Why organic cotton monitoring is out of this world

In the latest episode of Ecotextile Talks, Jeffrey Thimm from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) discusses an initiative exploring the potential of combining artificial intelligence and satellite technologies to monitor organic cotton production.

Podcast host David Styles discusses with Thimm how GOTS reached the point at which, with project partners the European Space Agency and tech firm Marple, it is watching over cotton production in India from space.

Despite what may seem like a futuristic endeavour, Thimm is adamant that this type of project is a much-needed breakthrough capable of increasing trust in the cotton sector.

“This is a way to increase the integrity of the organic cotton sector. To increase the integrity of GOTS as well,” he asserts.

“And so, not only the brands can be confident that their supply chains are what they believe they are – sustainable according to GOTS standards – but also that consumers can continue to have faith in the benefits of participating in the organic system.”

Another topic raised in the episode is the allegation – attributed in the Indian press to ‘anonymous sources’ – that the project represents a national security threat. This entire debacle, Thimm states, can be attributed to individuals or organisations “engaged in fraud”.

The conversation also reveals that once the latest stage of the experimental project shares its initial results, expected to be at the end of 2023, there may well be other applications for the technologies involved – beyond India and the cotton sector.