FEATURE / VEDANTA RESOURCES

Cotton's Second Coming in Lanjigarh, Orissa

Barren land in Lanjigargh, Orissa before Organic Cotton cultivation (left); Organic Cotton farm post VAL support (right)

Vedanta Aluminum Ltd. (VAL) and Natural Organic Farm, an NGO, has implemented a project for organic cotton cultivation called Project Jaibik in Lanjigarh, Orissa.  Earlier, the cotton that was growing in Lanjigarh was not of high quality and therefore the yield was not good. VAL provided that much needed help to the farmers to increase the productivity of their farmlands in a sustainable manner.

VAL’s project was aimed at facilitating cotton growth organically. The farmers were trained on how to develop organic manure and hence not damage the soil by using pesticides and other fertilizers. VAL also played an important role in setting up the market chain that could generate an assured return for the cotton farmers. 

Cotton plants are prone to pests and at times the farmers in Lanjigarh lost their entire investment due to pest attacks. With Vedanta’s help the farmers insured the crops with Agricultural Insurance Company. The farmers are now expecting an income of Rs 10,000 per acre of land compared to their previous earnings of Rs 4000 per acre of land.

 “In Lanjigarh, Vedanta has achieved the desired objectives. Along with Natural Organic Farm, Vedanta has been instrumental in raising organic cotton in 219 acres of land with 92 farmers in 8 villages of Lanjigarh Block and has also been instrumental in insuring 178.96 acres land of 78 farmers,” says Gurdeep Chabra, Director, Natural Organic Farm Kesinga.

To read the full story: Vedanta

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.

PRESS RELEASE / MARKS&SPENCER

Working with the Green Agenda

Marks and Spencer (M&S) has launched its new range of eco-friendly clothes under its Indigo label called Indigo Green. A 15-piece-range made using organic or Fairtrade cotton and also sustainably sourced modal or Tencel. The clothes will be available at the stores with the ‘Spring-Summer 2011’ collection from April.

The designs will include bold tie-dye and batik prints as well as intricate embroideries in skirts and dresses. The denim variety made with fair-trade cotton are also inspired by seventies fashion and will be available in blues with white overtones.

Indigo Green is a part of Marks & Spencer’s Plan A: a sustainability programme. Plan A was launched in January 2007 with the ambitious goal of making Marks & Spencer products carbon neutral, extend sustainable sourcing, to be a fair partner, set new standards in ethical trading and help customers and employees live healthier lifestyles.

To read the full story: M&S Launches Environmental Private Brand Indigo Green

NEWS REPORT /MORAL FIBRE

Making An Honest Effort

As a textile company that uses hand spinning methods and no chemical dyes, Moral Fibre is contributing to sustainability in its own simple ways. The Ahmedabad, Gujarat based company produces fabrics that are eco-friendly and has low carbon footprints.

Moral Fibre uses the ‘Ambar charkha’ method of hand spinning. Each spinning machine is operated by hand, like a hand sewing machine. Most of the processes at every stage of garment production are done by hand. Since the fibre does not go fed into machines for its spinning and weaving, many chemical processes that are harmful to health are eliminated.

The company does not use petroleum scours, silicon wax, formaldehyde, anti-wrinkle agents and chlorine based bleaches to colour the fabrics. Natural dyes and natural oils are used instead. Organic fibres and natural dyes protect the workers and end users from allergies, illness and reduces water and air pollution.

“Working in an open market locally and internationally and using current marketing and promotion practices to promote the ‘almost carbon neutral’ fabrics energized by hands, Moral Fibre has found its niche,” says Mrs. Shailini Sheth Amin, the founder & CEO of Moral Fibre.

She also says, “Today, India has a significant role to play, with or without global pressure.  We believe that new growth in the textile industry can be primarily based on people’s energy and renewable energy. By promoting a sustainable textile industry and Fairtrade in a committed way, India can emerge as a world leader.  We can do this without costing our natural resources and harming the environment.”

Moral Fibre products are packed in cloth bags that can be re-used and also re-cycled boxes.

To read the full story: http://www.moralfibre-fabrics.com/sustainabilityagenda.asp

NEWS REPORT / ECOUTERRE

Fashion Trends in 2011

So what will Eco Fashion be like in 2011? On the one hand organic and sustainable farming and sourcing are growing trends, on the other, the consumer profile continues to lack the mainstream quality that would tip the scales. However, fashionistas, designers and fashion oracles are looking at three broad trends that will make the world of eco fashion in 2011: Creativity, sourcing and growing consumer awareness.

The five top predictions of the oracles in Ecouterre are, in no particular order:

    * The year of consumer awareness.
    * Committed eco designers having to cope with the challenge of marrying creativity with a far greater eye on production processes.
    * Customers getting picky as there is more to choose from and, therefore, manufacturers developing smarter and better products
    * More suppliers who can supply through ethical sourcing while the industry moves to source from ethical and socio-economically driven manufacturers.
    * With minimizing consumption still an overriding goal, quality and durability will become paramount

Creativity
Founder of ‘The Uniform Project’ Sheena Matheiken feels that, committed eco designers do not see being green as a self-congratulatory pat on the back. They see it as a challenge to not compromise on creativity while applying the necessary rigor into progressive production practices. This approach is good if sustainability has to be made into a norm rather than an exception. The year of recession has also made people conscious of their spending habits and this year more products in the affordable eco-fashion area will be available.

Sourcing Sustainability
Some fashion experts felt that there should be more suppliers who can supply produces through ethical sourcing. This will not only enable the designers to focus on creating better products but also offer higher quality materials and the year 2011 will be able to take the sustainable fashion movement forward.

Consumer Awareness
This year the consumers will be asking more questions to brands. Designer Amisha Ghadiyali says that 2011 will be the year of consumer awareness. Due to an increase in the press interest in the movement, people have started understanding things. Terms such as ethical, eco-sustainable fashion etc., will make more meaning to a common person on the road and hence there will be increased people involvement.

To read the full story: 28 Eco-Fashion Predictions for 2011
Photo Courtesy: http://www.joannberman.com

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 / FASTCOMPANY

Ugandan Farmers Get An Acumen Infusion

The Gulu Agricultural Development Company (GADC) will receive $2.2 million from Acumen Fund and Root Capital, to improve the company's organic cotton output to help civil war refugees in the region to maintain small farmers livelihoods, says an article in Fastcompany.

GADC was proposed by the Government of Uganda as a solution to the shambles that the people were living in for the past 25 years due to armed conflict and civil strife. The people wanted to return to their farms and a cash crop like cotton seemed ideal as a subsistence and livelihood crop. South African entrepreneur Bruce Robertson was asked to take over a cotton gin in order to kick start a cotton-producing ecosystem.

According to Fastcompany, Gulu District has an estimated 61 per cent of the people living in poverty, almost twice the national poverty level of 31 per cent.

Biju Mohandas, Acumen Fund's East Africa Manager aims at providing the people with a means of livelihood and go beyond just helping them to sell cotton.

To read the full story: Acumen Fund Co-Invests $2.2 Million in Ugandan Cotton Ginnery

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 / DNA

Reviving a Beautiful Tradition

Woven sarees in India have been popular for many years. However, with changing fashion, they have become a lost tradition now. As a result, thousands of weavers are unemployed and struggling hard to survive. Thankfully a few designers are coming forward for the cause of these weavers by getting them weave sarees under their label.

Sabyasachi is one of the designers known for his penchant for weaves. He recently launched a beautiful collection of woven sarees. According to a news report in DNA, he recently said, “I want to restore the timeless woven sarees, bringing together the skilled weavers from around the country.”

Sabyasachi's collection was known as ‘Save a Saree’ collection. It was specially organised by the designer to promote weavers in India. Keeping the masses in mind, prices were kept very reasonable.

Designer Masaba Gupta also seems to be inspired from Sabyasachi’s initiative and is sticking to her favourite patchwork in handloom silk and cotton. She says, “Weaves are just a beautiful segment and there is much one can do with the woven khadi, silks and cottons."

Recently, designer Wendell Rodricks presented his Kunbi Tribe collection at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week.  According to Rodricks,” Marginalised by main stream society, denounced to the lowest rung of the caste ladder and used today for dancing entertainment, the Kunbis deserve to be addressed as the original inhabitants of the land i.e. Goa. His initiative to revive the tradition of Goan weavers is being widely appreciated.

To read the full story: Fashion fraternity does its bit for weavers in India
Photo Courtesy: mumbaiishtyle ; wendellrodricks.com

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/ SOURCE4STYLE

Making Sustainable Sourcing Easier

For an emerging designer, retail sourcing specialist or interior decorator, finding sustainable material can be a daunting task. There are some difficult questions to be answered. Where to purchase the eco-friendly textile from? How to find the right price? How to understand the certifications? A website called source4style.com, founded by Summer Rayne Oakes, an eco-model, answers these and similar questions. The website is co-founded by Benita Singh who is a fair trade entrepreneur and Adam Schwartz who is the director of supplier relations for the company.

A Guardian report had earlier quoted Oakes saying, "Designers spend 85% of their time sourcing and 15% marketing”. That leaves no time for the creative process. So we source and you can design." Also, producers need access to market, and source4style.com helps them promote their business by putting them directly in front of designers.

There are currently 30 different textiles to choose from on source4style.com, with nine exclusive designs. It has over 35 suppliers on its site spanning 1300 different products, which range from textiles, trims, buttons and zippers to finished goods. The aim of the website is to speed up the research process so that when someone wants to produce a sustainable piece of clothing, he or she does not end up getting frustrated while sourcing.

It is a business to business platform. So, one can look at, compare, examine samples, and order among more than 1,000 different produced by 30 companies: from organic cotton to lyocell, from hemp to salmon leather from discarded food, to wools dyed with vegetable colors.

On source4style.com, one can find two kinds of icons/symbols: Source4Style-related icons like 'organic, 'recycled' and 'Fair Trade' and symbols delineating third-party certifications or standards that are attributed to that product or service. If one sees an organic icon on product, Source4Style will denote what percent (%) of material is certified organic. A product that says it is Fair Trade is most often certified by the Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO), the International Federation for Alternative Trade.

Photo Courtesy: source4style.com