COTTON
We generally offer 3 options for eco-friendly cotton:
GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified organic cotton
BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) approved cotton
GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified recycled cotton (from used garments)
Akin, Pontetorto, Marini, Inwool and Dinamo are a few of the mills which offer GOTS organic cotton as well as recycled cotton. We are very proud to offer this assortment to our market. Remember we can also source GOTS organic and recycled cottons for Agolab’s soft accessories and Crota’s canvas espadrilles.
Cotton is a natural seed fiber derived from the cotton plant. It is the second most common fiber used today after Polyester, making up 26-35% of the textile market (depending on the data source).
“Farmers have been growing cotton without harmful chemicals for years. Their yield is high, and the quality of the cotton they grow is equal to or better than conventionally grown cotton. Their methods support biodiversity and healthy ecosystems, improve the quality of soil and often use less water. Organic farming is more time consuming, requires more knowledge and skill, and, for now, costs more. But it’s worth it.” - Patagonia
Recycled Standards
Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) | The Textile Exchange RCS was originally developed in partnership with Outdoor Industry Association’s Sustainability Working Group’s Materials Traceability Task Force in 2013. It is an international, voluntary standard that sets requirements for third-party certification of Recycled input and chain of custody. The goal of the RCS is to increase the use of Recycled materials. You can see the full standard here.
The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) | The Global Recycled Standard is a holistic certification for products with recycled content. The desired effect of the GRS is to provide brands with a tool for more accurate labeling, to encourage innovation in the use of reclaimed materials, to establish more transparency in the supply chain, and to provide better information to consumers. The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is an international, voluntary, full product standard that sets requirements for third-party certification of Recycled Content, chain of custody, social and environmental practices, and chemical restrictions. The goal of the GRS is to increase use of Recycled materials in products and reduce/eliminate the harm caused by its production. It is intended for use with any product that contains at least 20% Recycled Material. Each stage of production is required to be certified, beginning at the recycling stage and ending at the last seller in the final business-to-business transaction. You can see the full standard here.
Organic Standards
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) | The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is recognized as the world's leading standard for textiles made from organic fibers. GOTS covers textile processing, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, exportation, importation and distribution.
Source: https://cfda.com/resources/materials/detail/cotton