Environmental and organic labels and certificates

Several of the products we have chosen to present at Malukka.com, have international and acknowledged environmental labels and certificates concerning substances, sustainability, fair working conditions, ecological – organic production and social responsibility. Below you can read more about the labels – their requirements and criteria and what it means for you – as a consumer. But first a little info about cotton, in general.

COTTON

The cotton plant has been used for clothing for thousands of years, in many different parts of the world, not the least due to the fabrics sweat absorbent abilities and cooling effect. Cotton is also a very soft and durable material, that can withstand multiple washings. Today cotton is still a popular choice for a lot of people and the most commonly used fabric on earth, accounting for 3-5 % of all agricultural production. 

Cotton cultivation

The cotton plant is very slow growing and can take up to 9 months to cultivate, depending on the weather conditions and climate. Cotton is also a very needy plant that requires lots of sun and water. Thus, it can be a process with great challenges, and extensive amount of chemicals are often used for pest and weed control. These chemicals are absorbed by the soil where the plant is located, thus affecting the underground water resources, and settling in the fibers of the cotton. 

A vast amount of chemicals is normally used, also during the production and processing of the cotton fabrics and test have shown, that the finished cotton product can retain these chemicals – even after 4-5 times of washing.

Thus, chemical use in cotton production is a major problem – not just for the individual consumer – but also for the workers in the industry and for the environment at large. During the last 3 – 4 decades, there has been an increasing focus on cultivating and producing organic cotton, without harmful substances and pesticides at all levels of the supply chain. 

Turkey is today one of the leading countries in the field of organic cotton production and especially the Aegean region is renowned for their high quality of soft organic cotton, cotton textiles and fabrics. The Aegean region has a long historic tradition for making quality textiles and has been a center for textile trade for millennia.  Read more here…

Organic cotton

In order to grow and produce organic cotton according to international standards and regulations – like GOTS – you will have to follow a wide range of procedures and criteria, covering the whole life cycle of the fabric. Thus, you will need to get the cotton seed certified, even before you put in the soil and follow strict environmental regulations and criteria throughout the whole process of cultivation, processing, handling, dying, weaving, storage and packaging. 

When you buy certified organic cotton, it means that you can be sure that it is not genetically modified and that it does not contain harmful chemicals and toxins affecting you- as well as the eco system.

 It is a healthy and long termed investment in the future for you – your children and the planet.

“For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it” Jacques-Yves Cousteau

Short on GOTS!     

GOTS stands for Global Organic Textile Standard and is recognized as the world’s leading standard for textiles, made from organic fibers. These including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain. From sowing to harvesting, production, processing, and manufacturing, as well as packaging and branding.

A GOTS label also ensures that there is no child labor, proper working conditions, minimum wages, and social /ethical responsibility. 

A textile product carrying the GOTS label ‘organic’ must contain a minimum of 95% certified organic fibers.

Thus, a GOTS certificate is your guarantee that the product is made organic, without hazardous chemicals and with great care for the environment and those who manufacture the products, benefiting both you, your children and the planet. 

To obtain the GOTS label you must fulfill a long list of strict and mandatory criteria and requirements.

Some of them, we have chosen to list below.

Environmental Criteria

  • At all stages, the organic fibre products must be separated from conventional fibre products
  • All chemicals must be evaluated and meet basic requirements on toxicity and biodegradability.
  • Environmentally hazardous substances are prohibited, such as toxic heavy metals, formaldehyde, aromatic solvents, functional nano particles and genetically modified organisms (GMO)
  • No chlorine bleaching is allowed.
  • All parts of the supply chain must have an environmental policy and procedures to minimize waste and discharges.

Social criteria

  • Employees have freedom of association and the right to negotiate.
  • Child labor are forbidden.
  • There must be safe & hygienic working conditions and no discrimination and harassment.
  • Fair payment and reasonable working hours
  • A socially responsible management

When you choose to buy GOTS certified products you contribute to support the environment, sustainability and fair terms for the people making your products. At the same time – and not the least – you get a pure and healthier product without harmful chemistry.

A sound choice for you and for the nature. 

If you wish to read more about GOTS you can find them at https://www.global-standard.org/

OEKO-TEX® – Standard 100 – confidence in textiles 

OEKO-TEX is an international product testing system that labels and certifies the safety of both organic and non-organic textiles and textile products. If a textile has an OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 label, you can be certain, that every component of the finished product – every thread, button, zipper and other accessories, has been tested for harmful substances and that the item therefore is harmless for your health. The OEKO-TEX criteria are updated at least once a year and continuously expanded following up on new scientific knowledge.

The OEKO-TEX standard 100 label has 4 product classes based on the purpose of the textiles and materials. The more intensive the skin contact of a textile (and the more sensitive the skin), the stricter the requirements that needs to be met. “Product Class I” is the strictest of all four classes in the OEKO–TEX® certification. 

Products classes OEKO-TEX:

PRODUCT CLASS I: Textiles and materials safe for babies and toddlers up to three years of age; underwear, towels, bedlinen

PRODUCT CLASS II: Textiles and materials, the surface of which mainly come into direct contact with the skin; underwear, bedlinen, shirts, blouses, socks etc.

PRODUCT CLASS III: Textiles and materials, the surface of which do not, or only to a minor extent, come into direct contact with the skin; jackets, coats, outdoor textiles etc. 

PRODUCT CLASS IV: Furnishing/decoration materials for decoration purposes; table linen, curtains, upholstery fabrics etc.

Malukkas OEKO-TEX labeled products are all standard 100 and certified in products class 1.

 

To sum up! 

If you buy products labelled OEKO -TEX standard 100, you can be sure that the whole article is free of harmful substances, including the small parts, like thread, zipper and buttons. But an OEKO TEX label does not mean that the product is necessarily organic. OEKO-TEX is a certification for both conventional, organic and synthetic fibers. 

Products having both GOTS & OEKO-TEX labels will naturally ensure you, that you – as a consumer – are getting an organic, toxin free, healthy, sustainable, and thoroughly tested article, safe to wear for the whole family and contributing to a cleaner world.

 BSCI – Business Social Compliance Initiative

BSCI is an international initiative based on principles and values referring to international conventions such as, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Children’s Rights and Business Principles, UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights. The initiative operates with a “Code of conduct” consisting of 11 principles concerning social and ethical responsibility. Among them; no child labor, protection of the environment, decent working hours and occupational health and safety.  

For more information on BSCI read here; www.amfori.org

ISO – International Organization for Standardization

 ISO is an independent, non-governmental, international organization that develops standards to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, services, and systems. The Iso 9001 standard is based on a number of quality management principles, including a strong customer focus, the motivation and implication of top management, and continual improvement. 

You can find more information at  www.iso.org.