Cotton: the natural fibre in our basics
Cotton is in around half of all garments worldwide. With us it is in underwear, basics and bed linen. Which cotton is used in which item is stated in the respective product description.
Cotton is a natural fibre from the mallow family, like hemp or linen. The plant originally comes from the tropics, but for the textile industry it is mainly grown in dry regions such as China, the USA and India. The reason: in the humid tropics the buds would rot and the harvest would be lost.
Why cultivation makes a difference
Only a small share of the cotton grown worldwide is organically grown. It is mainly smallholder farmers in India who are converting, and they account for most of this cultivation. Where we use organically grown cotton or Cotton in Conversion is stated on each item.
What defines the fibre:
- Soft and pleasant against the skin
- Absorbs moisture
- Easy to care for and washable at various temperatures
How an individual piece feels depends on the knit and the weight. The exact composition is listed with each product.
Conventional and organic cultivation
Conventional cotton farming is water-intensive: depending on the source and growing region, several thousand litres of water are estimated per kilogram of cotton. The plants grow in dry regions and need constant irrigation. On top of that come monocultures, synthetic pesticides and mineral fertilisers, which put a strain on soils and groundwater.
Different rules apply to organically grown cotton (kbA): no genetically modified seed, no chemical-synthetic pesticides, no mineral fertiliser. Crop rotation reduces pest pressure and improves soil fertility.
kbA and Cotton in Conversion at erlich textil
Some of our cotton items contain organically grown cotton, others contain Cotton in Conversion (CiC). Which of the two is used is stated on each item, and where nothing is stated, it is conventional cotton.
Organically grown cotton is cultivated according to the guidelines of organic farming and inspected by independent bodies. Cotton in Conversion comes from the conversion phase, which usually takes two to three years depending on the standard and growing region, and is expressly not yet certified organic.
Good to know: the cultivation standard says nothing about social standards or further processing. That requires other evidence.
Properly caring for cotton
Washing:
Cotton can be washed at up to 60 °C, but we recommend a maximum of 40 °C, so nothing shrinks and the material is treated gently. Expect slight shrinkage of 3-5% on the first wash.
Drying:
Cotton can go in the tumble dryer, but the washing line is gentler. In the dryer, strong friction can lead to pilling. Tip: laundry dries best in the wind, not in the sun. Wind smooths out creases, sun bleaches. So it's better to dry coloured pieces in the shade.
Ironing:
Cotton creases a little more than other fibres. It's best to spray the garment with a little distilled water before ironing, which makes smoothing easier and means you don't need a high temperature.
