Cotton: the nicest thing out there...but is it?

Cotton as we know it has been around for thousands of years. It is one of the most popular natural fibers in the world, be it for its quality, versatility of use or the fact that it can be continuously harvested and grown.

Everywhere you look, brands of all kinds use this material in most of their collections. And why not? it has been proven that cotton is breathable, weatherproof, absorbs moisture naturally, is hypoallergenic, is a natural fiber and (our personal favorite) is suuuper soft. 

With all these great characteristics it is easy to get carried away and believe the idea that cotton is probably the most sustainable and eco friendly material out there, right?

What are the costs of cotton production for the environment?

We know, you probably feel just as surprised as we did when we found out our favorite natural fiber can't be considered that natural after all. But why is that?

Well, it turns out the process of growing and harvesting cotton is extremely harmful for the environment. In fact, it is estimated the production of cotton uses about one quarter of the world's insecticides and 16% of pesticides. These in turn harm the health of workers who in most cases harvest the cotton in already grim conditions.

In addition to that, a massive amount of water is necessary to grow the cotton. Which leads to the heavy irrigation from rivers and lakes alike. This has horrible consequences for both the people and wildlife dependent on those rivers as they see their flows diminished and even polluted.

This environmentally unsustainable method of cotton production is only used for what we know as Non-Organic Cotton.

This is why it is extremely important to differentiate between what type of cotton your favorite clothes are made of: Organic Cotton or Non-Organic Cotton.

The best alternative: Organic Cotton

Now that you know the bad and the ugly of the general production of cotton, you must be asking yourself: How can I still use my favorite material AND help the environment?

Thankfully, Organic Cotton and Good Rebel are here to save the day!

As the name may indicate, Organic Cotton is an alternative to Non-Organic Cotton and is produced specifically without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or other harmful artificial chemicals. But this is just one of the many advantages this alternative sustainable material has.

To help you get a sense of them, we compiled a list of 5 Reasons why Organic Cotton is the best choice:

• Sustainability

This one was the easy one. Unlike its counterpart (Non-Organic Cotton), Organic Cotton is the direct product of environmentally friendly agriculture methods. These sustain the health of soils, ecosystems and the workers by using solely natural processes.

• Beneficial for those with sensitive skin or prone to allergies

Sometimes clothing unfortunately goes through extremely chemical production processes, which in turn can be uncomfortable for those of us who are more sensible or prone to allergies and skin conditions. Thankfully, organic cotton production skips the added chemicals and is thus able to maintain that super soft feel that we all love without the extra health concerns.

• Improved conditions for workers worldwide

Because of the agriculture standards the production of Organic Cotton upholds, a general improvement for farmers, traders and consumers alike is one of the best advantages of this material. Some of the great circumstances created by this material's production include the dynamism of the market, the transparency and traceability of the products, and the training and accessibility to markets by impoverished communities.

• Products with higher quality

As we mentioned before, Organic Cotton is produced according to the highest standards for organic and sustainable materials. Therefore, the direct result of meeting those standards is the production of extremely high quality products characterized by their durability, comfortability and soft feel.

• Recyclable material

You already know the pre-consumption measures taken to make sure organic cotton is up to standard and in accordance with our sustainable needs nowadays. But what happens to the clothing made of it after being used? It is given a new life! At Good Rebel we pride ourselves in knowing that we can make the most out of the materials we use in our products before, during and after their usage. That's why we also feature products made out of recycled cotton and recycled polyester which gives clothing a new life.

So there you have it! 

As you can see organic cotton has come to stay, and with Good Rebel we plan on helping you style it the best way possible. Stay tuned for more posts about our favorite materials and why we use them, how they benefit the environment and what you can do to help even more! 🤗