The term “organic” is easily understood when it comes to fruits, grains and vegetables, but what does “organic” really mean when applied to fabrics and textiles?

Conventional cotton growers have historically relied on a liberal dose of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers and harmful chemicals, making cotton production second only to corn farming in the amount of hazardous pesticides used worldwide. 25% of international pesticide usage can be traced to non-organic cotton farming. Organic cotton growing was developed in an effort to reduce and eliminate the negative impact of these highly dangerous chemicals on our soil, water and health. But how do you know how organic your cotton bedding really is once the cotton leaves the soil?

Organic cotton farmers utilize natural fertilizers and beneficial insects to safeguard their crops and replenish and maintain soil fertility and biological diversity. After cotton is harvested, however, it undergoes several processes in manufacturing that may or may not be conducted in an entirely chemical-free or hypoallergenic environment. Cotton textiles labeled as organic or natural may nonetheless be produced using an array of toxic and carcinogenic chemicals including formaldehyde, arsenic, and heavy-metal dyes. Some companies that label their cotton products as organic, may in fact be using only a small percentage of organic cotton blended with non-organic cotton (or another fiber) and/or processing their textiles using hazardous materials.

Currently, there is no applicable standard that can be applied internationally to organic products, and standards are applied according to individual markets. There are, however, a few third-party certification organizations have been established to verify that organic cotton manufacturers and growers are employing fair trade standards and utilizing only materials and methods that are permitted in organic production.

The Institute for Marketecology (IMO) is one organization that provides quality assurance in environmentally friendly products, organic agriculture and management systems and inspects and certifies organic products. The Global Organic Textile Standards working group (GOTS) is still finalizing their certification procedures, and IMO is the first certification body approved by the International Working Group on GOTS for certification of this new standard.

Another reliable certifying body, SKAL ECO Sustainable Textiles, based in the Netherlands, was established in 1985 as S.E.C. (Foundation for Inspection of EKO-Quality symbol), and has operated as SKAL since 1992. Crops grown in SKAL certified soil must be pesticide free for at least 3 years to achieve SKAL certification.

Until standards become universal, consumers are advised to read labels carefully, research the companies that advertise their cotton as “organic” and seek certified organic labeling whenever possible to insure that the sheets, pillowcases and bedding that come in contact with their skin, are truly 100% organic.

The bamboo plant has been utilized for thousands of years in a dizzying array of products, and is now one of the fastest growing natural fibers to find new usage in the burgeoning “green” textile industry. Technically categorized as a grass, some species of bamboo are capable of growing 12 or more inches a day, and reaching up to 90 feet in height. A highly renewable resource that grows naturally without the use of pesticides, all sections of the bamboo plant have usable applications. Bamboo has intrinsic antibacterial properties and the ability to block UV sunlight. These benefits are retained in sheets, pillowcases and bedding made from naturally organic bamboo. Bamboo plants are able to absorb up to three times their weight in water, and bamboo fiber sheets and fabrics similarly “wick’ sweat and moisture up and away from human skin. Lighter, softer and silkier than cotton, natural bamboo sheets and fabrics are biodegradable, thus like the plant itself, entirely eco-friendly and beneficial to both people and the environment. The natural softness and sheen of bamboo fabrics is comparable to fine cashmere and the fiber itself has a round and smooth surface that is unlikely to irritate the skin or cause allergic reactions. A very hearty plant that grows in a variety of climates, bamboo fiber fabrics are likewise durable and resilient and will retain their antibacterial and UV-ray blocking attributes after repeated launderings. A win-win situation for manufacturers, indigenous growers, and international consumers, bamboo fiber sheets, pillowcases, bedding and fabrics are gaining in usage and popularity for all the right reasons.