by Bobbin.Threadbare » Sun Jan 19, 2014 5:56 pm
The organic cotton may not be USDA, you're right, but it is certified by the Control Union Certification in the Netherlands. We were given a quick lesson in the procedures, and there are no synthetic pesticides, and the waste is organic. Crops are rotated as you say and the only additive is manure.
I have no notes in my book about GMO/Non GMO, though in all honesty I think I'd have to do a little more research to discover where I would personally fall on that particular line.
This information relates to the cotton from our Northern Denim (River Denim/Natural indigo x natural indigo). The cotton from our Southern Denims (Hank 2, Hank 8) are also organic, though we were not able to do a farm visit. I will find out more, but I have to confess that I believe that India is pretty up on these issues. A huge amount of their economy comes from textiles, and more than any country they have had to not only adapt to the changing market but in many ways they pioneer. Farms that purport to be organic but use non organic practices simply won't survive in the face of the kind of scrutiny the industry comes under.
You can probably imagine how we feel about this too. We're both fanatics about detail and the story - and I think I might drive Katy bonkers constantly worrying if we're creating unnecessary waste. I'm a stickler for words, and you're right that the word 'natural' can be used willy nilly when actually the placement is important. For example:
1. Natural indigo dyed.
2. Dyed with natural indigo.
1. means the product was dyed naturally, without the use of chemicals, and 2. means dyed with natural indigo (from a plant) but does not mean the process was natural.
Our northern denims are dyed with natural indigo, making them already extremely special, but the process uses chemicals in the reaction to dye the yarns. This means the yarns only need to be dipped twice to get a deep, rich colour. It's easier for the dyers (or the machine), and is less time consuming while still being artisan and lovingly cared for.
Our southern denims are natural indigo dyed, in a pit which uses a fermentation method to dye yarns. No chemicals are added, and the bacteria strain in the pits is the same strain that was introduced 20 years ago when the pits began. These pits are some of the last left on earth, and the process leaves nothing but completely organic waste that can be put back into the land (this post is not on our site yet). To get the same colour on the yarns as 2 dips gives on the Northern Denims you'd have to dip and dry the yarns around 12 times on the southern denim.
After visiting and seeing the processes, we're happy with both these methods for the respective fabrics. Everyone involved in what we're doing has a similar vision of creating beautiful things in ways that are kind and natural to the environment and all involved.
