This book highlights the traditional boundaries of the textile industry and discusses to what
extent organic cotton is sustainable. It also examines the domestic and international
influences of agricultural practices on cotton. Sustainability issues in the textile and
fashion sectors require the influences that arise from beyond the boundaries of the
conventional textile industry to be taken into account. These external influences-from
(international or domestic) agricultural practices and energy policies to consumption patterns
and levels of ecological notions of the society-have a significant impact on the sustainability
of the textile and fashion sectors as a whole. Ecological and social concerns go far beyond
individual companies and industries therefore in order to become more sustainable the
textile (and fashion) industry needs to address these concerns appropriately and connect with
other disciplines industries communities and international groups.
