What Is Organic Cotton

Many of our bags are made from an eco-friendly material known as organic cotton which is a more sustainable type of natural cotton. Although conventional cotton and organic cotton share many of the same qualities, they have a few key differences that make organic cotton a more superior option if you are trying to be more sustainable. It’s chemical-free, skin-friendly and, overall, a better choice for the environment.

This subcategory of cotton is grown in subtropical regions, such as India, Turkey and China, on organic farms and currently makes up 1-2% of all global cotton production. It can be easily identified as the material used to make some of our bags because it will be either GOTS or OCS certified. Each of these are independent organic certification standards in the UK that verify the entire supply chain from plant to product to ensure that it meets the strict environmental and social criteria.

What Are The Benefits of Organic Cotton?

The biggest benefit of organic cotton that has received one of these certifications is that the cotton plant is grown without any chemicals.

In the process of harvesting conventional cotton, farmers use toxic chemicals to kill pests that may damage their crops, such as pesticides, and to encourage the growth of the plant, such as fertilizers. The problem is that these chemicals are extremely harmful for the environment with cotton production releasing 220 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year.

Organic cotton, however, is reported to emit up to 46% less greenhouse gas than non-organic cotton which makes it a far more environmentally-friendly material.

Furthermore, the farmers that grow cotton organically use eco-friendly methods, such as composting, to nurture the soil and create a healthy eco-system for the plant so that it soaks up more water during floods and retains it for longer during droughts.

This means that crops grown on organic farms, including cotton plants, require 11 times less water because the soil is more effective in providing these nutrients.

Not to mention, organic farmers rely heavily on rain water to feed their crops rather than extracting it from the ground which can put pressure on water supplies in local communities.

What Are The Main Differences Between Conventional Cotton and Organic Cotton?

Not only is organic cotton more eco-friendly than conventional cotton because of the farming methods used when growing the raw material, but these green practices continue in the production of the fabric at the factory.

The GOTS certification that organic cotton receives means that no hazardous or harmful chemicals have been used during any stage of the supply chain, and that social standards have also been upheld. This includes safe working conditions for farmers and factory workers, no child labour, fair pay, no forced labour and much more.

Factories are regularly inspected to make sure that they maintain these standards throughout production. It isn’t just the sustainability principles of organic cotton that are better than conventional cotton, but there are some physical attributes that make it more superior too.

Organic cotton fibres are longer and stronger than conventional cotton because they have not been affected by chemicals during their growth and harvest. This creates an end product that tends to be more durable, long-lasting and of higher quality which is why it often comes with a higher cost.

You can even feel the difference between an organic cotton fabric versus a non-organic cotton fabric because the former is a lot softer on the skin. Organic cotton is more skin-friendly and anti-allergenic which is why it is the go-to material for making baby products and items for sensitive skin.

There is far less likelihood that the cotton will cause a reaction because it has not been in contact with any hazardous chemicals.

Even the simple fact that organic cotton is carefully handpicked to preserve the purity of every fibre and ensure that no damage is caused through the process whereas, conventional cotton is usually machine-picked to keep up with the demand and supply means that the end product is of higher quality.

Our Organic Cotton Bags

At JuteBag we have a whole collection of ethically-made organic cotton bags that have been GOTS certified and created in one of our accredited factories in the Far East. There is something for everyone in this range from organic cotton totes and shoppers to pouches and cosmetic bags, so you are sure to find a product that suits your specific needs.

Businesses can even customize any of our plain stock bags by adding their branding or bespoke artwork using one of our professional printing techniques.

This enables you to create a custom-printed organic cotton bag for events, trade shows, giveaways, corporate gifting, PR and more.

All our organic cotton products are high-quality, reusable and 100% recyclable.