutha Jalam’, vermicompost and vitex decoction under BMPs and the farmers have a lot to say about the benefits. “I am happy to share that vermicompost is very useful in increasing soil fertility while vitex decoction in curbing the sucking pest”, says Buchi Mallaiah of Neredupalli village.

Meruga Padma, 33, of Hussainpalli village in Warangal district says“I now completely depend on organic manure ‘Amrutha Jalam’ which I prepare along with botanical extractions for pest control. I received training on how to make these preparations at the Farmer Field School (FFS) in my village. Prior to the introduction of BMPs, I would spend Rs 7,000 on pesticide sprays and fertilizers for one acre of land, but with the new methods in place, my costs are almost nil, just Rs 300! My health had deteriorated when I was using pesticide sprays, causing giddiness, faint spells, headaches and stomach upsets. But now, all these irritants have also disappeared”.

Better Incomes and Better Health

Many farmers have also said that organic manures and bio pesticides have helped them save money. “With chemical pesticides, I incurred more expenditure. Now, with BMPs, the cost of production has gone down and the yield has also improved”, says Sripati Ramkoti.

Sudhakar Muley, 40, of Harthkheda village in Jalna district, Maharashtra says, “The chemical pesticides had severe side effects. I would experience cough and cold, itching, vomiting, headaches, nausea and eye irritation. These symptoms vanished after I opted for BMPs”

Jeedimatla Mogili of Katrapalli village (AP) was persuaded to participate in one of the trial plots because the soil on his land was very poor in fertility. “I adopted all the methods recommended under BMPs, including summer deep ploughing, paired rows, border crops, organic decoctions and pheromone traps”, he recalls. “To my delight, I found that the soil quality had improved and my yield had increased by 260 per cent!

Better Support for Women

Under Better Management Practices, women were asked to use cloth bags and coat for picking and storing cotton. These are provided to the women labourers for reducing the contamination of hair and threads from polypropylene bags. Traditinally, cotton is picked and stored in the palla of the sari and tied behind the back by female farmers. This leads to injuries, scratches, sunburns etc.

The Cotton Picking Coat has 7-9 kg storage capacity and is hung on the shoulders with foam belts. While the sack evenly distributes the weight of the cotton, the half-inch foam belts reduce the strain on the shoulders.
Latabai Pandey, 30, of Kachhighati village in Maharashtra is all praises for the cotton picking coat. “I used to have weal marks on my shoulders because of the load I carried and my body used to ache throughout the day. It is amazing how a simple device like this coat has made my job so much easier and pleasant”, she says.

Photo Courtesy: WWF
To read the full story: GROWING COTTON In a better, farmer friendly way

REPORT / PEOPLE

Fair Trade Changing Lives Of Gujarat Farmers

Organic and Fair Trade premiums are helping farmers change their lives, says Safia from People Tree. She recently visited cotton farmers in Rappa, Gujarat. These farmers are supported by Agrocel  a People Tree’s partner of 10 years.

According to Safia, in 2009-10, the organic premium paid to farmers was £20,000 and the Fair Trade premium was £67,000. Fair Trade premium has not only improved livelihoods in the area, but also supports self help groups of female farmers. According to Ms Bhanuben, Agrocel’s Project Officer, “There are 5 self help groups with 74 members. Each member joins the savings scheme and starts their own bank account, this trains women in financial literacy and helps them save and plan.”

Farmers spoke to Safia about the difficulties they had to face on a daily basis before they got the support from Agrocel. One of the farmers said,“We had to travel for the whole day just to buy basics like sugar and taking our cotton to market to receive a fair price was really hard and weakened our opportunity to negotiate a good price.”

According to farmer Amrut Charda, “We really benefit from the seed programme – seeds are good quality, are GMO free, organic and supplied to us at a fraction of the cost we paid before. Usually they cost 900 rupees and from Agrocel they cost only 30 rupees per kilo.”
Photo Courtesy: People Tree
To read the full story: Visit to Agrocel- Organic Fair Trade Cotton farmers in Gujarat, India

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"

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 / 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 

PRESS RELEASE / TEXTILE EXCHANGE

India Tops Organic Cotton farming with 

80% Of Global Production

India remained the top producing nation in 2009‐10 for the third straight year, growing over 80 percent of the organic cotton produced globally and increasing its production of the fiber by 37 percent over 2009‐2010, according to the fifth annual Organic Farm and Fiber report by Textile Exchange (“the Exchange”), the leading global organic cotton and sustainable textiles non‐profit organization formerly known as Organic Exchange.

Overall, despite the recession, organic cotton continued its steady growth owing to high manufacturer demand, in 2009-2010, says the Organic Farm and Fiber report.

According to the report, production of organic cotton rose up to 15 per cent from 209,950 metric tonnes (MT) in 2008-09 to 241,276 MT (just over 1.1 million bales) grown on 461,000 hectares (1.14 million acres) in 2009-2010.

Organic cotton now represents 1.1 per cent of global cotton production. It has witnessed a 539 per cent increase in production in the last four years since 2005-06, when only 37,000 MT was produced in 22 countries. The number of organic farmers has risen to 274,000 with recent addition from Tajikistan. Textile Exchange anticipates similar strong growth in 2011.

Following India in production are, Syria, Turkey, China, United States, Tanzania, Uganda, Peru, Egypt, Mali, Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Israel, Benin, Paraguay, Greece, Tajikistan, Senegal, Nicaragua, South Africa, Brazil, and Zambia.

According to LaRhea Pepper, Textile Exchange Senior Director, “We will see market growth continue at a minimum of 20 percent per annum with stronger growth of 40 percent or more in markets and programs that have both strong commitment and corporate support; especially when brands have made strong linkages for stable supplies of organic fiber. Value chain relations are now more important than ever. Continued growth is expected in 2011 due both to continued support and greater awareness on the part of consumers as well as the strong commitments from key brands and retailers to increase and expand their organic and sustainable textile programs.Manufacturers, retailers and consumers, and most importantly, farmers, all signaled their continued interest in supporting organic cotton production and the risks that came with it despite the recession."

Press Release: Global Organic Cotton Production Up 15% Despite Recession in 2009-10, New Textile Exchange Report Shows

INTERVIEW / COTTONCONNECT SOUTH EAST ASIA CEO ANITA CHESTER

CottonConnect: Creating Sustainable Supply Chains

CottonConnect engages with retailers to make their supply chains more sustainable, efficient and traceable. 

With the aim of reaching out to more than 100,000 farmers and a million acres of land for sustainable cotton farming practices over the next four years, CottonConnect hopes to impact positively the lives of more than 500,000 farmers and their families.

CottonConnect's South Asia CEO Anita Chester says that CottonConnect brings to the table the capacity to both strategize and implement programmes on the ground, making it a one-stop-shop for brands to deliver their sustainability objectives.

“Being profitable and responsible (environmentally and socially) are not two different sides of a coin. Today, they go hand in hand”, says Anita in an exclusive interview with Make Cotton Sustainable.

What is the mission of CottonConnect in the context of today's cotton growing practices?

The mission of CottonConnect is to transform the world’s cotton for good. We help reduce poverty and benefit the environment by supporting the creation and development of sustainable cotton value chains. We intend to build capacity amongst more than 100,000 farmers by 2015. This will positively affect the lives and livelihoods of more than 500,000 farmers and their families.  We aim to increase the land under sustainable cotton cultivation practices by 1 million acres by 2015, thereby reducing water consumption and use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

How was the year 2010 for CottonConnect?

In 2010 we set up our operations. We also designed and delivered strategies and implemented programmes for our first customer C&A. There are a lot of learnings in the year past which should help us fine tune our activities in the coming years.

What do you see as the USP of CottonConnect?

Having the capacity to both strategize and implement programmes on the ground makes us a 'one-stop-shop' for brands to deliver their sustainability objectives.

What is unique about the CottonConnect proposition?

As a pioneering company with a 'business head' and a 'social heart', we are unique in the sense that we are able to engage with international brands and retailers and advise them on their cotton strategies. At the same time, we are able to implement these strategies through our teams based on the ground in South East Asia. Being 'standards neutral', we have the capacity to work across the brand’s supply chain, following the standards preferred by them, be it Organic, Fair Trade, Cotton Made in Africa (CMiA) or Better Cotton Initiative (BCI).

What are the actions that CottonConnect undertakes in order to make a supply chain more sustainable?

We offer the brands various products and services, some of which include mapping their cotton value chains to the source of fibre and developing a source of sustainable fibre through farmer training programmes. We also  monitor the social and environmental impact by capturing data at the farm level on an annual basis. The sustainable fibre thus created is traced from the farm to the gin and onwards to the mills and garment factories. Our engagement with communities gives us the ability to identify areas of social development and we can help brands channel their social investments effectively.

What are the main challenges of working with Indian cotton supply chains and how are you tackling them?

Cotton is a complex market in India and supply chains are often not very transparent, with a plethora of intermediaries and middlemen. Most apparel factories have not looked at understanding their supply chains beyond the mill. As a result, there is very little understanding of the practices beyond the mills. By mapping a supply chain, we are able to bring transparency to the various links and  a better understanding about what is happening in each part of the chain.

What do you think is the future of sustainable supply chains?

Over the next 10 years, there will be profound changes in markets globally as climate change continues, population grows and key resources fall short, impacting food, fibre and fuel markets.

The sensitivity of customers to these issues will create a demand for products which have environmental and social norms embedded in them. This new momemtum to develop more fair, committed and transparent cotton value chains  is a huge opportunity for companies like ours.

Can you please tell us about your current projects?

We are currently working  in most cotton producing states:  Gujarat, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

We have several projects for capacity building for cotton producers aimed at improving livelihood by increasing productivity as well as benefiting the environment through reduced use of chemicals and better water management.

In organic cotton production, CottonConnect has done substantial work on “integrity issues” by training organic cotton farmers and ginners with practices aimed at preventing contamination from genetically modified organisms. It is supporting organic cotton farm projects in seed production to help overcome the shortage of genuine organic seeds.

We are also working with partners like the Water Footprint Network (WFN) on a joint study which makes a comparison of surface and ground water pollution levels generated in organic as against conventional farming. We are also currently working on creating a fund which will allow farmers to get interest free loans for drip irrigation.

NEWS REPORT / NEW YORK TIMES

Ensuring Sustainable Denim Manufacturing

Not so long ago, denim industry was swept away with the organic wave. One could easily find a pair of organic jeans as most of the brands were offering them. But now, they seem to have disappeared from the stores. So, where has all the organic denim gone?

According to New York Times, some smaller lines were crushed by the recession and a crowded market. “In a matter of 12 months, I lost 25 to 30 percent of my customer base because of stores closing or scaling back orders and going with more price-conscious lines,” said Tierra Del Forte, who closed her eco-jeans line, Del Forte, in 2009.

However, all is not gloom and doom for organic denim. There are other initiatives being taken by reputed brands which promise to ensure a good future for sustainable denim manufacturing.

LaRhea Pepper, senior director at Textile Exchange says, "There are other companies extending their attention beyond cotton to the entire manufacturing process. Factors now being considered include water use, dye impact, soil health, labor issues and fair trade.

Brands like Adidas and Nike and Levi’s have joined the Better Cotton Initiative, another nonprofit, which focuses on sustainable-agriculture techniques, water use and economic and labor issues. “We want to shift the way cotton is grown around the world,” Michael Kobori, vice president for social and environmental sustainability at Levi Strauss said. “All cotton can be grown this way.”

To read the full story: In Eco-Jeans, the Green Becomes Harder to Spot

NEWS REPORT / TELEGRAPH

Katharine Hamnett:Commander For Fair And Green

Famous slogan t shirt designer Katharine Hamnett has been appointed as Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2011 New Year Honours for services to the fashion industry. The award is an acknowledgment of her work as both a fashion designer and a campaigner for ethical and environmental rights.

According to the Telegraph, after having a close look into the social and environmental impact of the clothing and textile industry in 1989, Hamnett found out the clothing industry was unsustainable. Ever since, she is putting efforts trying to change it.

She has worked with the Environmental Justice Foundation campaigning against the cotton industry in Uzbekistan which forces men, women and children into the cotton fields each year. She also works to promote organic cotton to stop farmers using chemicals that harm both their health and the earth’s.

In the last 10 years, Hamnett has relaunched her T-shirts, making them with organic cotton grown to high ethical and environmental standards.

On her website, she says, “On a visit to Mali in Africa in 2003, I witnessed firsthand the devastating poverty faced by cotton farmers. I met a cotton farmer's wife who had lost two children at the breast from malnutrition because she had nothing to eat. Her fate is typical of thousands of cotton farming families across Africa and the developing world. When I was there, I asked a cotton farmer what is the downside of growing cotton conventionally. He said, "When we have sold our crop we have nothing left."

I asked, "What is the upside of growing cotton organically?" He said, "When we have sold our crop all the money is ours and we have our health."

She then realised that it was very important to create a demand for organic cotton. She says, "I want people to appreciate that organic cotton can look and feel as good as conventional cotton but the difference to cotton farmers and their families is huge.”

To read the full story: Katharine Hamnett to debut on Net-a-porter
Photo Courtesy: Katharine Hamnett

NEWS REPORT / FINANCIAL CHRONICLE

Andhra's Journey To Sustainable Farming




A project to empower women farmers in Andhra Pradesh, India is on the roll. With some women self-help groups supporting it, the project hopes one day to bring about a change by which over 60 per cent of the land in the state is cultivated by organic means, says a report in the Financial Chronicle.

Over a million farmers in the state have adopted better crop management practices under the Community Managed Sustainable Agriculture project directed at maintaining yields while reducing the dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. As a direct consequence, the net income of farmers has gone up due to the savings on pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Crops being cultivated under this program include cotton, paddy, redgram, groundnut and chilies.

The project was launched to reduce the cost of cultivation of the farmer.  DV Naidu, state project adviser, Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty explained, "If a farmer raises cotton on one hectare through sustainable farming, he could potentially save $250 a year in pesticide cost alone. This is 56 per cent of his annual income.”

Rs 35-crore has been allotted by the government for the project and the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture in India wants to implement the practice on a national level.

Video Courtesy: World Bank
To read the full story: Andhra sows seeds of new revolution in agriculture

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 / 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