Kala Cotton

Archeological evidence of kala cotton samples found at the Mohenjo Daro dated c.2750-3000 BCE indicate the source to be a plant closely related to kala cotton which was a dominant strain of native cotton in India. 

Kala cotton is an energy-efficient and carbon neutral crop. Hardy and resilient even under harsh weather conditions, it is completely rain-fed and grows naturally even in the arid, drought-prone areas of Kutch, where there is less than 40 cm of rainfall. 

Kala means ‘black’ in some Indian languages, often leading to the misconception that Kala cotton is black in color, whereas it refers to the empty boll after extraction of the cotton fiber.

When India became independent, 97% of the cotton grown in India was indigenous. Today, only 2% of the cotton grown in India is indigenous. But why did this happen? The long-staple American cotton was introduced in India when it became independent. It had bigger flowers and was easy to pluck. But there is still hope…. In recent years, people have started spreading information about the importance and benefit of using organic cotton. Many designers are working towards introducing organic cotton in their collections. Slowly, Kala cotton is creating a new identity in the market.

In today’s era where the textile/fashion industry is one of the most pollution-making industry let’s choose which is natural, best for our skin, and most importantly best for our environment. Let’s carve our own path and redefine the word fashion by choosing the most sustainable / Environmentally friendly products.

Choosing Kala cotton is a way forward, or the next big step towards sustainability, as It is by default organic because the farmers do not use any chemical-based pesticides and fertilizers. It is a purely rain-fed crop that has a high tolerance for both disease and pests. This makes it better for the farmers because they get to work in chemical-free fields and produce the highest quality product. It works for the consumer because they get a great product that is grown in a sustainable way. It is good for the skin, for the planet, and good for the people who are engaged in the process of growing the cotton or making the fabric.

Kala means ‘black’ in some Indian languages, often leading to the misconception that Kala cotton is black in color, whereas it refers to the empty boll after extraction of the cotton fiber.

When India became independent, 97% of the cotton grown in India was indigenous. Today, only 2% of the cotton grown in India is indigenous. But why did this happen? The long-staple American cotton was introduced in India when it became independent. It had bigger flowers and was easy to pluck. But there is still hope…. In recent years, people have started spreading information about the importance and benefit of using organic cotton. Many designers are working towards introducing organic cotton in their collections. Slowly, Kala cotton is creating a new identity in the market.

In today’s era where the textile/fashion industry is one of the most pollution-making industry let’s choose which is natural, best for our skin, and most importantly best for our environment. Let’s carve our own path and redefine the word fashion by choosing the most sustainable / Environmentally friendly products.