About Silk City EcoCot and Linen Yarns
About Silk City Linen: This yarn is not organic. I've done research on the environmental impact of linen and have decided that non-organic linen yarn is fairly, if not really really truly, green. The Treehugger site has this to say about it:
Cultivation has less impact for linen because fewer pesticides and fertilizers are used (but that doesn't take into consideration the organic cotton or organic linen scenarios). Additionally, linen requires much less water for its cultivation than water-intensive cotton growing. In fact, they say that linen only requires natural precipitation during production, whereas cotton requires intense irrigation – around 7100 L for each kilogram of harvested cotton. from: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/03/lca-linen-v-cotton.php#ch01.
About Silk City EcoCot: This is a fair trade yarn spun from certified organic cotton grown in Tanzania and India. It is dyed using environmentally friendly processes. The farmers, who are members of cooperatives, have replaced conventional agricultural techniques with organic farming practices. Organic farming not only allows them to better maintain their own health and that of their land, it also frees them from dependence on chemical companies for seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.
BioRe, a textile production chain organized in Switzerland, oversees the training and certification of the farmers. Remei AG, the parent company of the bioRe chain, lists its requirements for the farmers’ health, comfort and safety on this webpage: http://www.remei.ch/en/biore/requirements.html. Remei AG has received several awards for environmental and social stewardship, among them: 1996 International Organic Textile Award; 2000 Coop Natura Award; 2002 Award for Sustainable Development Partnerships, presented by the UN Environment Program; and 2006 Swiss Award for Business Ethics.
"Since I have converted entirely to organic cultivation, the area surrounding my fields and my home has improved. The soil quality and its water-holding capacity have increased.“
Jitendra Mandloi
“In the past, we were often struck by illness. Today, this is no longer the case. Also, we achieve good crop yields and our cost of cultivation has been reduced.“
Ghuman Singh
“My soil has become fertile. One can tell the difference at first sight. While the soil in the conventional fields is hard and rough, the organically cultivated fields feel like soft satin.“
Rukhida Mukati
Photos and text courtesy of Remei AG: http://www.remei.ch/en/biore/biore-projekte.html