Cotton Production - Consequences for the Environment

Throughout all stages of the textile production the environment is under pressure due to the high use of water, energy, chemicals and raw materials.

Today we will look into cotton production and its implications for the environment with special attention to water consumption and why organic cotton is the better choice.

Water

The cultivation of cotton requires approximately 5,000 to 20,000 liters of water per kg, depending on the region. According to the Global Fashion Agenda, water consumption in the textile industry is estimated to increase by 50% until 2030 compared to 2015. Countries like India, China or Uzbekistan, where Cotton is often cultivated, are already suffering from drinking water shortage. The increasing production of clothing and the additional rise in the water use for the textile industry will put even more pressure on those regions. In their “Pulse of Fashion” 2017 Report the Global Fashion Agenda predicts that we most likely will face a water crisis that is caused by the fashion industry alone. 

The Aral Sea provides a good example of the implications of extensive cotton production. The Aral Sea once was the fourth largest lake in the world. Today, it is only 10% of its original size. Main cause for the shrinkage is the irrigation of Uzbekistan’s cotton fields. With Europe as their biggest market, Uzbekistan exported more than 800,000 tons of cotton per year. Unfortunately, the export of such high volumes had severe consequences for the environment, climate and people in the region. 

Organic Cotton

The cultivation of cotton is a water-intensive process, which is also the case for organic cotton. However, the cultivation of organic cotton uses different methods which are less harmful for environment and people. For example, due to the Renunciation of pesticides 

soils tend to be able to store more organic matter and thus more water. And: this renunciation also means that less ground and surface water is polluted. However, it is unclear whether the assumption that rainwater is used more frequently for irrigation and that less artificial irrigation is used in organic cotton fields is correct.

Chemicals

Next to being very water-intensive the cultivation of cotton is also the largest pesticide-consuming crop, using 25% of the world’s insecticides and 11% of pesticides. The use of pesticides mainly affects soil and water in the regions, but also has implications for people’s health in the regions. The fact that so many pesticides are used in conventional farming is partly due to monocultures, which favor the spread of pests.

The question we need to ask ourselves is, why are we so careful about pesticides when it comes to food but when it comes to clothing, we are overlooking the issues although we wear it directly on our skin, which is our largest organ?

Organic Cotton

In organic farming, synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides are prohibited. Farmers fight pests with more traditional methods, protecting the environment and their own health. In organic farming, alternating crops are grown in the fields (rotational farming), which keeps the number of pests low. 

Organic cotton not only does not require synthetic pesticides and fertilizers during cultivation, but also saves on many hazardous chemicals during further processing. In the end, this is also healthier for the people who wear the finished clothing on their skin.

How to spot organic cotton?

Labels that ensure organic cotton:

Naturtextil IVN zertifiziert BEST-  IVN

• Naturtextil IVN zertifiziert BEST" is considered the strictest eco-label in the industry
• natural textiles must meet all requirements along the entire production chain
• natural fibers as raw materials must come from organic production
• during processing, substances that are hazardous to health, harmful to the environment or non-degradable are prohibited in all steps
• no synthetic fibers (exception: trim or elastic parts) may be used
• compliance with social standards in accordance with ILO(International Labor Organization) guidelines is mandatory
• annual inspection of all factories as well as unannounced inspections
• sanctions are imposed in the event of non-compliance

Global Organic Cotton Standard - GOTS

• products must consist of at least 70 percent organically produced natural fibers
• chemical substances contained in textiles must meet certain environmental and health compatibility criteria. 
• toxic heavy metals, formaldehyde, functional nanoparticles or genetically modified organisms are prohibited
• since version 6.0, manufacturers of approved chemicals must also comply with environmental, health and safety requirements (Product Stewardship and Environmental Health and Safety, EHS).
• The entire manufacturing chain, "from field to fashion", must be certified
•  statements such as "uses GOTS certified organic cotton" should be treated with caution, because they are actually not allowed as long as the entire manufacturing chain and thus the end product is not certified.