Textile Exchange evasive over organic cotton fraud claims

TEXAS – US consultants Textile Exchange refused to be drawn over claims that organic cotton fraud is widespread, particularly in India. In an update on its website, the owner of the voluntary Organic Content Standard (OCS) did not respond directly to sensational claims made in a recent New York Times article that up to four fifths of Indian-grown organic cotton is conventional. Industry insiders talking to the newspaper also said figures from Textile Exchange claiming to show significant growth of organic cotton output from India since 2017 defy logic given the availability of organic cotton seed in circulation.