Fibres
The organic fibre market is growing rapidly; between 2005 and 2008, organic cotton showed an average annual growth rate of 185%. Organic cotton now represents 0.48% of the world’s harvested area. Combined, India, Syria, and Turkey account for more than 86% of the total production of organic cotton. Other countries with significant organic cotton production include the US, Peru, Uganda, Tanzania, Egypt, Senegal, Israel, Greece, Benin, and Brazil. Producing and processing cotton without the use of toxic materials is difficult. Organic farmers are seeking information on pre-plant flaming strategies, beneficial habitat planting, strip and trap planting, field borders, cultivars that mature early, insecticidal soaps, and all aspects of fibre processing and acceptable materials.
At this time, there are no research institutions dedicated in their entirety to studying organic fibres and textiles. However, several organic non-research partners have done considerable work in the area and could offer valuable expertise to organic researchers. These potential sources of expertise include the Cotton Development Organization in Uganda and Organic Exchange.