Textile Exchange’s Organic Cotton Market Report (OCMR) is a unique analysis of key data and emerging trends in organic cotton production at global, regional, and country levels. Released annually, the report reveals data from the previous harvest season, accompanied by insights from industry insiders into current issues and priorities for the organic cotton sector.
The early 1990’s marked the beginning of organic cotton production’s expansion as countries worldwide adopted national organic standards. Flash forward 30 years and 2019/20 marks a record year for organic cotton. But even with this growth, organic cotton still only represents roughly 1% of the global cotton harvest that season. That’s not enough.
Textile Exchange’s Climate+ strategy recognizes the urgency of climate change and sets a goal of 45% reduced greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions by 2030 in the pre-spinning phase of textile fiber and materials production.
Organic soils are known to lock away, or sequester, far more carbon than conventional soils. What’s more, common organic practices of using compost and manure have the biggest impact in the shortest period of time. Organic production systems are at the tip of the spear driving best practices across the entire textile industry. Organic cotton is one of the proven solutions for meeting our Climate+ goal. It is time to dramatically scale-up the use of organic cotton and send clear and committed market signals to shift from the current price paradigm system that creates the pollution, poverty, and problems to a value system that promotes and support life – life for the soil, the farm, the family, the community and our planet!
Read the Textile Exchange's Organic Cotton Market Report 2021 by clicking here.