The textile industry, like so many others today, has been squeezed as consumers struggle through the global recession, but that hasn’t stopped organic cotton from continuing its remarkable growth trend, according to a story posted on www.naturalnews.com.

While the textile and apparel markets were down about down about 7 percent in 2009, organic goods were up a surprising 35 percent--slightly lower than the 40 percent growth that organic cotton apparel and textiles have averaged since 2001, but still a very impressive number during such difficult economic times.

Feeding growth in clothing and textiles requires increasingly larger supplies of raw materials, and experts predict that organic cotton production--which increased 20 percent in 2009--will continue to post 20 percent to 40 percent growth into 2011.

“We weren’t affected by the crisis and are a small part of a market that’s still growing,” according to H.L. Ding of Hemp Fortex, a Chinese natural fiber company, who sees the trend continuing as large retailers try to capture consumers’ increasing focus on ecological impact. “Big companies always tread carefully, but … they are taking serious steps.”