Make Cotton Sustainable

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