Hi, I am Mon.
Japan finally had winter-like temperature these days. It’s a colder season but I have to get it over mentally and physically, and my coordinating skills would be important for this season.
This time, I would like to introduce the materials that you can spend winter in Japan comfortably and the recommendable brands that you can wear those materials sustainably.
First of all, talking about warm materials, you might think of cashmere and wool. These are called natural materials and essential as materials for the winter. In addition, all-season cotton used for clothes is also one of the important natural materials that keeps warmth even if it is thin.
In recent years, I have often heard the keyword, “organic cotton.” I just had a simple prejudice that the cotton would be good because it’s organic, so I’ll share what I’ve researched.
In accordance with Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), organic cotton refers to the cotton, which has been grown in strict standards of pesticides and fertilizers used for cultivation on agricultural lands that has been approved by a certification organization through a production record for a few years or more.
The meaning of organic is in line with my opinion, and it seems that it is made with effort in an eco-friendly way of using fertilizer that does not burden the soil as much as possible.
On the other hand, the surprising problem is that there are workers who are in debt due to the cost for the developments such as fertilizers. Because it takes time and effort, we can predict the problem that production volume cannot be expected. However, I have realized that imposing a burden on the working environment cannot achieve the “motivation” and “elimination of inequality between people and nations” of the SDGs, which are currently attracting attention.
I hope that this difficult working environment will be eliminated and the spread of organic cotton will develop.
Next time, I will talk about whether there are other heat-retaining, sustainable and skin-friendly materials besides cotton.