'Save Water and Help the Planet by Choosing Organic Cotton'

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Fid out more at Westfield installation hosted by two environmental charities

Look out for a new 3.5 metre high installation popping up at Westfield this week which will aim to show shoppers how much water they can save by choosing organic cotton.

The installation, which will be open on Thursday and Friday, 3 and 4 October is being produced by environmental charity Hubbub in partnership with the Soil Association are are urging fashionistas to go organic, saying that we are in a climate emergency and our thirst for fashion is a big contributor.

They say:

Two in five Britons said that while they care about the environment, it’s never occurred to them that their clothes might have an impact
By buying a certified organic cotton T Shirt the 2,457 litres of water saved is enough for one person to drink eight glasses of water a day for three and a half years
98% of people underestimate the amount of water that is required to make a cotton T-shirt.
The average Brit thinks it takes 314 litres to make a cotton T-shirt, which is only 12% of the true figure of 2,700 litres*

Cotton is a notoriously thirsty crop. In fact, growing cotton accounts for 69% of the water footprint of textile fibre production; just one kilogram of cotton takes as much as 10,000-20,000 litres of water to produce.

The World Economic Forum has identified water scarcity as one of the top ten global risks to society over the next ten years, yet the majority of cotton is grown in countries that are already facing severe water stress. But there is hope. Growing cotton organically uses significantly less water than conventional cotton - up to 91% less (Textile Exchange 2014).

Organic cotton works with rather than against nature. By using natural techniques, good soil management and seed varieties that are drought resistant, and by growing in areas more suited to cotton farming that are rainfed, rather than irrigated, organic farmers are saving precious water.

And it isn’t just in the field that organic cotton is saving water. The dyeing and finishing of non-organic textiles can require as much as 200 tonnes of water for every tonne of textiles produced. Around 20% of all global water pollution results from the dyeing and finishing of textiles.

Fabrics carrying the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) logo have been made using low-impact dyes and inks in factories where waste water is properly treated before being released. As a result, organic cotton does not pollute water ways. And when you wash it, micro plastics don’t end up in the ocean (which happens when you wash synthetic clothes).

The story of organic cotton doesn’t stop at water. Textiles carrying the Soil Association or the GOTS logo have been made in factories that have met strict social and environmental criteria. This means that working conditions are safe, and workers’ rights are protected.

Choosing organic clothing can have a positive impact on people and the planet. Visit the installation at Westfield London this week and find out how much water growing organic cotton saves as well as the other huge environmental benefits organic cotton brings and follow the tips below for simple actions everyone can all take.

Clare McDermott, Business Development Director, Soil Association Certification said: "We’re in a climate emergency and awareness of the damaging impact of the fashion industry has never been higher. People want more sustainable clothing options and retailers need to step up and play their part by making options like organic more available in store.

"Our activation at Westfield London is a light-hearted way of doing something serious. Hopefully we can engage shoppers with the benefits of choosing organic and show retailers that there is a real demand for clothing options that reduce the impact of the fashion industry as the organic textiles market continues to grow."

Sarah Divall from Hubbub said: "The call for a more sustainable fashion industry has never been louder and encouraging people to make easy switches when they do buy something new, like to organic cotton, can make a real difference.

" Hubbub is committed to making the fashion industry better for the planet and making it easier for shoppers to make the right choices. This installation is a great way to show brands and customers at Westfield what they can do to make their stores and wardrobes more sustainable."

Do you want to help make a difference? Here are some things you can do now:

Change the way you shop: Look for organic cotton when clothes shopping, if you need something new. Look for the Global Organic Textile Standard and Organic Content Standard logo on the label. Shop from Soil Association certified organic brands and discover other brands and retailers stocking organic on the Good On You website or App.

Ask your favourite brands to go organic: Want your favourite brands to stock more organic cotton? Tweet a message (use link that the SA is using) and tag in your favourite labels, asking them to stock more #OrganicForThePlanet @SoilAssociation

Share: 39% of people* say they care about the environment, but it’s never occurred to them that their clothes might have an impact. Help us spread the word to your friends – share SoilAssociation’s social media posts using the hashtag # OrganicForThePlanet

September 30, 2019