Hohenstein offers assurance on organic cotton
Textile research and testing organisation Hohenstein has developed a new assessment method for organic cotton.
There has been a sharp rise in demand for organic cotton products, Hohenstein said, but in contrast to conventionally grown cotton, organic cotton must be grown without genetically modified seeds, chemical pesticides or fertilisers.
“Nevertheless,” it continued, “genetic modifications are repeatedly found in textiles that are falsely labelled organic. Often, available certification systems are not backed up by lab testing. At best, they only take random seed samples.”
Its new test involves a new DNA analysis method, which Hohenstein has said will make it possible “to ascertain the amount of genetically modified cotton contained in products”.
It said this was “good news for textile industry stakeholders” because it will help them stay on the safe side in terms of quality control and labelling of organic cotton products.
