Earth Report: Is Green the New Black?

                             

TVE Press Release
 
Earth Report: Is Green the New Black?

 
April 4^th: with eco-friendly fashion increasingly hitting the headlines at catwalk shows in Paris, London and Milan, does the wave of celebrities brandishing their ‘green’ credentials now herald a new dress trend that can help save the planet?
 
Organic cotton and shoes made from recycled materials are all part of the new, ‘green’ lifestyle. But is this just a niche market for rich, environ-mentally conscious superstars - or is green fashion here to stay? This week’s Earth Report investigates the ‘greening’ of the rag trade.
 
Earth Report 'Is Green the New Black?' is broadcast on BBC World at the following times (all times quoted as UK time zone currently GMT+1):
 
Friday 4^th April - 20:30, with repeats at 10:30 on Monday 7^th April, 15:30 on Tuesday 8^th April, and 02:30 and 08:30 on Wednesday 9^th April.
 
For more information on programme schedules in local time zones visit www.bbcworld.com
 
Much of what we wear is made of cotton – and most cotton farmers use polluting chemicals. Cotton farms take up just 2.5 per cent of the world’s farmland – but, UK Government figures show, they’re responsible for 10 per cent of all the pesticides and 22 per cent of all the insecticides produced every year – with serious implications for public health.  World Health Organization surveys show 20,000 people die every year from pesticide poisoning.
 
Now farmers in Gujarat, in North West India, are beginning to turn their back on chemicals and switch to organic cotton production. According to the Gujarat Government, 5,000 of more than 100,000 cotton farmers in the state are now growing organic cotton. And it’s not just health concerns that have persuaded them to change their growing practices - they also get a guaranteed minimum price for their cotton when world prices are low.
 
Marks & Spencers, the British retailer with 450 stores in 30 countries, claims that 10 per cent of all its cotton products are now ethically sourced, and that it’s using one-third of all the organic cotton worldwide. Working with Gujarat farmers over the last few years, M&S have just placed their first big order for organic cotton with Agrocel – an order which will account for a third of its total annual production.
 
There’s a long way to go before the world’s clothing producers all convert to sustainable production - rather than just a few seeing the light and showcasing new, eco-chic designs. But for the Gujarat region of India, the prospect of prosperity through a booming organic cotton trade is giving a major boost to rural communities.
 
“In organic farming, farmers are getting dual benefit... Farmers are getting assurance they will get minimum Fairtrade support price before sowing their crop, and at the end whatever they are selling, they are getting Fairtrade premium. That premium will take care of all development of entire society right from the environmental, educational, health and all development of society.”
Hasmukh Patel, General Manager, Agrocel
 
“I would say ‘recycled’ is the new black, because I would say it’s a statement of consciousness…if you can have the new ‘it’ bag of the season and it’s something that has been recycled from old ring pulls from cans which shows you actually have got your head screwed on about what is happening in the world today, then I would say it was double black really.” Cameron Saul, Founder of Bottletop
 
“Every single bit of cotton that you buy from M&S will in some way have better environmental or social standards. But we believe at the most ethical end - Fairtrade and organic - is where our customers want us to grow our business. We see that this has been building over the last few years, there has been a real buzz around eco-fashion this year and we believe that it’s here to stay.” Katie Stafford, Marks & Spencer
 
 
Is Green the New Black? was produced with the generous support of the European Union.
 
TVE distributes Earth Report programmes for broadcast and educational use globally and works with its Partners to distribute programmes for use in countries across Africa, Asia & the Pacific, and Latin America & the Caribbean – to schools, colleges, universities, NGOs, environmental agencies and other ‘multiplier’ organisations.
 
Contacts and information:
 
For further information on the programme, production team and issues raised look up www.tve.org/earthreport