July 2008
Fibres like cotton can be far from natural by the time they reach the shops. Joanna Yarrow exposes how the production process can be crippling to both people and their environment
How dirty is that white cotton T-shirt?
When looking for ethical fashion, natural fabrics seem an obvious place to start. The term '100% pure cotton' sounds deliciously innocent. But cotton production is one of the world's most chemical-intensive agricultural processes. So unless you're careful, the next white T-shirt you buy could be a real killer!
It starts in the cotton fields
Although it looks nothing like it in the shops, cotton is actually a plant crop, with two-thirds of it grown in developing countries and the former Soviet Union. Although cotton's white and fluffy on the plant, farming it is hardly cute. The crop uses about 22.5% of the world's insecticides and 10% of pesticides, but covers only about 2.5% of the globe's agricultural land. These nasties can damage the environment irreparably, killing wildlife, contributing to climate change and contaminating drinking water. They aren't so great for people either: 20,000 die each year from pesticide poisoning, many in cotton production. Another 3 million or so suffer side-effects including cancer, birth defects, respiratory problems, infertility and sterility. A single teaspoon of Aldicarb, the second most used pesticide in cotton production, on the skin can kill an adult.
What's more, many cotton farmers face crippling debts. Most borrow money to buy the chemicals for their crops and, as their fields become less fertile through chemical application and crops fail, their debts spiral out of control. Around 200,000 farmers commit suicide each year, unable to face such indebtedness.
After harvesting, cotton goes through a series of processes including washing, bleaching, dyeing and printing to turn it into a T-shirt or other such desirable. At least 8,000 chemicals are used in these processes, including heavy metal dyes, chlorine bleaches, formaldehyde (to prevent creasing) and paraffin (to ease weaving).
Dyeing the average T-shirt can use up to 20 litres of water, with about 20% of the dye used flushed into the water system. This contributes to the 40,000 to 50,000 tonnes of (often harsh or carcinogenic) dye discharged each year. A safer alternative is natural dyes - made from plant and animal sources such as indigo, cutch and weld - that can be grown organically. They're beautiful, carbon neutral and benefit the artisans who use them.
It isn't just cotton that causes problems. Other natural fabrics can also leave a toxic legacy. Although rayon (viscose) is made from 'natural' wood pulp, it can contribute to deforestation, and potentially harmful chemicals are used in its production. Similarly, 'natural' wool production often involves toxic organophosphate sheep dip.
Man-made fabrics have their problems, too. As well as using large amounts of oil, nylon manufacture produces nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that's 310 times more potent than CO2, and the fabric isn't biodegradable. Nor is petrochemical-based polyester, which uses contaminating lubricants and a lot of water for cooling.
The good news...
...is that organic cotton, grown without using chemical pesticides or fertilizers, and often processed without chlorine bleaches and synthetic dyes, is increasingly available. By using natural alternatives, farmers regenerate soil, avoid debt, stay healthy and earn more, as organic cotton can be sold at a premium. So choose organic cotton clothes you'll love for life, avoid other potentially toxic yarns, and look out for the growing range of other sustainable fabrics.
Joanna Yarrow is a broadcaster, writer and consultant specialising in green living. She's GMTV's eco expert and presented BBC Three's Outrageous Wasters
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