Egyptian cotton from the SEKEM project, a pioneer in organic and biodynamic farming methods in Egypt. SEKEM is a global reference in sustainable development and the creator of the Economy of Love certification. We obtain the Pima Egyptian cotton from Giza varieties, considered the best cotton in the world.
Biodynamic agriculture, cultivating with a holistic vision
The SEKEM project is called "the miracle of the desert". Since its inception in 1977, SEKEM has transformed over 2,500 hectares of desert land into fertile soil through biodynamic farming methods. The sustainable development initiative initiated by Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish and currently continued by his son is now a unique holistic project in the world, providing a livelihood perspective for over 20,000 Egyptians.
SEKEM has inspired many people worldwide to work towards ecological and social restoration in a respectful manner, and it captivated us from the very beginning. We share the same vision for sustainable development where all economic activities are conducted in accordance with ecological and socially ethical principles.
We are proud to be part of it by selecting and promoting organic and biodynamic Egyptian cotton from Giza varieties, which holds various certifications: GOTS, Economy of Love, Demeter Biodynamic Federation, and Fair Trade.
The pillars of the SEKEM project
Creators of organic and biodynamic agricultural practices in Egypt.
Since the 1970s, it became evident that the current predominant model of conventional intensive agriculture brings more harm than benefits and causes serious economic, social, and environmental problems. Since the 1990s, sustainable alternatives have been promoted worldwide to achieve an economically viable, socially conscious, and environmentally responsible agricultural future.
One of these pioneering initiatives was the creation of the Egyptian Biodynamic Association (EBDA). In 1994, SEKEM and its founder, Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish, established EBDA with the aim of promoting Organic and Biodynamic agriculture among Egyptian farmers and combating the harmful effects of the conventional agricultural model.
Thanks to the support of EBDA, the land of biodynamic farmers in Egypt can be certified as organic according to EU standards and as biodynamic according to Demeter standards.
SEKEM, a model of sustainable development recognized worldwide.
After nearly 50 years, SEKEM is now a holistic sustainable development initiative, with a comprehensive economic and institutional ecosystem that aims to generate positive impact in 4 fundamental dimensions of its community: Economic life, Social life, Cultural life, and Ecological life.
- SEKEM Holding, the economic branch of the initiative, encompasses various companies producing food products, textiles, phytosanitary products, and agricultural activities.
- EBDA, which brings together over 2500 small farmers cultivating all the raw materials for the holding’s companies in an organic and biodynamic manner.
- The SEKEM Development Foundation (SDF), representing the cultural branch of the initiative. Promotes various community projects such as schools, a medical centre, and various activities to promote local culture.
- Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development (HU) ppromotes higher education and research within the community.
To reflect the positive impact of its products, SEKEM created ECONOMY OF LOVE, its own sustainable certification standard.
ECONOMY OF LOVE, the certification standard inspired by SEKEM's holistic vision.
ECONOMY OF LOVE is a certification standard for products that are sustainable, ethical, and transparent. This standard verifies the entire value chain: production and farming operations, factories and processing businesses, and distribution. From the raw material stage to the product reaching the consumer.
SEKEM has developed this standard in collaboration with Fair Trade International, an organization aimed at assisting producers in developing countries to improve trading conditions and promote sustainability.
The ECONOMY OF LOVE certification standard ensures the fulfillment of 4 fundamental criteria aligned with the 4 dimensions of the SEKEM initiative. Today, the ECONOMY OF LOVE certification is a recognized standard adopted by various projects worldwide.
Culture
Ensures that supervisors and executives receive training to promote cultural events, participate in creative activities with employees, respect local traditions, promote well-being, encourage personal development, and collaborate with local initiatives.
Society
Ensures fair working conditions, healthcare, stakeholder involvement, community sustainability, and employee training in social awareness for holistic corporate responsibility.
Environment
Guarantees compliance with Organic and Biodynamic standards, minimizes packaging with recycled materials, implements sustainable water and waste management systems, reports on greenhouse gas emissions, and provides training in ecological awareness to employees.
Economy
Ensures indicators for comprehensive and transparent cost accounting, establishes solidarity agreements among stakeholders, guarantees fair wages, promotes transparency in relationships with stakeholders, and provides training to employees in sustainable economics.
The most valuable cotton
OCCBiodynamic® Egypt cotton is a Pima Egyptian cotton from Giza varieties that has been cultivated for over 4,000 years in the fertile lands of the Nile Delta.
It is considered the best cotton in the world due to extraordinary length (extra-long staples) and natural lustre of its fibres, which can range from 3.2 to 5 cm. These extra-long fibres enable the production of finer and more resilient yarns. The long fibres also reduce the number of splices in the threads, resulting in extremely soft, breathable, and durable fabrics that maintain their quality and appearance even after many washes.
Our OCCBiodynamic® Egypt cotton is a Pima Egyptian cotton of Giza varieties from organic and biodynamic cultivation. Therefore, it is the best cotton in the world, known for its extra-long staples, free from impurities and chemical residues, silky, luminous, and strong.
Wearing the natural white of Egypt
The natural colour of OCCBiodynamic® Egypt cotton ranges from the cream of the Giza 90 variety to the pure white of the Giza 92 variety. This allows the creation of fabrics in cream and natural white colours without the need for chemical bleaching processes that are highly contaminating.
Our Egyptian cotton OCCBiodynamic® Egypt holds recognized official certifications for both organic and biodynamic practices.
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