Currently, organic products are increasingly becoming a consumer trend, especially organic cotton. So between organic cotton vs regular cotton, what is the difference, and which cotton is better is a very common question. Let’s find the answer with Dugarco through the article below!
1. What Is Organic Cotton?
Organic cotton simply means cotton that does not use pesticides or other harmful chemicals in the growing process. Organic cotton products need to meet federal restrictions throughout their manufacturing process. Organic cotton production ensures a low impact on the environment, limiting chemicals such as pesticides that can damage natural water sources and destroy ecosystems.
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2. Organic cotton fiber production process
The distinction between Organic Cotton and Conventional Cotton lies in their respective production processes. Organic Cotton production prioritizes the well-being of the soil, the ecosystem, and consumers’ health, ensuring a safe and sustainable approach.
- Farming & Harvesting: Cotton plants grown in certified organic farms are free from genetic modification, and fewer chemicals are used during cultivation. This practice improves soil quality, reduces environmental pollution, and minimizes water pollution. During harvest, the cotton is hand-picked, eliminating the need for defoliants.
- Ginning: After harvesting, cotton bolls are processed in a ginning machine to separate the cotton fibers from the seedpods. This stage removes impurities such as dirt, stems, leaves, and linters from the cotton fibers.
- Spinning: Cleaned cotton fibers are fed into a carding machine that further separates and aligns the fibers. These fibers are then combed using various machinery and spun to create soft and textured yarn.
- Weaving or Knitting: The yarn can be woven or knitted to create cotton fabrics, which can then be dyed according to specific demands.
To qualify as 100% Organic Cotton yarn, each step of the production process must be certified. The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is one of the leading organizations that sets standards for organic textiles, including Organic Cotton.
3. What is the difference between organic cotton vs regular cotton?
To better understand the difference between organic cotton vs regular cotton, we will compare them through: Manufacturing, weeding, cotton farming, safe and hypoallergenic for sensitive skin, purity of the cotton; sustainability, saving water, and ethical practices.
3.1. Manufacturing
The biggest difference between organic cotton vs regular cotton is the production process. Regular cotton processing requires the use of large amounts of chemicals. The use of heavy metals, chlorine, and chemical dyes is not unheard of in regular cotton production. In addition, when washing finished products, residues of these chemicals remain and cause severe skin allergies.
For organic cotton production, it uses safer alternatives instead of chemical dyes and whiteners. Organic cotton will use natural or water-based dyes, and peroxide to bleach. In addition, organic cotton uses other safe products that are produced into the final product.
3.2. Weeding
Another difference between organic cotton vs regular cotton is the weeding in cotton production. The weeding process of conventional cotton also uses chemicals such as herbicides to kill weeds. When such toxic chemicals are used, it sucks all the moisture and nutrients from the soil, affecting the quality of the crop. More than that, it also harms farmers. For the production of organic cotton, weeding will be done by hand, hoe, and various farming processes.
3.3. Cotton farming
Regular cotton is grown with GMOs or genetically modified seeds. They confer resistance to pests, especially, as pests become stronger, more pesticides are needed. Regular cotton is grown over and over on the same soil, resulting in poor soil quality and unhealthy crops. Since normal cotton plants require more water, they are watered a lot, causing water wastage.
As for Organic cotton, it is made from natural seeds and does not use pesticides or other harmful chemicals in the growing process. Therefore, organic cotton products are safer for the skin than regular cotton products. Organic cotton is grown in rotation from one land to another. The nutrients in cotton hold water for a long time, so it needs less watering, making plants healthier. Thereby, we can see the difference in cotton farming between regular cotton vs organic cotton.
3.4. Safe and hypoallergenic for sensitive skin
The most obvious difference between organic cotton vs regular cotton is safety and hypoallergenicity for sensitive skin. Organic cotton has a distinct advantage over regular cotton. Organic cotton is hand-harvested and carefully selected, so its quality and durability will be higher.
Moreover, the production process of organic cotton usually does not use harmful dyes, so the fabric does not cause allergies to users. So organic cotton is the perfect choice for babies, people with sensitive skin, and even asthma patients. On the contrary, because regular cotton production involves pesticides and many other dangerous chemicals, it is easy to cause danger and allergies in people with sensitive skin.
3.5. Purity of the cotton
The purity of the cotton fiber is determined by the selection of cotton that is hand-picked or machine-picked. Organic cotton is hand-selected, so it preserves the purity of each fiber and ensures that no fiber is damaged. Regular cotton is often machine-picked to deal with the rush.
This reduces the purity of the cotton fiber, and also damages the cotton during the harvesting process, causing waste. Between organic cotton vs regular cotton, organic cotton products tend to be softer and more durable than regular cotton because of the longer fibers.
3.6. Sustainable
Growing regular cotton will cause water pollution – one of the most unsustainable situations ever. When growing regular cotton, the use of toxic pesticides directly affects groundwater. In addition, chemicals used to make cotton products run off into rivers, lakes, and other waterways causing pollution. So, between organic cotton vs regular cotton, the term “Sustainable” doesn’t apply to regular cotton.
3.7. Saving water
One kilogram of regular cotton requires a huge 10,000 liters of water to produce it. The main reason for this to happen is the repeated planting of cotton on the same soil and the growth of unhealthy sprouts. Regular cotton not only requires a lot of water but also causes pollution. Compared with this cotton, organic cotton saves more water and helps to protect the environment better. This is also a difference between regular cotton and organic cotton.
3.8. Ethical practices
Children and farmers in regular cotton production are often not properly paid. Even though they work long hours and are exposed to nasty chemicals all day long. This can cause skin irritations, nausea, seizures, and even cancer in workers.
Workers will be safer in organic cotton production because GOTS closely monitors the entire production process. This is to ensure the safety and health of all workers involved in the process. So, the answer to the question “What is the difference between organic cotton and regular cotton?” are ethical practices.
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4. Why is organic cotton better than normal cotton?
A fairly common question these days is “Why is organic cotton better than normal cotton?”. So what advantages does organic cotton have over conventional cotton? Here are some outstanding advantages and also the reasons why organic cotton is better than conventional cotton:
- Organic cotton does not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers: If conventional cotton is sprayed with large amounts of pesticides to stimulate growth, organic cotton does not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers to develop. This helps to protect the local habitat and the farmers who grow it.
- Organic cotton uses less water than conventional cotton: Another reason organic cotton is better than conventional cotton is that it is less thirsty. Organic cotton uses up to 91% less water than conventional cotton, which helps preserve soil quality and limit soil erosion.
- Higher quality clothes: Clothes made from organic cotton are consistently higher quality, softer, and more durable than clothes made from regular cotton.
- Low CO2 emissions: Organic cotton releases up to 46% less CO2 than conventional cotton.
- Protect the habitats of other species: Since organic cotton uses no pesticides or chemicals, it doesn’t harm other species and promotes a more diverse ecosystem.
- Organic Cotton Improves Soil Quality: Growing organic cotton improves soil fertility, increases nutrient levels, and prevents soil erosion.
- Organic cotton is healthier than regular cotton: Because clothes made from organic cotton are not treated with harsh chemicals. So it is much better than clothes made from conventional cotton, especially for sensitive skin.
- Help protect the health of farmers: The number of people dying every day due to pesticide poisoning, and long-term exposure to toxic chemicals is increasing day by day. The cultivation of organic cotton will help improve this situation because of its high benignity and friendliness.
- Organic cotton is softer than regular cotton: When you wear clothes made from organic cotton, you will feel the fabric is softer and more comfortable than regular cotton clothes. This is because organic cotton has longer, more durable fibers that are less prone to damage during manufacturing. Furthermore, the cotton fibers are not weakened due to the selection of cotton yarns by hand instead of by machine.
- Organic cotton doesn’t shrink: In fact, you don’t need to worry too much about your organic cotton clothes shrinking. However, both regular cotton and organic cotton will shrink if dried at too high a temperature. So, avoid using a tumble dryer if possible, or dry on a cool setting.
- Organic cotton is easier to breathe: Because organic cotton is pesticide-free, it feels softer on your skin, providing a more breathable and cooler feel than conventional cotton.
- 100% pure organic cotton takes less than 5 months to biodegrade: In the right conditions, 100% pure organic cotton will biodegrade in about 5 months. Meanwhile, regular cotton can take longer to decompose and when it does, it releases chemicals into the ground. This is another reason why organic cotton is better than conventional cotton.
5. Questions related to organic cotton vs regular cotton
Here are some common questions regarding organic cotton vs regular cotton:
5.1. Is organic cotton good for the environment?
The simple answer is yes. Organic cotton products are grown from natural seeds, without the use of pesticides and chemicals. So, between organic cotton vs regular cotton, organic cotton is very good at protecting the environment. It is suitable for consumers who pursue a green lifestyle.
5.2. Is organic cotton cheaper?
If we compare the price of organic cotton vs regular cotton, the cheaper one is regular cotton. However, when we consider the benefits of organic cotton, as well as worker safety and performance, we can see that the price difference is well worth it. In addition, organic cotton has a lower yield than other types of cotton because of the sophisticated production process. So there is less organic cotton and this also has a higher price tag.
5.3. Does organic cotton shrink more than regular cotton?
There is very little difference between the shrinkage of regular cotton vs organic cotton. Because clothes or fabrics made from organic cotton have few substances that can prevent shrinkage, they require the user to handle them a little more carefully. You should wash them at a maximum temperature of 30 degrees and limit drying clothes made from organic cotton or drying at cool temperatures.
5.4. Is organic cotton softer than regular cotton?
When we compare organic cotton vs regular cotton, organic cotton is generally softer because it has a longer fiber. Organic cotton products are usually more luxurious and durable. Thanks to the manual cotton selection process, the cotton yarn is not or is difficult to break or fray.
5.5. Does organic cotton feel different?
Between organic cotton vs regular cotton, organic cotton fabrics have a good GSM index. It feels solid and sturdy. Besides, organic cotton feels softer, more breathable, and easier to wear than regular cotton.
The above article is information about what cotton is and the difference between organic cotton vs regular cotton that you can refer to. Hope the article can help you gain more useful knowledge about cotton. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact Dugarco for the fastest answer!
Contact information:
- Address: 59 Đức Giang, Đức Giang, Long Biên, HN
- Phone: 024 3655 7930
- Email: dugarco@mayducgiang.com.vn
- Website: https://dugarco.com/en/
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Dugarco under the talented leadership and guidance of Mr. Hoang Ve Dung has gradually become a large Vietnam clothing manufacturer, supplying clothes for many famous brands from many different countries such as the UK, USA, and Australia.
