Fibre Fundamentals- Cotton

A GUIDE TO SOME OF THE FASHION INDUSTRY’S FAVOURITE FIBRES, AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE ACTUALLY SUSTAINABLE CHOICES.

Sometimes keeping up with what is or isn’t sustainable can be really hard, especially when our favourite brands can mislead us by greenwashing their products and TikTok seems to be a leading source of information these days. A cotton summer dress photographed in a sunny field on a beautiful model has brands praising themselves for their commitment to using exclusively organic cotton, which is great… except for the fact that even though the cotton wasn’t grown with pesticides, it did use thousands of litres of water to grow and contributed to the exploitation of garment workers. When there are so many confusing buzz words like ‘organic’, ‘natural’ and ‘responsibly sourced’, it can be difficult to make the sustainable choice. Here is the first part of a guide to some of the most popular fibres and whether or not they are sustainable.

‘Sustainable’ dresses in H&M’s 2021 Conscious range.

Arguably the most popular material for our clothing, cotton is a natural fibre made from the cotton plant (officially called Gossypium). Some benefits include its strength, how comfortable it is, that it washes and dries easily, can be dyed, combined with other fibres, and is really versatile. From a soft t-shirt to sturdy denim jeans, cotton can be found in a large percentage of our wardrobes, and many believe it to be the most sustainable fabric because it comes from a plant, so it involves no plastics or harm to animal welfare. However, cotton has some less obvious issues that can be detrimental to the environment. Cotton needs thousands of litres to grow- the fibres from a cotton top you bought for £3.99 could require 2700 litres of water (according to WWF). Water has to be rerouted from natural waterways, that many people and crops rely on to survive, so it can be used for cotton farming. This can have horrendous effects. The Aral Sea in Kazakhstan was one of the largest inland seas, at 68 million square kilometres, but since the 1960s it has shrunk to almost 10% of its original size, all due to rerouted rivers. Cotton farming in neighbouring Uzbekistan has meant that the Aral Sea is now a desert- whole ecosystems have been lost, an entire fishing industry is gone, and a whole range of less obvious impacts seriously harm the people living there. The weather is unpredictable, temperature can vary between 45 and -31 degrees, and dust storms carry pesticide residue that can cause respiratory issues, strokes, and even cancer. Is all that devastation really a cost we are willing to pay just to get a cheap top?

The Aral Sea in 1989 and 2014.

As people are beginning to be made aware of the negative impacts of the supposedly ‘most sustainable’ material, some solutions are beginning to be explored, including organic cotton. Organic cotton is grown with no harmful pesticides or insecticides, which makes it safer for all people involved in the life cycle of the garment, from those that live nearby, to those that pick the cotton, to the consumer. This is an essential step to reducing the harm caused by cotton, but it is not enough. Water usage needs to be drastically reduced and actually the answer is quite simple- reuse water. By using this cyclical production process (known as ‘closed-loop’), water isn’t being wasted and is actually reused over and over, reducing the impact the industry is having on a vital but finite resource.

Whilst recycling water and removing potentially dangerous pesticides are important steps forward, continuously growing too much cotton in the same area can often mean excessive deforestation and continued exploitation of the people who work and live there. These steps also don’t reduce the amount of water and chemicals used in the dyeing/bleaching/washing processes that cotton garments go through- they just solve a few issues at the start of the production chain, but in the whole lifetime of the cotton garments? Not a massive impact. So how can that be improved? Recycled cotton seems to be the answer. It means a lot less cotton needs to be grown, only to replace damaged fibres that can’t be recycled; hugely cutting down the effects of production. Recycling the cotton would still take energy and resources to create, as any product does, but this could be done using renewable energy and other sustainable approaches to production. It also reduces the amount of waste that consumers and the industry produce, as the fibres are recirculated into the production process and the cycle starts again. Brands like H&M, Urban Outfitters, and some smaller brands stocked on ASOS are beginning to use recycled cotton, but it tends to be in quantities from 20% to 50%, rarely (but not never!) 100%.

Organic cotton- the popular choice, but not the best one.

While there are solutions available that can have a positive effect on cotton’s impact, the issue is time. Scientists have made predictions about how many years the planet has left before climate change is irreversible, and the fashion industry has a key role to play in ensuring we can reduce our effect on the planet before it’s too late. Reducing water use and stopping deforestation through more ethical cotton growing methods is a step that needs to be taken to help improve our planet and our industry. Thinking about climate change and the devastation caused by a material we seem to see everywhere can be scary and overwhelming, but we can all make a difference. By not buying that dress, choosing an organic or recycled cotton top, upcycling old jeans, or just taking the time to learn about the issues, you can make a difference. By holding brands accountable, protesting, asking them on social media to take some responsibility, joining in on Fashion Revolution campaigns, and educating your friends, we can make positive changes and help reduce the fashion industry’s impact. There is hope, we just have to fight for our planet... and pay a little more for our clothes.

TEGAN COOKE

Cotton plants growing in a field.