COMMANDOS - How To's

Why is COTTON so important in today’s energy-conscious environment?
Cotton is the largest natural fiber supplying the global demand for textile products. In 2005, the world’s demand for textile fibers was 130 billion pounds. In 2006 and beyond, world income and population growth will stimulate a 4.5 billion pound increase in global fiber demand each year.
That means that enough fiber will be needed for nearly 9 billion T shirts or 2.3 billion pairs of denim jeans. And the main alternatives to cotton are non-renewable chemical fibers.

Can COTTON supply the market in an environmentally-friendly manner?
Absolutely. Cotton is sustainable, renewable, and biodegradable, making it an excellent choice as an environmentally-friendly fiber throughout its entire product life cycle. Most chemical fibers are petroleum based, which means that they come from nonrenewable resources.

Is it true that COTTON growth requires a tremendous amount of pesticides?
No. According to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, only about 12 lbs. of insecticides and 2.1 lbs. of herbicides are applied to each acre of cotton. The average acre in the U.S. produces about 800 lbs. of cotton. That works out to around 0.09 oz. of total pesticides applied per pound of cotton produced. More importantly, with the advent of new technology, the number of pesticide applications has dropped dramatically in the U.S.

Farmers who live and work on their land have every personal and economic incentive to use FEWER chemicals in production. Globally, only 8.5% of all pesticides applied to crops are used to grow cotton.

Even so, aren’t there toxins left on COTTON products that could be harmful to one’s health?
No. In the U.S.,cotton is regulated as a food crop by the FDA. Cotton is grown just like other major food crops, meaning that there are tight restrictions. Worldwide studies consistently show no pesticide residue on raw fiber or the textile products made from the fiber.

Does COTTON require a lot of water to grow?
No. Cotton is very drought and heat tolerant. Cotton does NOT require excessive amounts of water, and, in fact, uses less water than many other major crops produced in the U.S. Only 35% of U.S. cotton acreage requires some form of irrigation; the rest of the cotton land is supplied by natural rainfall. Producers have become more efficient in their water usage, now using 45% less water to grow one lb. of cotton as compared to 25 years ago.

What about ORGANIC COTTON as an alternative?
Organic cotton is another sustainable alternative to chemically-based or synthetic fibers. There are strict standards in the U.S. for organic cotton, and it is not easy to become a certified organic cotton operation. “Organic” means the cotton is produced to a set of strict USDA standards, enforced by USDA-certifying agents who must annually inspect fields and the operation for adherence to National Organic Program (NOP) standards. NOP standards require a 3-year conversion for land before organic crops can be harvested, so that becoming an organic cotton producer is a long-term decision.

Although interest in organic cotton has increased among retailers and consumers, there is no sustained, measurable increase in the organic cotton supply, which is estimated at only 0.1% of global cotton production. In fact, the entire world supply of organic cotton would fit on one medium-sized cargo ship! And that’s understandable when you look at what it takes to become organic. Generally, organic production means higher costs, which typically translates into premiums of 50%-100% in raw fiber prices. It would take an additional 6,000,000 acres…40% of the current harvested cotton acreage in the U.S….to meet the current market demand for U.S. cotton.

What about foreign sources for ORGANIC COTTON?
If cotton is marketed in the U.S. as organic, regardless of the country of origin, it still must meet the same strict U.S. standards as if it were produced here in the U.S. That’s why going offshore to find “easy” supplies of “other organic cotton” is a myth. Organic cotton cannot be legally sold, represented, or marketed in the U.S. unless it meets the rigorous U.S. organic standards that were implemented in October,2002.

What else is COTTON doing long term to reduce its environmental footprint?
New technology, such as insect- resistant and drought- resistant varieties, continues to reduce the need for pesticides and water. These same varieties will improve yields, allowing for more cotton to be grown on the same amount of land. Conservation tillage practices (less plowing and disturbing of the soil) have increased dramatically in the U.S., leading to less erosion and runoff. These practices, as adopted in the U.S. from 1996-2004, have reduced CO2 emissions by an amount equivalent to removing over 27,000 cars from the road…permanently!!!!