Cotton is the most widely used natural fiber and accounts for up to 50% of the textile market worldwide. Although cotton is also one of the most chemically treated crops and it accounts for roughly 25% of the pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture, at Cloud9 Fabrics we meet the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) for farming methods benefiting farmers, processors, Earth, and consumers by using natural, non-toxic means to control crops from seed to harvesting, from milling to finishing.
Organic cotton has a low-impact on the environment and handlers. It is grown and harvested by methods that do not use toxic pesticides, herbacides, fertilizers or defoliants. It relies on natural methods which includes (but is not limited to) crop rotation and cow manure for soil fertility; beneficial predator insects; lengthened growing periods for natural defoliation; and hand-picking, which results in less waste. The statistics from various countries on the health issues of the farmers and handlers of chemically treated crops are startling. The health benefits of organically grown cotton are clear, as are the environmental aspects: reduced toxins and pollutants which infiltrate both the soil and water systems and consequently all living things. It might also be interesting to know also that the cottonseed meal, which is a byproduct of the ginning process, including that of chemically treated cotton, is fed to livestock and can come to us in the form of cottonseed oil in our foods.
After extensive research and sourcing we found that not only are organically grown cotton crops readily available in India, the availability of certified organic dyestuff was much more prevalent in India than in any other nation in the world, including the US. India provides nearly half the world's organic cotton production and is making great strides in the eco-movement and are doing their part to be able to provide the global market with products that are a healthier and hopeful option than conventially grown cotton.
Conventional dyeing and printing uses a myriad of toxins, including heavy metals, benzene, formaldehydes and organochlorides. The process requires large quantities of water to wash out the residues, which is then dumped into the local waters of the mills. Cloud9 Fabrics are printed with organic, solvent-free dyes which are OEKO-TEX certified. One of the interesting benefits of using these low-impact, yet more costly, dyes is that the dyes are often reclaimed from the liquid waste and the water is recyclable. Other benefits include: higher absorption/fixation rate; require less heat which saves energy; controlled amounts of salt and alkali; less water due to a shorter dye cycle; and uses relatively safe levels of mordants.
The information noted above may already convince some of the overall health benefits to our world and the people who process the cotton, but there are aspects of the chemically treated fabric production process which are perhaps less obvious: Most often, chlorine is used to whiten the fibers after weaving; sodium hydroxide is then used to scour or wash the fabric; then it is dyed or printed, typically with the use of formaldehyde fixing agents; finally, there is often the presence of the resin based urea-formaldehyde which is applied in the finishing process and which is heat bonded to cotton fiber for permanent adhesion to reduce shrinkage. This final product in all of its chemical-laden existence, is shipped directly to mills and to consumers. Ick.
Why are organic cotton Cloud9 Fabrics more expensive than traditional cotton goods?
First, it must be stated that organic farming is a much smaller market than the modern, conventionally farmed cottons. With this in mind, it's completely understandable that the cost of doing business is greater than it is for the larger mass-producers. On top of this, there is the increased costs of the agricultural process for organic crops: Over the decades, commercial cotton farming's main goal was to make cotton cheaper. It was done through the extensive use of chemical fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides, pesticides, and defoliants. Organic farming utilizes tried and true, old-world methods, which can be a painstaking process, requiring time, labor, and patience. Organic cotton does not necessarily stop at the harvesting, though. The cleaning and ginning, spinning, weaving, knitting, dying, printing and finishing are all considerate of the damage that chemical and toxic treatments have on the workers and the earth, and ultimately the consumer. Again, since there is a relatively low demand for these practices and products there is no high-commodity incentive pricing. Another dimension to the organic cotton movement is the concern for human rights and that fair trade practices are upheld. Cloud9 Fabrics meets the GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard). Cloud9 Fabrics, along with a host of like-minded companies that are both budding and rooted, aims to increase awareness by offering selection and desirability. In a business scenario, the more people want it, the greater the demand, and the relative costs will begin to drop. However, it is likely that organic cottons will always be more expensive. As noted above, the main drive behind the chemical processing was to make a cheaper product. Unfortunately, in agricultural, ecological and humanitarian terms, this is at a much greater cost.
Our base fabrics are whitened with an organic, non-chlorinated, non-toxic bleaching technique which results in a more natural cotton color. While synthetic and toxic chemicals can make fabrics amazingly white, the gentler nature of our technique yields a clean cotton in it's more natural tone.
Like most cottons, gentle washing preserves color and fibers longer. We recommend machine wash cold with like colors in a gentle cycle. Non-chlorine bleach when needed. Tumble dry low and remove promptly to avoid wrinkling. Warm iron if needed.
Cloud9 Fabrics will meet a 5% or less shrinkage which is industry standard. When shrinkage is an issue, please be sure to wash and dry the fabrics per our suggested instructions before cutting and sewing.
Will Cloud9 Fabrics fade with repeated washings?
Like any cotton fabric, repeated washings will fade color. Often times you will see the darkest shades fade more quickly. By following our recommended washing instructions, you are sure to get the standard color life. Hand washing and line drying (out of direct sunlight) will only increase color longevity.
We're so glad you asked! For a list of our domestic and international retailers, please visit our stockists page. If you're looking for products made with Cloud9 Fabrics, please visit our products page. Click here for wholesale and distributor information.
Yup, we sure do! You can download a .pdf of our collection here (it's a 3.5MB file, so it could take a while). If you're a retailer, magazine or manufacturer and would like one of our fancy hard copies, please email us and put "Catalog Request" in the subject line and include your business name, contact name and address.
At this time, Cloud9 Fabrics is just getting started. We expect our first collection, My Happy Garden, to be available by September 1st, 2009. In 2010, we would like to produce 3 new collections. Ultimately, our goal is to have a thriving, rotating business offering many fresh, and even seasonal, collections each year. Down the road, we hope to work with other artists to create new and exciting lines year after year. We're pretty giddy about our dreams.
...and we love the idea that retail products would be made from our fabrics! It is our intention that our fabrics be made available to as many people as possible, growing the demand for organic cotton goods. It is for this reason, that we cannot endorse a specific product or offer exclusivity, although we will be happy to include you on our list of products. Please fill out our Wholesale Account Application form and feel free to include any information about your product and how you see our fabrics being a part of your line. Cloud9 Fabrics does reserve the right to refuse or limit sales. Other terms and conditions apply. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Wow, we're flattered, thanks! But we regret that, at this time, Cloud9 Fabrics cannot sell prints with exclusive rights.
At this time, we are not. Ideally, down the road, we hope to turn this into a yes, but for now, we have limited plans for new collections with a backlog of Michelle's own ideas. We respectfully ask that you do not send us artwork, but also urge you to keep checking back on this site, because, hey, you never know!
Cloud9 Fabrics is an import manufacturing company that designs and produces our own collections for sale. By asking us to produce your fabric, it would be considered a conflict of interest, so we regret that we cannot. We fully understand from first hand experience the complexity of this undertaking, which is why we are unable to offer any specific advice for your endeavors.
The short answer to this is "maybe". As noted in the two questions above, this may not be a project we can take on at present, but it is a discussion we are willing to have. There are minimums, timing, branding, and exclusivity concerns to consider. We would certainly like to know more, though, so, contact us and give us some details on your project plan and we'll see if we can come up with an arrangement.
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