Organic cotton was incorporated into several designs at the recent Academy of Art College Fashion
Departments Fashion 99 show in San Francisco.The show was sponsored by the Organic Trade
Association, Greenfield, Mass., and the Sustainable Cotton Project, Redding, Calif.Organic cotton
is cotton grown using a system of farming that builds healthy soils and a healthy environment. By
incorporating organic cotton into product lines, the fashion industry will be honoring consumers
preference for cotton and desire for stylish apparel choices along with their interest in the
environment.Fashion companies can integrate organic cotton into their product lines at 100-percent
organic cotton or by blending organic cotton with conventional cotton, said Will Allen, executive
director of the Sustainable Cotton Project. Either way, companies make important strides in
encouraging a healthy environment by supporting organic culture.A recent survey by the Organic
Trade Association shows that organic cotton was grown on almost 9,000 acres in California, Texas,
Arizona, Missouri and New Mexico last year. It was also grown in 18 countries worldwide in 1997.
August 1999
