1.INTRODUCTION TO THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY The textile industry is one of the longest and most complicated industrial chains in manufacturing industry. It is a fragmented and heterogeneous sector dominated by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), with a demand mainly driven by three main end-uses: clothing, home furnishing and industrial use. The importance of the textile (and clothing) industry in the European economy is shown in Table 1.1. The figures in the table cover only a part of the total number of manufacturing companies in 2000 (i.e. they only cover companies with more than 20 employees); represented 3.4 % of the EU manufacturing industry’s turnover, 3.8 % of the added value and 6.9 % of the industrial employement. . 2000 Turnov er EUR Billio n Adde d valu e at f.c. EUR Bill ion Employmen t Milli on Turnov er % Adde d valu e % Employmen t % Textile 100 .5 31.2 0.89 2.1 2.4 3. 8
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1.INTRODUCTION TO THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY
The textile industry is one of the longest and most complicated industrial chains in
manufacturing industry. It is a fragmented and heterogeneous sector dominated by Small and
Medium Enterprises (SMEs), with a demand mainly driven by three main end-uses: clothing,
home furnishing and industrial use.
The importance of the textile (and clothing) industry in the European economy is
shown in Table 1.1. The figures in the table cover only a part of the total number of
manufacturing companies in 2000 (i.e. they only cover companies with more than 20
employees); represented 3.4 % of the EU manufacturing industry’s turnover, 3.8 % of the
added value and 6.9 % of the industrial employement.
.
2000 Turnover
EUR
Billion
Added
value
at f.c.
EUR
Billion
Employmen
t
Million
Turnover
%
Added
value
%
Employmen
t
%
Textile 100.5 31.
2
0.89 2.1 2.
4
3.8
Clothing 61.5 18.2 0.73 1.3 1.4 3.1
Total
Textile &
cloth.
162 49.
4
1.62 3.4 3.8 6.9
Total
Manufacturing
4756.8 1308.
0
23.62 100 100 100
Table 1.1: Share of the EU-15 textile-clothing industry in the manufacturing industry (only
companies with 20 employees or more).
The textile industry as such produces yarns and fabrics, in undyed, dyed or printed
form for use as carpets, interior textiles and technical textiles, or for further processing into
knitted or woven garments. It is very largely automated and capital-intensive, whereas the
manufacture of cut-andsewn garments even today remains highly labour-intensive. Both
textiles and clothing are however typified by a lengthy processing chain involving raw
material preparation, spinning, weaving or knitting, dyeing, printing and/or finishing, through
to cutting, and sewing. These operations more often than not occur in a number of different
mills which are under different ownership.
1.1. History of the Textile Industry
The textile industry is one of the oldest in the world. The oldest known textiles, which
date back to about 5000 B.C., are scraps of linen cloth found in Egyptian caves. The industry
was primarily a family and domestic one until the early part ofthe 1500s when the frst factory
system was established. It wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution in England, in the 18th
century, that power machines for spinning and weaving were invented. In 1769 when Richard
Arkwright’s spinning frame with variable speed rollers was patented, water power replaced
manual power (Neefus, 1982). In the early 17th century of colonial America, textiles were
primarily manufactured in New England homes. Flax and wool were the major fibers used,
however, cotton, grown primarily on southern plantations, became increasingly important
(Wilson, 1979). In 1782 Samuel Slater, who had worked as an apprentice to Arkwright’s
partner, emigrated to America. In Blackstone River, Rhode Island, he started building
Arkwright machines and opened the fist English-type cotton mill in America (ATMI, 1997a).
In the early nineteenth century, in Lowell, Massachusetts, the frst mill in America to use
power looms began operations. It was the fust time that all textile manufacturing operations
had been done under the same roof (Wilson, 1979and ATMI, 1997a). The twentieth century
has seen the development of the fist manmade fibers (rayon was frst produced in 1910).
Although natural fibers (wool, cotton, silk, and linen) are still used extensively today, they are
more expensiveand are often mixed with manmade fibers such as polyester, the most widely
used synthetic fiber. In addition, segments of the textile industry have become highly
automated and computerized (ATMI, 1997a).
The textile industry is characterized by product specialization. Most mills only engage
in one process or raw material. For example, a mill may be engaged in either broadloom
weaving of cotton or broadloom weaving of wool. Similarly, many mills specialize in either
spinning or weaving operations, although larger integrated mills may combine the two
operations.
1.2.Textil industry in Romania
The Textile and Clothing, with a tradition of 100 years in Romania, has grown more
pronounced during 1965 -1980 with equipment, facilities and technologies primarily in the
country. Structure of production of the '70s and '80s was so constructed as to meet domestic
market in textiles and clothing, and exporting the surplus products preponderant CMEA
countries and then in other countries.
Since 1990, demand for textile and clothing products on the domestic market fell
sharply CMEA markets collapsed and the competitiveness of textile products was less then
similar products from competing countries. Apparel clothing industry in Romania has
qualified human resources, who accept lower wage costs in the absence of other alternatives
favorable labor market in our country. Reduced demand for textiles and clothing to domestic
purchasing power due to erosion and the decline was due to lower production of raw materials
supply sectors.
Renowned brands of spinning and weaving mills, cotton, wool and silk, which were
left in irresponsible to fail were Dorobantul Ploiesti, Brasov Carpatex, Tricodava, Bucharest.
The textile industry is a very important branch of Romanian economy which ensures
the biggest part of the confections-textiles and clothing existing on the domestic market, and
on the world market too. If our country adhered to the European Union, the enterprises in the
textile industry must perform efforts to look for new sale markets of the domestic products,
knowing that until present the entire system has been based on lohn.
The textile industry will reach a level of 7.5 billion euros in 2010, two billion euros
lower than this year; Gheorghe Caescu, general manager of Iasitex company, said here on
July 10. The number of players will almost halve over the next four years, as domestic
companies will reposition themselves so as not to directly compete with products coming
from Asia. Wages in the industry will triple, getting to 300-400 euros per month.
In Romania, companies such as Zara and others.
1.3.Textil industry in U.E.
The textile industry’s activities are distributed right across Europe, but mainly
concentrated in only a few EU states. Italy is the leading European producer, far ahead of
Germany, the UK, France and Spain (in that order). These five countries together account for
over 80 % of the Community textile and clothing industry.
The industry is also characterised by regional concentrations in most of the countries of
the enlarged EU. In addition, it is made up of more than 95% small and medium-sized
enterprises. Although specialisation may in itself be an advantage it may too add to the
vulnerability of the latter in the event of predatory pricing from outside the European Union.
Exports of textiles and clothing in the year 2003 in major EU countries.
1.4.Textil industry in U.S.
The geographic distribution of the textile industry in the U.S. is largely governed by its
history in this country. The industry began in New England and moved to the South as cotton
became the primary source of fibers. The five major states for employment in the textile
industry are North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, and Virginia. Though the
majority of mills are located in the South, northern states such as Maine, Massachusetts, New
York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania are still important to the textile industry.
Many finishing and dyeing (SIC 226) operations are located in New Jersey. Narrow fabrics
and manmade fiber mills (SIC 224) are more concentrated in Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.
Knitting mills (SIC 225) and miscellaneous textile mills (SIC 229) are scattered through
several southern and northern states.
1.5.Industry Category and Geographic Distribution
1.5.1.Cotton industry
The largest producers of cotton, currently (2009), are China and India, with anual production
of about 34 million bales and 24 million bales, respectively; most of this production is
consumed by their respective textile industries. The largest exporters of raw cotton are the
United States, with sales of $4.9 billion, and Africa, with sales of $2.1 billion. The total
international trade is estimated to be $12 billion. Africa's share of the cotton trade has doubled
since 1980. Neither area has a significant domestic textile industry, textile manufacturing
having moved to developing nations in Eastern and South Asia such as India and China. In
Africa, cotton is grown by numerous small holders. Dunavant Enterprises, based in Memphis,
Tennessee, is the leading cotton broker in Africa, with hundreds of purchasing agents. It
operates cotton gins in Uganda, Mozambique, and Zambia. In Zambia, it often offers loans for
seed and expenses to the 180,000 small farmers who grow cotton for it, as well as advice on
farming methods.Cargill also purchases cotton in Africa for export.
Mercerization improves the quality of fabrics, it is made with concentrated solutions of
sodium hydroxide, followed by washing and neutralization of the fabric. Wastewater from the
mercerization are alkaline, and organic impurities content is low.
Painting, the largest amount of wastewater is obtained from dyeing operations. These
operations are varied, due to the diversity of types of ink and coating systems.
Printing, we use the same classes of dyes, with the addition of starch, gum shoot, vegetable
gum, carboxilmetilceluloza.
Wastewater from printing of polling for the most part, from washing prints, the printing
machine and the drum.
When printing with the fall colors, because oxidation is performed with potassium
dichromate, wastewater is high in chromium.
Finishing. Final finishing operations consist of dressing, ironing and equipping of fabric
properties and necontractibilitate nesifonabilitate. Wastewater discharged from these sections
are very small in quantity and therefore is irrelevant.
3.POLLUTION PREVENTION OPPORTUNITIES
The best way to reduce pollution is to prevent it in the first place. Some companies have
creatively implemented pollution prevention techniques that improve efficiency and increase
profits while at the same time minimizing environmental impacts. This can be done in many
ways such as reducing material inputs, processes to reuse by-products, improving
management practices. Some smaller facilities are able to actually get below regulatory
thresholds just by reducing pollutant releases through aggressive pollution prevention
policies.
The Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 established a national policy of managing waste
through source reduction, which means preventing the generation ofwaste. The
PollutionPrevention Act also established as national policy a hierarchy ofwaste management
options for situations in which source reduction cannot be implemented feasibly. In the waste
management hierarchy, if source reduction is not feasible the next alternative is recycling of
wastes, followed by energy recovery, and waste treatment as a last alternative.
technological scheme of machinery
Spinning Process Stages Spinning is the process of converting cotton fiber into a yarn. This involves various process stages. The various process stages involves Blow Room, Carding, Comber Preparatory, Combing, Fly Frame, Ring Frame and Winding. For better understanding, the process stages of a Spinning yarn manufacturing mill is given as a flow chart here.
Blow Room
Blow Room involves a set of machinery which opens and cleans the raw cotton. The raw cotton will be automatically plucked by the first Blow Room machine called Bale Plucker. From there a series of machinery which opens and cleans the cotton. This removes the trash from the cotton and makes the cotton clean. At the end of Blow Room there will be a Chute Feeding system which transfers the Blow Room output material to the next process stage Carding.
Carding
Carding involves a machine called CARD which also opens and cleans the trash from the cotton. Also the main function of a carding machine is to remove neps. Neps are the entanglements of fibers which need to be removed to manufacture a good quality yarn. There are latest carding machines manufactured by companies like Rieter, Crosrol, Truetzschler, Lakshmi machine Works etc. The output material from a carding machine is in the form of a continuous thick strand called sliver.
Comber Preparatory
This department involves a set of machinery with which the card sliver is converted into a wound lap form called as Comber Lap. This Comber Lap is later taken and fed into a machine called Comber.
Comber Preparatory involves a set of machinery like Sliver Lap, Ribbon Lap, Super Lap, Uni Lap, Pre Comber Draw Frames etc. This process makes the sliver material more uniform since many carding slivers are combined and fibers are parallelised here.
Combing or Comber
Combing is the process of removal of short fibers and neps from the laps formed by comber preparatory section. Multiple laps are fed into the Comber machine and each lap is taken into the machinery components where the removal of short fibers and neps takes place. Here only the average length of the fibers will get improved and the short fibers are removed from the laps and this waste is popularly called as Noils. Noil percentage removal directly influences the quality of the material whereas more removal of noil involves higher production and material cost and lower realization of final yarn. Usually noil % ranges from 8% to 26%
Draw Frame
Draw Frame is the machine which combines many comber slivers (usually 8 numbers) and gives a single combined sliver. The combined slivers are stretched by the machine and taken out as a single sliver. Due to this process of combining and stretching, the output sliver will become more uniform and hence the quality of the final yarn will be improved. There are many Draw Frame manufacturers and the most famous companies are Rieter, LMW and Truetzschler.
Fly Frame or Simplex
This machine is used to convert the Draw frame sliver into a thin material called Roving. This material contain a mild amount of twist to withstand subsequent process called Ring Frame. The Fly frame machine will also have a drafting system which stretches the Draw frame sliver and makes it thin. the subsequent component called Spindle imparts a mild twist to the output material. Finally the material is wound on a package called Bobbin. This bobbin will be taken to the subsequent process called Ring frame. Usually about 120 bobbins are simultaneously wound in a Fly frame machine. Some machines may have more winding positions also. The popular manufacturers are Rieter, LMW and Electrojet.
Ring Frame
Spinning process is done by the machine called Ring frame. Ring frame converts the bobbin into a yarn. The bobbin taken from the previous process Fly frame is mounted on Ring frame either automatically or manually. The Ring frame stretches the material using a drafting system and then twist is imparted to the material coming out from the drafting system of Ring frame. Once twist is imparted, the material is converted into a yarn. The yarn is then subsequently wound on a package called Bobbin or Cop. Recent days there were more than 1000 simultaneous cops wound in a Ring frame. A Ring frame contains two sides. For example, if a Ring frame contains 1008 yarn delivery positions, then there will be 504 deliveries on both sides. The delivery cop will revolve continuously with the help of an element called Spindle which usually revolve at a speed of about 20,000 rpm. Recent days, the maximum possible speed limit is 25,000 rpm. Delivery yarns are classified as "Counts" based on the linear density (thickness) of the yarn.
Auto Winder
Auto Winding is the process of converting the cop yarn from Ring frame into a larger package, especially cones by combining many Ring cop yarns together. There are many Auto Winder manufacturers like Muratec, Schlafhorst, Veejay Lakshmi and Savio. There is a special component in Auto Winder which is called as Electronic Yarn Clearer. This clearer clears the faults from yarn. Faults like Mass faults and color faults are cleared by this clearer. Popular clearer manufacturers are Premier Evolvics, Uster and Loepfe.
Two For One Twister
Two for One Twister is a modern machine in textile manufacturing process which combines two untwisted doubled threads and twists them into a single thread. In this machine the doubled untwisted thread will be fed into a cylindrical pot and the thread will be taken out through the twisting spindle which gives the preset amount of twist to the double yarn and combines it into a ply yarn. The ply yarn will be taken out from the twisting element and wound on Cone or Cheese which is the final package of two for One Twister.
Raw materialsFibresTwo general categories of fibres are used in the textile industry: natural and man-made. Manmadefibres encompass both purely synthetic materials of petrochemical origin, andregenerative cellulosic materials manufactured from wood fibres. A more detailed classificationof fibres is:_ Natural originfibres- Animal origin Raw woolSilk fibreHair- Vegetable originRaw cotton fibreFlaxJute- Mineral origin Asbestos (not used in the textile industry)_ Chemical fibres(man-made)- Naturalpolymer fibres
Viscose, Cupro, LyocellAcetateTriacetate- Syntheticpolymer fibresInorganic polymer Glass for fibre glassMetal for metal fibreOrganic polymer Polyester (PES)Polyamide (PA)Acrylic (PAC)Polypropylene (PP)Elastane (EL)Cotton and flaxCotton fibre consists mainly of cellulose and some other components, as shown below.
Table 2.1: Chemical composition of cotton fibreCotton production may use chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides and defoliants and thesemay remain as a residue on raw cotton fibres that reach the textile mill.In fact, tests of cotton samples from around the world, performed from 1991 to 1993, reported levels of pesticides below the threshold limit values for foodstuffs [11, US EPA, 1995].
Emissions to Air
Air emissions may be categorised as:
Fugitive Emissions
These are emissions that are not released through a vent or stack. Examples of fugitive emissions include dust from stockpiles, volatilisation of vapour from vats, open vessels, or spills and materials handling. Point Source Emissions
These emissions are exhausted into a vent (excluding roof vents) or stack and emitted through a single point source into the atmosphere. Table 3 highlights common air emissions from textile and clothing processes.
Table 3 - Common Air Emissions from Textile and Clothing Processes
Source: Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage, 1998Air emission control technologies, such as electrostatic precipitators, fabric filters or baghouses and wet scrubbers, are commonly installed to reduce the concentration of particulates in process off-gases before stack emission. Where such emission abatement equipment has been installed, and where emission factors from uncontrolled sources have been used in emission estimation, the collection efficiency of the abatement equipment needs to be considered.
With regards to emission controls for PM10 emissions (particulate matter with an equivalent aerodynamic diameter of 10 micrometres or less ie. 10m), in the absence of measured data, or knowledge of the collection efficiency for a particular piece of equipment, an efficiency of 90% should be used in the emission factor equation to calculate actual mass emissions. This default should only be used if there is no other available control efficiency.
Pollution prevention and control measures include:· Air removed from the processes by the exhaust ventilation should be transported to a recovery system;· Use of emissions control techniques (e.g. absorption and chemical scrubbing).
Emissions resulting from the processing of cotton
Emissions to Water
Emissions of substances to water can be categorised as discharges to:
Surface waters (eg. lakes, rivers, dams, and estuaries); Coastal or marine waters; and Stormwater.
Because of the significant environmental hazards posed by emitting toxic substances to water, most facilities emitting NPI-listed substances to waterways are required by their relevant State or Territory environment agency to closely monitor and measure these emissions. This existing sampling data can be used to calculate annual emissions.
If no wastewater monitoring data exists, emissions to process water can be calculated based on a mass balance or using emission factors.
The discharge of listed substances to a sewer or tailings dam does not require you to report to the NPI. However, leakage and other emissions (including dust) from a tailings storage facility are reportable. (See also Section Three of The NPI Guide.)
Wastewater Characteristics
Emissions to Land
Emissions of substances to land on-site include solid wastes, slurries, sediments, spills and leaks, storageand distribution of liquids and may contain listed substances. These emission sources can be broadly categorised as:
surface impoundments of liquids and slurries; and unintentional leaks and spills.
NoiseActivities performed to produce noise:- technological activities inside the hall by working through the process of weaving yarns,urzire;- circulation inside the car by running the vehicles on access roads;- collateral for the production activities by central heating utilities, compressors, pumps,fans.
Waste / loss: Features
From activities in the textile industry could result in food waste and industrial waste.Waste products:- recyclable waste:1. textile waste (heads of yarns and fabrics) are plotted results from the machines,weaving and winding;2. waste paper, cardboard from the packaging film;3. metal waste from equipment maintenance and repairs;- Waste recoverable:1. household waste2. cleaning sludge from the basins of the pre-treatment station;3. Plastic drums and containers that are purchased chemicals used in manufacturing;
Sludge derived from pre-treatment station and municipal waste landfill are handed over to the city.Temporary storage of recyclable waste is as follows:- for scrap iron and steel covered concrete platforms;- textile waste, paper, polyethylene and non-specific and are stored in warehousesimbalotate properly;- waste oils are collected into categories according to GD 1159/2003, in a specialwarehouse where they are protected from fire and contamination in metal containersbeing removed from the site Pena;- are designed to collect household waste sites in cans.
Opportunities for pollution prevention and control4.1.Posibilitati pollution prevention4.2.Posibilitati Pollution ControlIntegrated Pollution Prevention and Control is a concept supported by EU environmentpolicy, which is a set of states in which Romania is part of January 2007.Environmental management is an activity that focuses on eliminating or reducing as much as possible pollutants from the socio-economic activities, production processes,service sector. It is known that the activity (industrial, social, etc.) are usually associatedwith the generation of pollutants inevitable. Therefore, these systems must be designedand operated so as to generate a small amount of loss or pollutants.This can be achieved in two ways:1. be applying effective technologies for pollution control;2. be approaching modern methods to prevent pollution;4.1.Posibilitati pollution preventionPollution prevention is an integrated management approach available to all environmental factors, which aims: reducing or eliminating and reducing (to the power generation). Attempts to stop the pollution potential from the moment of generation. In a strictly engineering pollution prevention means: efficient use of materials and on the other hand and use those techniques that avoid the generation of pollutants as possible.Some pollution prevention goals can be mentioned:-Elimination or reduction of waste or pollutantsMaterials, natural resources conservationEnergy-conservation and use of unconventional energy
Leakage and leak-preventing accidental mediu.etc
Given the new system of textile activities (threads, fabrics, finishing tex-tyloses, household textiles, industrial textiles, woven and knitted articles), these possibilities can occur to prevent pollution in the textile industry:
● If the textile finishing:- Reduce waste by coloring solution:- Minimal use of application techniques (eg foam application, spraying) or reducing volume of padding devices;- Reducing energy consumption through automatic dryers:- Use of mechanical devices to remove water to reduce the water content of the future fabric;- Installation of heat recovery systems;- Installation of insulation systems;- The use of optimization methods for air emissions.● In case of money:- Substitution of money / rinsing with water in excess of curing methods or techniques of "quick rinse"- Reduce water consumption and energy continuous processes by:- Installation of high efficiency washing machines;- Introducing heat recovery equipment;
● If the effluent treatment and disposal:- Isolation since the effluent source, depending on the type and quantity of contaminants before mixing with other waters, this ensures that a treatment facility receives only those pollutants which can cope;- Avoid placing the components in the wastewater biological treatment systems, if the components of these systems could cause failures;Opportunities for Pollution ControlPollution control is achieved through end-of-pipe "(the end of the pipe), which consists of catching or capturing efluientilor pollutants from industry or other fields and by treating their physical, chemical and biological in order to reduce toxicity or Average amount of undesirable compounds. This solution was applied first to protect the environment and time has proved that it is not very efficient.
● If the textile finishing:- Without using formaldehyde cross-linking agents in the carpet and without formaldehyde cross-linking agents or a low (0.1% formaldehyde) for other activities in the textile industry.- Easy-care material handling:- Moth-proofing treatment of yarns produced by dry spinning through:- Combining subsequent acid treatment to increase the absorption of active antimolii with reuse rinse bath for the next stage of painting;- Use a separate further treatment to reduce emissions from the dyeing process.- Use a softening treatment by:- The application of wetting agents with scarf-ing or / and înspumare spray application
systems, instead of applying this treatment by exhaustion dyeing machine directly dis-continuous.
● In case of money:- Use of closed circuit apparatus, can not be avoided when halogenated organic solvents (eg, where abundant fabrics impregnated with preparations such as oils, which are difficult to remove with water).
● If the effluent treatment and disposal:-Allocating contaminated wastewater leakage most appropriate treatment;- Treating the residual leak important part nonbiodegradabilă appropriate techniques before, or instead of a final biological treatment.
significant environmental issues in cotton production
The Deadly Chemicals in Cotton - new report exposes the human health and environmental cost of pesticide use in global cotton production.
As the fashion industry gets together to celebrate future fashion, The Deadly Chemicals in Cotton, a new report by the Environmental Justice Foundation, in collaboration with the Pesticide Action Network UK, reveals the routine use of harmful chemicals, including nerve agents and neurotoxins, on cotton crops.
Vomiting, paralysis, incontinence, coma, seizures and death are some of the many side effects suffered by farmers and children in the developing world who are routinely exposed to pesticides, many of which are banned or restricted in use in the West.
Cotton, the most valuable non-food agricultural product, is labelled as the world's “dirtiest” crop: US$2 billion’s worth of chemicals are sprayed on the world’s cotton crop every year, almost half of which
is considered toxic enough to be classified as hazardous by the World Health Organisation.
Cotton is responsible for the release of 16% of global insecticides – more than any other single crop.
In total, almost 1kg of hazardous pesticides is applied for every hectare of global cropland under cotton.
Aldicarb, a powerful nerve agent, is one of the most toxic pesticides applied to cotton worldwide. Despite
its World Health Organisation classification, “extremely hazardous”, US$112 million’s worth is applied to
cotton crops each year.
Endosulfan - attributed to serious health problems, including coma, seizures, convulsions and death –
remains as one of the most widely used pesticides in the world: in India, over 3,000 tonnes is applied to
cotton crops annually. Endosulfan is thought to be the most important source of fatal poisoning among
cotton farmers in West Africa.
Children are inherently more vulnerable to the negative impacts of exposure to pesticides. In countries
such as Uzbekistan and India, children work in the cotton industry, live near cotton fields or are at high
danger of pesticide exposure from reused pesticide containers and food.
Steve Trent, Director of EJF, says “With no less than 99% of the world’s cotton farmers living in the developing world, the pesticides are applied in fields where illiteracy is high and safety awareness is low, putting both the environment and lives at risk”. He adds “The dangers faced by poor illiterate children and farmers, to keep our clothes cheap, is unacceptable”.
“Today, only 0.15% of the world’s cotton is guaranteed to be pesticide free. This means that the majority of the cotton we wear is likely to have contributed to the poisoning of lives and the environment in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities”, says Linda Craig, Director of PAN UK. “If the fashion industry is truly concerned about its impact in this world, then it needs to clean up its act and demand organic cotton.”
Leading fashion designer Katharine Hamnett, says “By insisting on organic cotton and fair pay for garment workers and by paying 1% more for a t-shirt, you can change the world and make it a better and safer place.”
Consumer demand for organic cotton currently stands at between US$800 million and US$1 billion, demonstrating that organic cotton offers a strong economic option; currently demand outstrips supply.
EJF and PAN UK believe that the dangers associated with pesticides is too high a price to pay and calls on all buyers of cotton to Pick Your Cotton Carefully and choose organic, fairly traded cotton.
Measures that can be taken as an alternative to the current production of cotton
Organic CottonCotton is one of agriculture's most water-intensive and pest sensitive crops, it is estimated to consume 11% of the world's pesticides. (Kooistra, K.J., et. al. 2006). A sustainable alternative is Organic cotton having social and environmental benefits includes:
Organic cotton cultivation helps in decreasing pollution. Organic cotton cultivation helps in improving soil fertility. Organic cotton farming helps in preventing water, soil and air contamination. Equivalent/ better fiber properties help in diversified products development- suitable for all products.
Certification of Organic Cotton that provides a comprehensive system for ensuring that certain standards of organic production and processing is met. It authenticates the product and increases its credibility. Organic Organizations (European Union & USDA) & Certification Agencies certify the organic processing that typically, organic cotton standardization follow steps include:
Settings of standards Inspection and verification against those standards Certification: recognize the producer who successfully meet the standards
Life Cycle Impact Mapping – Clothing/ Textiles Environment Agency 2003