Cotton and Organic Cotton - What's the Difference?

David Platt • 28 June 2019

We want you to remain environmentally friendly.

organic-cotton

Cotton is a natural fibre grown as crop in the US, China, India and Turkey amongst others. Being a natural fibre, cotton fabric will naturally biodegrade unlike the petrochemical based fabrics like polyester, nylon or rayon.

Cotton does come under some criticism environmentally because of the amount of pesticides and herbicides used on the crop and also the amount of water it consumes – particularly important since the crop is grown in hot climates.

In terms of the chemicals used to grow cotton the Organic Trade Association of the US claims that "Cotton is notorious for being one of the world’s most chemically intensive crops. Conventional cotton production soaks up 16-25% of the total pesticides produced worldwide, even though the crop itself only covers about 2.5% of the world’s total agricultural land".

Being a crop grown in hot climates the water used in irrigation is excessively high – although the US Cotton Growers body claim: "Cotton is very drought and heat-tolerant. Cotton does NOT require excessive amounts of water. In fact, cotton uses less water than many other major crops produced in this country. Only 35% of U.S. cotton acreage requires some form of irrigation-the rest of the cotton land is supplied by natural rainfall."

There is also a claim that the production of fibre and cloth is also water intensive. Although much of this water will be cleaned and recycled in many countries. The water effect in other countries can be dramatic – as reported in this MSPKU article:

"One of the most shocking examples of depletion of water resources caused by cotton plantations is the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan, which until 1960 was ranked fourth in the world in terms of size. Today, the lake area is only 25% of the initial size, and it holds only 10% of the initial volume of water. Due to rapacious water management for cotton bushes, the shore of that lake suffers from serious economic and ecological problems".

Given the conflicting comments it is difficult to draw firm conclusions. Using organic cotton (which does not use the chemicals in its farming) and which is naturally biodegrading may be a good option versus the polyester alternative. Although, it is possible to get polyester made from recycled bottles. Like many things environmental, the arguments are complex.

Our advice – use organic cotton, not cotton, and better still a recycled polyester.

References

Share this blog:

Eco promotional products image

Statistics on the Eco Promotional Product Market 2025

by David Platt • 9 September 2025
Statisics on the UK market for eco promotional products - size and attitude
Cmparioon f romotional prduct ricing

What is the price of an ECO promotional product

by David Platt • 26 August 2025
T he Changing Cost of Eco-Friendly Products: Is There Still a Premium? SUMMARY • Eco-friendly promotional products used to be 25-30% more expensive • In recent years the volume of eco friendly products has grown substantially • So, the price differences have eroded • Eco and non-eco are now comparable in price – the product features and embellishments are more important to the price, than the eco status In recent years, the market for eco-friendly promotional products has undergone significant changes. Hi, I'm David from Pavilion, and I'm here to explore just how much the pricing paradigm has shifted for products branded as "eco" compared to their standard counterparts. If you'd asked me this question five years ago, I would have estimated a premium of 20-30% for eco products. However, the last half-decade has brought some surprising developments. Eco Products Go Mainstream Eco products have become increasingly mainstream, leading to higher volumes and reduced manufacturing costs. To understand how this has affected pricing, I conducted a survey comparing various popular products. Comparative Survey of Eco Versus Standard Products **Notebooks**: I started with notebooks, considering a batch of 100 with a one-color print. Comparing a standard hard-backed notebook made from PU (polyurethane) to a recycled PU version revealed minimal price differences—around 5%. While eco options like recycled leather or apple peel versions are pricier (£12-14 each), they compare more to luxury brands like Moleskine.

Ultimate Guide to finding an Eco Promotional Product

by David Platt • 27 July 2025
Searching for a branded gift or promotional product? Finding it hard to discover something new, something different? This post will give you a different way of finding what you are looking for by explaining how the industry works and why endless browsing may not be the right approach - or you can watch the video here 1. Understanding how the promotional products industry works a. Promotional Products Distributors The web sites you see on Google are numerous – indeed there are 2,873 distributors in the UK, each selling branded merchandise and each with a website. The web sites vary from the aesthetically pleasing to the overcrowded. BUT you will see the same products on many different web sites – why? b. Promotional Products Manufacturers The number of actual manufacturers is relatively small – a few hundred – each making a single product line, whether that be bags, notebooks, pens or clothing. But the vast majority of the manufacturers will only sell to the Trade – you will find it difficult to access them without the distributor. c. Merchandise Wholesalers In addition to the manufacturers, there an even smaller number of ‘wholesalers’. These Trade only suppliers will stock a huge range of products from many different sources and brand the product with your logo. They may also allow electronic feeds of their products to the distributor websites. d. Images of products So, as you search the myriad of websites presented by Google, you are looking at distributors with potentially the same product lines. ‘But they appear different’ – I hear you say. Yes, that is because each distributor, ourselves included, chooses what we believe to be the best promotional products for a particular price and quality, and the best images. Three problems We may have chosen the wrong products We may have chosen the wrong image The products constantly change so it is really tough to keep the website updated But, remember all the distributors buy from the same sources and virtually all could supply ANY of the products you see….. 2. I don’t know what I am looking for but will know it when I see it! This is true for 95% plus of everyone searching. You do however have some basic parameters: Rough cost per item Estimate of the quantity An understanding of who it’s for An understanding of your brand How the product will be used TIMING This last one is the ‘real kicker’ – you may find what you want but not be able to get it in time – in our experience this happens so often. 3. Alternative approach – a guide So, what is the alternative approach? Have the distributor do the work for you – for FREE We spend every day looking at products, attending industry exhibitions and meeting with manufacturers and wholesalers. We know what is available and when. We can help you clarify a brief and then present you with ideas. We can even quote on a product you have seen elsewhere. See us as your guide. OUR PROMISE – no pushy sales people – happy to chat by email or WhatsApp if you prefer.
Show More