Just $1000 a Year: Why Organic Cotton Farmers Deserve a Better Deal
Release Date: 03/05/2026
Fanning the flames of textile incineration. A good or a bad thing?
Ecotextile Talks
Textile sustainability strategist Shivam Gusain argues that the recycling sector has made incineration into a type of all-purpose villain, where the real barriers to recycling are much more practical. Our latest episode fans the flames around textile and clothing incineration and asks whether the textile recycling sector is too quick to blame incineration as the 'bad guy' when the bigger challenge is to build practical recycling capacity amid current waste management and climate pressures. Speaking to host Philip Berman, Gusain says the industry conversation is too focused on incineration...
info_outline
The Future of Sustainability: Harsh Saini on Cascale’s Vision for a Greener Industry
Ecotextile Talks
In this exclusive interview, Philip Berman talks to Harsh Saini, the outgoing interim CEO of Cascale, to explore the organization's bold new chapter. Following a strategic rebrand and the implementation of a new governance structure, Cascale is evolving to meet the complex challenges of the modern consumer goods industry. Harsh discusses the "unfinished business" of sustainability and how Cascale is empowering its members to move beyond measurement into meaningful, large-scale action. From the acquisition of the Better Buying Institute to the launch of the Manufacturer’s...
info_outline
Fake Fashion, Real Danger: The Hidden Toxins in Counterfeit Clothing
Ecotextile Talks
What's really inside that bargain fashion buy? Or that cheap new World Cup soccer strip? In this episode of Ecotextile Talks, host Philip Berman talks to Steve Lamar, President and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), to discuss the results of new lab tests on counterfeit products, with some quite disturbing findings. He's not just talking about fake logos, but chemicals at unsafe levels and online marketplaces that may know more than they're letting on. Steve also shares what the industry is doing to fight back, and whether it's enough. This episode is...
info_outline
The Six-Month Breakthrough That Could Shake Up Sustainable Textiles
Ecotextile Talks
In this episode of Ecotextile Talks, we go inside the development of Lenzing's newest TENCEL™ Lyocell innovation - HV100 - a fibre engineered to deliver the texture, drape and authentic wash-down character of cotton which was created in record-breaking time! Johnny Truong and Julia Ulrich, from Lenzing, walk host Philip Berman through the market signals that they say sparked the idea, the technical hurdles of getting it into production, and why this fibre is opening doors for lyocell in denim's most coveted position - the warp. This podcast is brought to you in a paid...
info_outline
Just $1000 a Year: Why Organic Cotton Farmers Deserve a Better Deal
Ecotextile Talks
At the moment, organic cotton farmers in countries such as India and Pakistan earn an average of just $1000 a year. Meanwhile, premiums are stacking up through the supply chain, brands are charging more at retail, but the people actually growing the crop see only a fraction of the value. In this episode of Ecotextile Talks, host Philip Berman talks to Bart Vollaard from the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) about why he believes the current premium model isn't delivering for the farmers it's supposed to support, and reveals OCA's ambitious to change that. They discuss how a pioneering new...
info_outline
Can fashion brands profit from their own second hand clothes?
Ecotextile Talks
In this episode Ecotextile Talks host speaks with Chief Strategy Officer about the company’s “” model, from white-lable branded resale shops to multi-brand clean-out schemes that can turn underused wardrobes into store credit. They discuss what the real driver is for consumers, how ThredUp’s distribution centres work at scale, why brands decide to plug into this infrastructure than trying to build it themselves. Circularity, policy and impact They also discuss what happens to the garments that do not sell, ThredUp’s aftermarket partners, and what % of items entering its...
info_outline
Can Cleaner Chemistry Save Fashion – and Nature?
Ecotextile Talks
Ecotextile Talks, host Philip Berman talks to Frank Michel, CEO of the ZDHC Foundation, about why he thinks cleaner chemistry is becoming a hard ESG requirement rather than a nice-to-have for the global textile value chain. They explore how ZDHC has evolved from its original Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) focus into a broader nature-impact lens that links process chemistry to water quality, biodiversity, climate, and investor risk. Frank explains the thinking behind ZDHC’s new impact framework, developed with environmental consultancy Quantis, which uses lifecycle assessment...
info_outline
Welcome to the World of Textile Technology - Singapore ITMA
Ecotextile Talks
In partnership with the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA), host Philip Berman takes listeners on a virtual journey to ITMA ASIA + CITME in Singapore with guests Alex Zucchi of CEMATEX, Jason Kent CEO of the BTMA, and Richard Slack of Fibre Extrusion Technology. In advance of the exhibition which starts on October 28 in Singapore, they explore how European and UK manufacturers are positioning themselves amid global shifts in textiles, from sustainability and circularity to the rise of technical textiles. Alex explains why ITMA’s format remains unique. Jason highlights the...
info_outline
Trump, Tariffs and US Textiles
Ecotextile Talks
Host Philip Berman talks to , President and CEO of the , about the impact of Trump’s tariffs on US textile manufacturing. Kim discusses the challenges posed by tariff unpredictability, including the effects on investment and supply chains, and the winners and losers in the industry. She highlights issues in machinery sourcing, the effect of high tariff rates on synthetics, and the role of major trade agreements like USMCA and CAFTA. Kim also addresses reshoring opportunities, and the strategic need for policy certainty to strengthen domestic production.
info_outline
Are environmentalists to blame for cotton’s declining share of the textile fibre market?
Ecotextile Talks
Did environmental campaigners really contribute to a decline in cotton’s global share of fibre production? Well, according to a rather punchy opinion piece in a couple of months ago, the answer is a resounding, yes. The article claims that environmentalists have been intellectually dishonest and fed a binary narrative of cotton bad, synthetic fibers good….which created pressure from watchdogs and investor ESG mandates…which then led to brands moving away from conventional cotton to synthetics…and as a result we are now awash with cheap synthetics clothing. Now, this is a...
info_outlineAt the moment, organic cotton farmers in countries such as India and Pakistan earn an average of just $1000 a year.
Meanwhile, premiums are stacking up through the supply chain, brands are charging more at retail, but the people actually growing the crop see only a fraction of the value.
In this episode of Ecotextile Talks, host Philip Berman talks to Bart Vollaard from the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) about why he believes the current premium model isn't delivering for the farmers it's supposed to support, and reveals OCA's ambitious new strategy to change that.
They discuss how a pioneering new farm fund could decouple farmer income from the unpredictability of market premiums, why OCA is broadening its focus beyond economics into the social and environmental realities of farming life, and what it will take to move organic cotton beyond its stubborn 2.5% share of global production.
With 100,000 farmers across 70+ partners, OCA has the data and the relationships to make this work.
But as Bart explains, it won't happen without more brands stepping up.
Essential listening for anyone in sourcing, sustainability, or cotton supply chain leadership!
Istanbul Organic Cotton Summit
If you enjoyed this podcast why not check out others about cotton in our back catalogue...
Detecting fraud in the organic cotton chain
Are environmentalists to blame for cotton’s declining share of the textile fibre market?
Monitoring organic cotton from space