Cotton is everywhere, from your go-to hoodie to the tote you carry it in. But while it might feel natural and familiar, how eco-friendly is it? Is cotton sustainable?
In this post, we’re digging into what it takes to grow cotton, the impact it has on people and the planet and the alternatives that are helping to clean up the premium printwear industry.
The environmental cost of growing cotton
Cotton might be one of the most popular materials in the world, but growing it, at least in the conventional way, does pose some environmental challenges.
Firstly, cotton is a thirsty plant. Irrigation for cotton crops pulls large amounts of water from already stressed rivers and aquifers in the U.S. and India. Conventional cotton farming also uses more insecticides than almost any other crop, putting both farmers and local ecosystems at risk. Intensive cotton farming can also contribute to soil degradation, making the land less fertile and harder to farm sustainably.
Can cotton be grown sustainably?
Fortunately, there are many growing practices that can help reduce cotton’s environmental footprint. It’s not about reinventing the crop itself, but about rethinking the way we produce it – starting with approaches like organic and recycled cotton, which aim to protect both people and the planet.
Organic cotton
Organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, which means it’s better for the environment and safer for the people who farm it.
In organic farming, natural methods are used to keep the ground fertile and plants healthy. Crop rotation, for example, helps the soil maintain nutrients and reduces the chance of pest infestations. Compost may also be used to return organic matter back to the land, helping it hold onto moisture so there’s less need for irrigation.
Organic cotton farming also encourages biodiversity by creating a safer environment for wildlife and pollinators. Without synthetic chemicals, cropland becomes a friendlier space for insects like bees and butterflies, as well as birds and small mammals.
Recycled cotton
Recycled cotton takes sustainability a step further by giving existing cotton fibres a second life, reducing the need for new cotton crops altogether.
Instead of relying on fresh water, pesticides or farmland, recycled cotton comes from post-consumer or post-industrial waste – like old garments or textile scraps – that would otherwise end up in landfill. While recycled cotton fibers can sometimes be shorter and less durable, they can actually be blended with new fibers to create a quality fabric. This is similar to how materials like paper and card are recycled.
How to spot better cotton when you’re buying
Choosing more sustainable cotton starts with knowing what to look for. Certifications are a good place to begin. Labels like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), Sedex, or BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) mean the cotton in your product meets certain environmental or ethical standards. Buying garments made from recycled cotton is another solid way to reduce demand for new raw materials. The more we ask for better cotton, the more the industry will shift to supply it.
What sustainability looks like at AWDis
At AWDis, we’ve made a commitment to sustainable garment production. We reduce our carbon footprint by only shipping full cartons, packing each container to maximum capacity to minimise wasted space and rarely using air freight. We’ve also reduced plastics in our packaging – in 2022 we removed all virgin plastics, eliminating 80% of our packaging entirely in 2023 and transitioning to certified compostable bags.
We’re also trying to “close the loop”, which means using the principle of the circular economy in our everyday practices.
We:
- Donate surplus fabric from our factories to local charities
- Recycle excess cotton to create new garments
- Offer styles made from organic materials
For more information, take a look at our commitment in more depth here, or read our sustainability report here.
