Labels and certifications

Every second, according to the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), 820 kilos of cotton are produced worldwide. Mainly grown in the United States, India and China, it is one of the most widely traded raw materials in the world. Cotton clothes a large part of the planet, even though its cultivation is harmful. Cotton is the most widely used natural plant-based material in the world for textiles and household linen. It can be grown using standard processes, which are highly polluting, or organic processes, which are environmentally friendly. Organic cotton is grown without pesticides, insecticides or chemical fertilisers, and without GMOs. Farmers use natural fertilisers and insecticides that respect ecosystems, do not deplete the soil, and are non-toxic to humans and other species.

This is why organic cotton producers use less water than conventional cotton growers. In fact, the toxic products used by the latter require water to be diluted, unlike organic cotton crops. What's more, organic soils contain more organic matter and therefore capture more water. Although only two million tonnes of organic cotton are sold each year, compared with 17 billion tonnes for the conventional cotton industry, the organic cotton industry is developing more and more in response to consumer demand for this responsible crop. To guarantee that a cotton is organically grown, only international certification labels exist. These labels are affixed visually to the fabrics, making it easy to find your way through the many references and abbreviations.

The benchmark label: GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)

Created in 2006, this high-quality label guarantees that a fabric is made from a minimum of 95% certified organic fibres. It also guarantees that no toxic substances are used and that working conditions are respected. This label should not be confused with the "made from organic fibres" label, which is affixed to textiles containing a minimum of 70% certified organic fibres.

The OCS label, also an interesting reference

Less elaborate than GOTS, OCS (Organic Content Standard) certification guarantees the absence of GMOs in cotton cultivation, as well as the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. Traceability is complete, from the cultivation soils to the production plant.

An increasingly popular label: OEKO-TEX

The Oeko-Tex label focuses more on health: it guarantees that no harmful or allergenic substances are used. It is widely used for bed and household linen, items that will concern the whole family. There are seven levels of certification, the first being Standard 100 by Oeko-tex, which guarantees that no toxic products are used in manufacture. The highest level is the Made in green by Oeko-Tex label, which guarantees the absence of hazardous substances and respect for working conditions.

Less well known but reliable is the BioRe

This label guarantees that the methods used to grow cotton, the fibres of which are used to make textiles, respect the environment and have a limited impact on it. For example, the minimum use of pesticides and the development of biodiversity are monitored.

Le label Max Havelaar Fair Trade

This label ensures that a cotton producer complies with fair trade obligations. It guarantees that cotton producers are paid and that working conditions, as defined by the International Labour Organisation, are respected. This label will therefore focus more on small family cotton farms, grouped together in cooperatives. Finally, this label certifies that no GMOs or dangerous chemical substances are used in the cotton production cycle.

The complete European Ecolabel

What's different about this European label is that it measures the environmental impact of products and their packaging, from their design to the end of their life, and even their disposal after use or recycling. It is the only official eco-label referenced in all member countries of the European Union. The entire life cycle of the product is analysed, from raw materials through to manufacture and distribution.

A certification to be wary of: the BCI label

Created in 2009, this British label, the Better Cotton Initiative, has quickly become a firm favourite with brands. Claiming to be green, it claims to be respectful of people and the environment, and guarantees very moderate use of pesticides. But on closer inspection, this fairly recent label does not allow any checks on traceability, working conditions or the toxic substances used. Some associations have pointed the finger at the label, but an inspection revealed that the cotton fields covered by the label did indeed use pesticides, and that the working conditions of the employees involved in the production chain were critical. It is therefore not a reliable label, insofar as its practices seem to resemble greenwashing, a marketing method designed to optimise a company's image by promoting the ecological argument in a distorted way. It's not easy to find your way around all these labels and certifications. Yet they are of vital importance, especially for household linen that will be handled by the whole family, even young children. To put it simply, we recommend choosing cotton home textiles with dual certification: an organic label and a Fairtrade cotton label. This guarantees that the cotton is grown without harmful chemicals and also respects the working conditions of the people involved in its production.

The exceptional quality of Cotton & Co's Egyptian cotton, guaranteed by its label

Egyptian cotton is a flagship product, combining all the qualities expected of the material. The undeniable properties of Egyptian cotton make it a rare and noble product. Cultivated along the Nile in Egypt, where the soil is fertile and the climatic conditions optimal, it is a very high quality product. With its long, fine fibres, the linen produced from this material is soft, silky, supple and hardwearing, offering unrivalled durability. The breathability of the material means that bed linen offers absolute comfort. A victim of its own success, cotton manufacturing techniques are now also used in India, the United States and China. However, the quality is lower. The Cotton Egypt association issues a certificate of authenticity to guarantee that the cotton is manufactured in Egypt according to a precise protocol that respects the environment and working conditions.