About Cotton Sustainability

• Overview
• Responsible Economic Development
• U.S. Cotton
• Cotton vs. Other Fibers
• Manufacturing
• Recycling
• Ask the Sustainability Desk

Overview

The cotton industry today is well on its way to fulfilling one of the most important goals all industries must strive for – sustainability.

To achieve sustainability the cotton industry is developing and putting in practice new technologies, methods and new uses for the cotton plant that meet our current needs for productivity and profit without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Sustainability is not a goal our industry takes lightly. Our earth's very survival is at stake. Achieving this goal requires our full and continuous attention to reducing environmental impact throughout every link in cotton's long supply chain – from the seeds from which we grow cotton, to the processing and manufacturing practices we use for finished goods.

To meet the needs of the earth's growing population, projected to reach 9 billion people by 2050, we must, as we reduce cotton's environmental impacts, simultaneously increase its productivity. With virtually all of the world's arable land already under cultivation, clothing the earth's people with natural fiber textiles in 2050 means fiber production on existing farmlands must triple.

The engine that will drive us to full sustainability is our research. The cotton industry's dedicated scientists lead us to new technologies and methods that are steadily being applied across the global supply chain.

Already our research has enabled cotton growers to reduce their reliance on pesticides by 50%; to cut back 45% on their use of irrigated water; and to produce substantially greater amounts of fiber without expanding acreage. Research has also played a significant role in developing uses for the cotton plant, including its ginning byproducts, thereby reducing and eliminating what had once been considered to be bio-waste. And in the future, research happen today on drought-resistant cotton plants, and plants that naturally resist pests shows great promise for the future of the industry and its relationship to the planet.

These environmental advances, and many more like them, are enabling the cotton industry to fulfill the demands of present – and future – generations, making the cotton industry a key player in a fully sustainable tomorrow.