Does Organic matter? Yes, it absolutely does. Welcome to ‘Organic September 2018' a month dedicated to celebrating all things organic!
Why is ‘Organic September 2018' so important to sustainable purchasing? A huge number of products used in the promotional product industry are produced from cotton – here are some interesting, although rather shocking facts:
You might be surprised to know that conventional cotton accounts for nearly 25% of the insecticides and 10% of the pesticides used throughout the world, although is it grown on only 3% of the total cultivated area. Cotton crops have been plagued by numerous diseases and pests over the years and rely on insecticides and pesticides. The excessive use of chemicals in conventional cotton production has led to a great deal of environmental pollution. It also ranks fourth in the list of most heavily fertilized of crops.
What is organic?
‘Organic food is the product of a farming system which avoids the use of man-made fertilisers, pesticides; growth regulators and livestock feed additives. Irradiation and the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or products produced from or by GMOs are generally prohibited by organic legislation.
Organic agriculture is a systems approach to production that is working towards environmentally, socially and economically sustainable production. Instead, the agricultural systems rely on crop rotation, animal and plant manures, some hand weeding and biological pest control'. Source: DEFRA
Here are two great videos showing why organic is great! Why it matters for the environment, the farmers, the local communities, the wildlife and biodiversity. These two videos say how it is. We all have a choice and where it is possible to buy organic you know you are doing the right thing for people and planet! Source: aboutorganiccotton.org.
More about organic farming and the impact on our soil later…
So, why is organic cotton important and what can we make from it?
Well, the Soil Association says, ‘certified organic cotton delivers proven benefits for the people and planet – when it comes to making sustainability claims you can trust, nothing beats it.'
Here at The Sourcing Team we heavily promote organic and here are just a few examples of fabulous promotional products that
If you are not quite ready to move to organic we do have lots of other great sustainable solutions to help you take small steps towards a more sustainable approach to your marketing materials including 100% recycled materials for example our Salvage garment range.
Here's what the Soil Association say about organic!
‘Soil is at the heart and soul of our planet. Put simply, we can't live without it. Civilisations are incredibly resilient, they can survive most things that we throw at them, but one thing that we can't survive is soil degradation. Despite the fact that healthy soil remains crucial for food production, flood defences and our ability to tackle climate change, we don't look after it. ‘
‘Soil sustains life. 95% of the food that we eat comes from the soil. Animals, plants and people depend on it, and so does the planet …'
The Soil Association is a charity that was formed in 1946 – they are the UK's main organic certification body with over 80% of organic products in the UK being certified by them. They have a strict certification process which in many cases is stricter than EU Law.
The Soil Association's 2018 Organic Market Report which was launched in February revealed that the UK organic market was worth more than ever at £2.2 billion, a growth of 6% in 2017. It also revealed that there has been steady growth over the last 6 years. For more information visit: https://www.soilassociation.org/certification/trade-news/2018/organic-has-reached-its-highest-sales-ever-at-over-22b/
Organic September is a great way to drive awareness to wonderful organic products, produced by certified producers, farmers and brands. The campaign is led by the Soil Association who encourage people to make small changes to their purchasing habits and raise awareness to the buyers about why they should look to buy organic products. Here's a link to The Soil Association
https://www.soilassociation.org/organic-living/organic-september/
There are lots of reasons why it is good to go organic! Including:
- It's better for the environment – no toxic pesticides which can harm the environment, poison rivers, harming wildlife and as well as killing an estimated 16,000 people each year.
- It's better for the workers avoiding the associated health problems and deaths common in non-organic cotton production. It also reduces the costs and farmer debts – there have been thousands of suicides in India.
- It is non-GM 'Genetically modified' is banned in organic systems. GM cotton poses health risks to wildlife and human health, as well as exposing farmers to unnecessary expense.
- Global Organic Textiles – (GOTS) ensures that the chemicals used in processing textiles meet the strict requirements on toxicity and biodegradability. Final products are restricted in the amount of allergenic, carcinogenic or toxic chemical residues. In contrast, non-organic manufacture uses tens of thousands of acutely toxic chemicals, many of which are classified as hazardous by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
- Better working conditions for the factory workers – GOTS certified organic textiles must meet social criteria based on the International Labour organisation (ILO) conventions including minimum wages, working hours, child labour, freedom of association, discrimination, harsh or inhumane treatment and more.
For more information on organic visit https://www.soilassociation.org/organic-living/whyorganic/
Source: aboutorganiccotton.org.
Why organic Cotton? Well, the Soil Association says, ‘certified organic cotton delivers proven benefits for the people and planet – when it comes to making sustainability claims you can trust, nothing beats it.'
Here are some links to events to help you celebrate this Organic September!
Getting the kids engaged …. https://www.sustainablelearning.com/
Go Organic! Festival - Battersea Park, London 8-9 September
September will see Battersea Park transformed into a one-of-a-kind, vibrant weekend celebration of the very best in organic, sustainability and healthy lifestyles. The festival will feature an organic marketplace, organic beer festival (hosted by Stroud Brewery), a raft of big-name and up and coming bands, celebrities, talks, demos in the Organic Kitchen where some of the country's most exciting chefs will be creating tasty dishes to suit every palate (and conscience), circus entertainment, free fun fair rides and much more. Link is at https://goorganicfestival.co.uk/
Seed & Bean Old St Pop Up, w/c 17 September
To celebrate Organic September, and to treat the London commuters, we will be giving out chocolate all week, as well as offering some great deals on our full range of flavours! So come on by, grab a bar for that afternoon pick-me-up, shop some great deals on our full range of 22 flavours (yes 22!!), or just say hi! The pop up will be open from 17th - 22nd September, Unit 2b, Old Street Station, EC1Y 1BE.
Alara Harvest Party, London, 29 September
The Harvest Party is a fun, free annual event celebrating nature and the community with live music, a bonfire, drinks and delicious food. The event is organised by the Camley Street Neighbourhood Forum, taking place from 9am-5pm at the grounds of Alara Wholefoods. 108-112 Camley Street, London N1C 4PF.
If you would like to talk to the team about your specific requirements why not call +44 (0)20 8288 8277 for a chat or, Lets get started... Happy Organic September!