Imagine being a cotton farmer. Your whole family has been living on the same farm, with the same fields, generation after generation. Your parents taught you everything there is to know, all the tips and tricks, about cotton farming. One day, you hope to pass on this knowledge to the next generation, too. Every year, you sow the cotton seeds in March and patiently wait for them to sprout. Over the seasons, you watch the plants grow until the white bulbs pop up around September. Ready to harvest the ‘white gold’. This craftsmanship and heritage are powerful and can be challenging to change from one day to the next.

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The organic cotton farming information gap

It is always easiest to continue just as it is. We’ll be the last ones denying that. New ways require new knowledge and always pair with uncertainty. Most farmers simply don’t know where to start with organic cotton farming. If nobody in their environment can teach them how to grow organic crops, the switch seems not worth the trouble. As conventional farming became one that heavily relies on pesticides and fertilisers, the ‘old-school’ organic way faded away. Fortunately, we see a slowly rising demand for organic cotton again!

Why are cotton farmers hesitant?

Some farmers' families might say, stay true to what you know, especially when little is known about the alternative. Farmers are often highly dependent on the income of their yearly harvest; therefore, the fear of a failed harvest is one of the main hurdles. They’re afraid that a pest will ruin their crop, and they won’t be able to battle this with pesticides or fungicides.

In addition, it takes up to three years before a conventional farm can become certified organic. Creating balanced and clean soil for your crop to grow takes time. This results in a lower yield in the first couple of years. Fewer kilograms of cotton equals less pay. Once the cotton is fully organic, it will receive an organic premium, but conversion cotton is often not rewarded. Finding suitable high-quality, GMO-free, and pesticide-free seeds can also be problematic. The conversion period can be quite tough, so additional support is needed.

Meet our brave cotton in conversion farmer Cengiz

That is why we set up a cotton in conversion project. In collaboration with our Turkish denim mill and partner Bossa, we help and encourage farmers to transition from conventional to organic cotton farming. During this three-year process, Bossa and Kuyichi provide financial security and the guaranteed purchase of their cotton in conversion harvest.

Meet Cengiz Karadeli, who you can see in the side picture, our first conversion farmer. Cengiz is a Turkish cotton farmer switching from traditional to organic cotton production. His farm is in the Aydin region, and the first cotton in conversion was harvested from his field in October 2022. We are glad he is now in the second year of the transitional period and hope that the story of Cengiz will inspire other farmers in the region to do the same!

The benefits of organic cotton farming

Steadily, more and more farmers are interested in changing the conventional farming industry. Despite the hurdles, they see the benefits of organic cotton farming and are willing to change. In fact, organic cotton farming is more cost-effective as farmers reduce costs by skipping the high prices of pesticides, artificial fertilisers, and expensive seeds, and the cotton receives a premium price. On top of that, it is healthier for them, their families, and their environment.

"Brands will not act if consumers don’t strive for more certified organic cotton. Your voice counts, and it matters what and how you buy"

We have to get in touch with our cotton farmers

Because the demand is shifting towards organic cotton, farmers need more incentives to adjust. Clothing supply chains are long and complex; that’s why most brands don't have direct contact with their farmers. More often than not, they don’t even know where their cotton is produced. Of course, this makes it challenging to communicate the demand for organic to the cotton farmers. That’s one of the reasons why we started the cotton in conversion project with our denim mill Bossa.

We need you, as a consumer, to demand more organic cotton. You can use your power to impact and influence the industry. Brands will not act on it if consumers don’t strive for more certified organic cotton. Your voice counts, and it matters what and how you buy. Still, only 1.4% of all cotton worldwide is certified organic, so we have a long way to go. Be a little rebellious and #maketheswitch!