Increasingly, consumers want to know where their clothes come from and want to understand what happens beyond the shop shelf. Up until now, there has been a lot of interest in what happens on the shop floor, especially since the Rana Plaza disaster in April 2013. Today, consumers want to have even more insight into the production and supply chain. This has given rise to the Farm to Yarn concept, which involves many more engagements than the certification of organic cotton.
The initial premise comes from the sad fact that clothing production hides dark areas and dubious practices at all stages of the production chain. Cases of human exploitation on farms and in garment factories are rife, and the use of treatment products that are toxic to the environment and to people's health is very common. If organic cotton is defined as an ecological material that is cultivated without pesticides, insecticides, fertilisers or GMOs, the Farm to Yarn approach goes much further in its standards and deploys a whole action programme.
As its name suggests, the Farm to Yarn concept allows for complete traceability of the product, which is not always easy when raw materials are imported from far away. This is the case for cotton grown in India. The Farm to Yarns certified organic cotton comes from farming villages in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh in India. Unlike conventional organic cotton farmers, the 150 farmers working in these 8 farming villages benefit from an organic farming training programme for even better production.
Like organic cotton, Farm to Yarn certified cotton comes from farming that does not use pesticides, insecticides, or GMOs and is also without fertilizers, since the farmers use compost. The quality of this cotton is guaranteed in two ways, on one hand with the training of the farmers. On the other hand, by testing and monitoring. For example, Farm to Yarn ensures that every single seed tested as GMO-free has been planted to avoid the dubious practices of some farms that claim to be organic.
The Farm to Yarn programmes that are delivered in the 8 agricultural villages aim toimprove the quality of life of the inhabitants. To help women become autonomous while being respected and to encourage children to go to school rather than to work. In the reference material of the different training programmes, the issue of women's and children's rights occupies a prominent place.
Encouraging farms to go organic allows a whole community of people living in an area to improve their quality of life. To get started. Organic farming reduces production costs and increases yields to double farmers' benefits. Secondly, stopping the use of chemicals in the cultivation of cotton helps to protect the health of the local population.
If there is one essential point that makes the difference between organic cotton and the Farm to Yarn certified organic cotton production programme, it's that the latter offers better quality cotton by training farmers on the spot, as well as true traceability.
Eco-friendly mineral washing techniques on t-shirts
What is the difference between jean and denim ?
What are the environmentally friendly techniques for washing jeans ?
5 criteria for choosing ski pants
© 2024 Volcom United Kingdom. All Rights Reserved.
