The ORGANIC COTTON MARKET
In the course of global warming people are sensibilized for environmental issues and attend to to take more attention to organic products. Therefore people try to save the planet by taking green action. Since the organic products become more important to the customer, consumers enquire the producer to supply more organic products.
Similar to the organic foods demand, the organic cotton market is growing unexpected quickly. During the 2007 – 2008 crop years, organic cotton production enhanced 152 percent, according to the Organic Cotton Farm and Fiber Report 2008 released by Organic Exchange. As a result, organic cotton production reached 145,872 metric tons (MT), equaling 668,581 bales, grown on 161,000 hectares in 22 countries.
Today, the biggest organic cotton producer is India, followed by Turkey on the second place. There are also several countries that start to produce organic cotton in large quantities, like Syria, China, Tanzania, the United States, Uganda, Peru, Egypt and Burkina Faso. They were participating against conventional cotton production, that was recognized as risky for the environment and for the workers.
The organic cotton facts are spreading becomes a new business prospect. The result showed, at present there are more than 30 companies that are using organic cotton for a smaller or bigger part of their product range, such as Nike (Oregon), Coop Switzerland and Patagonia (California), Otto (Germany), Sam's Club/Wal-mart (Arkansas), American Apparel (California), Hess Natur (Germany), H&M (Sweden), Howies (United Kingdom), IKEA (Sweden), Marks & Spencer (United Kingdom), Monoprix (France), Mountain Equipment Co-operative (Canada), Nordstrom (Washington), Woolworths (South Africa), ZARA (Spain) and more than 1,200 small and medium sized brands.
The organic cotton business is potentially promising, as organic cotton is predicted to become a bigger issue in the future. Since people awareness is risen the organic cotton demand is increased. The organic cotton trends will be always expanding and not only become a brief trend.
The organic market is wide ranging. Due to its various product categories, organic cotton products can be used in any public scope. From children garments to home textiles organic cotton provides a solution all of our needs. Without any doubt, the growth of organic cotton is also supported by the fashion industry. Today the fashion apparels start to sell clothes and accessories that is made from organic cotton. A lot of people thought that organic cotton clothes are unstylish and not up-to-date. But clothing companies denied by produce organic clothes that focus on environmental issues AND recent fashion trends. In the future, organic cotton turns into the next fashion trends. And not at least because consumers are persuaded to contribute something for the environment while they are buying clothes.