Our Ethical & Eco Practices
Directions to our shop in Lewes

	Design All Gossypium products are designed in-house. We work through a process that we've developed ourselves; it enables us to make sure the products is right for you & also that we're using the right material for the product. Our goods are design to last as long as possible and we'll go a very long way to ensure they do.
	Grow The next step in the process is to ensure we're using the right cotton. We spent a lot of time in India working closely with cotton farmers. Our partnership with them reduces risk, both for the farmers and ourselves, as we're able to make long term plans - & because we're working outside the commodity market. Once the cotton is ready it's transported by road to the nearest mill to be transformed into cotton yarn.
	Make Because we design & source products ourselves it's easier to go on and make the products. It's a bit like cooking with the best ingredient - rather than having a take-away. Being in India or in England we only work with factories that we've personally visited and where we feel satisfied with the quality of the work they produce, and very importantly, their level of transparency. For us transparency is more important than any certification.
	Enjoy Once in the hands of our customers our products are enjoyed for years. Because they're designed and produced with such care and attention we can guarantee their quality for a very long time. We always welcome feedback about our products and have a file full of photos and letters from our customers; this is what we work for.

Here's one of our favourite messages from a valued customer
It's written on the back of a creased postcard of a train crossing a viaduct & is pinned to our notice board. This is what it says on the other side:

"Thank you very much for the replacement buttons for our duvet cover. Quite the most comfortable bed linen we have had in forty two years of married life."

Thank you, Mr & Mrs Lake, for your wonderful message.

OUR HISTORY

India, 1998
Abigail & Thomas started out in the cotton fields of Kutch, in western India. Being ideologists, they went in search of cotton that wouldn't harm the environment or exploit Indian farmers. As textile technologists, they were appropriately qualified to pursue their vision & together with Agrocel - a farmers' service centre, they developed a formula for growing & trading in cotton. They made sure they never lost sight of the Indian farmers' needs in creating a solution that would ensure their economic stability & also protect the environment.

Two years later...
Agrocel Pure & Fair cotton was born, it's the only one of its kind & is used to make Gossypium products. All the cotton is organic & is fully traceable back to the farms from which it came. And the farmers receive a fair price for it, above the market price.

From India to Brighton Beach
Gossypium started its life on Brighton Beach, via a market stall, & from there Abi & Thomas soon learned what people were looking for in organic cotton & adapted their range accordingly.

Lewes, 2000
A proper office, & shop to match, in the historic county town of Lewes. It's a good place to live & grow a business.

Nine years later...
Today Gossypium is a leading brand in Fairtrade certified organic cotton fashion. "All our products are designed in-house & we like to think we stand alone, naturally."

Our ongoing company objective is to create a strong collection of classic products which respect Gossypium's ethical & environmental values, at the right price for the consumer.

"Welcome to our world of ethical living!"

Abi & Thomas Petit
Co-founders & Directors of Gossypium