You asked—we answered. Cotton impacts our world in many ways. Sustainable cotton production can lower these impacts. Experts show sustainable choices work without losing quality. We bring you clear findings from research and industry.
🔍 Water Use
Cotton drinks water fast. A single cotton T-shirt may need 2,700 liters. Studies like the 2025 Peru cotton T-shirt case show that irrigation causes most of the water scarcity. Ninety-seven percent of the water issue comes directly from cotton farming, say Montoya Flores and Salhofer (2025). They note that closer water sources and drip irrigation ease this load.
🚩 Highlight: “Cotton irrigation accounts for 97% of the water scarcity footprint in Peruvian cotton T-shirt production” — Montoya Flores & Salhofer, Science of The Total Environment, 2025 [Full Study: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179031%5D
Expert Tips:
• Choose organic cotton, which often needs less water due to healthy, moist soil (Fabricated Closet, 2023).
• Favor cotton grown with rainwater harvesting or drip irrigation (Cotton Monk, 2024).
• Pick fabrics certified by the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) that support water-smart methods.
• Extend the life of your garments to lower overall water use.
• Try waterless dyeing methods like supercritical CO2 dyeing (Cotton Monk, 2024).
🔍 Carbon Emissions
Cotton production sends greenhouse gases through fertilizer use and heavy machinery. In the Peru study, 36% of global warming came from garment care, mainly drying clothes. Moreover, 43% of acidification and photochemical impacts link to fertilizer use (Montoya Flores & Salhofer, 2025).
🚩 Highlight: “Customer behavior, particularly tumble drying frequency, affects up to 36% of the cotton T-shirt’s carbon footprint” — Montoya Flores & Salhofer, 2025. Expert Tips:
• Air-dry your cotton clothes to save energy (ScienceDirect study, 2025).
• Support organic cotton to reduce synthetic fertilizer use and lower nitrous oxide (Fabricated Closet, 2023).
• Buy from brands that use clean energy; note that Peru’s grid uses 51% hydropower (Montoya Flores & Salhofer, 2025).
• Recycle or donate old cotton garments to lessen the load on nature.
• Choose items made with closed-loop or low-energy textile production (Cotton Monk, 2024).
🔍 Chemical Inputs
Traditional cotton uses many pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. These chemicals harm biodiversity and pollute water. In the Peru study, fertilizers cause nearly half of the acidification and oxidation impacts (Montoya Flores & Salhofer, 2025).
🚩 Highlight: “Fertilizers in cotton production contribute nearly half of the acidification and photochemical oxidation environmental impacts” (Montoya Flores & Salhofer, 2025).
Expert Tips:
• Choose organic or regenerative cotton that avoids synthetic chemicals (Cotton Monk, 2024).
• Look for Fair Trade and GOTS cotton for safer practices and better labor conditions (Fabricated Closet, 2023).
• Support brands that use low-impact or waterless dyes to cut chemical waste.
• Avoid conventional cotton unless its practices are clear.
• Seek companies that use blockchain for supply chain transparency (Cotton Monk, 2024).
🔍 Recycling
Recycling or composting cotton garments supports sustainability. Cotton is a natural fiber that breaks down over time. The Peru study shows that longer garment life and recycling cut the overall impact (Montoya Flores & Salhofer, 2025).
🚩 Highlight: “Extending garment lifespan and recycling can significantly reduce the overall environmental footprint of cotton textiles” (Montoya Flores & Salhofer, 2025).
Expert Tips:
• Join textile recycling programs to keep cotton out of landfills (Cotton Monk, 2024).
• Repurpose or upcycle old cotton garments to continue their use.
• Compost 100% cotton clothes where this system exists.
• Buy secondhand or vintage cotton clothing whenever you can.
• Support brands that use closed-loop production systems to recycle fibers.
❓ FAQ
Q: Is 100% cotton always a sustainable choice?
A: Not always. Conventional cotton can hurt the environment through heavy water use, chemicals, and labor issues. Organic cotton grown with care is a better choice. Certifications like Fair Trade, BCI, and GOTS help you spot sustainable cotton (Fabricated Closet, 2023).
By knowing cotton’s environmental costs and acting wisely—from farm practices to garment care—you help shape a greener textile future. For more insights and practical steps, visit our guide and keep asking the questions that inspire change.
👉 Explore more: Environmental Impact of Cotton | Your Questions Answered
Sources:
• Montoya Flores, M. L., & Salhofer, S. (2025). Environmental assessment of cotton textile production in Peru: A case study for a cotton T-shirt. Science of The Total Environment, 970, 179031. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179031
• Cotton Monk. (2024, August 21). Sustainable Textiles: The Future of Eco-Friendly Fabric Production. https://cottonmonk.com/blogs/sustainable-textiles
• Pratt, A. J. (2023, November 1). Is 100% Cotton a Sustainable Fabric? Fabricated Closet. https://fabricatedcloset.com/sustainable-fabric-resources/100-percent-cotton-sustainable/
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