Originally posted here on UD Journal: FIBER by Gail Baugh Cotton is t he “green” fiber! When the United States researched a similar point, they defined a much lower number for the full lifetime of a cotton grocery bag. Farmworkers, particularly where the labor is less mechanized, continue to be exposed to harmful chemicals. Fiction:  The production of cotton is inefficient, creating a lot of waste products along the production chain. This phenomenon has had a positive effect on both the environment human health through the reduction in water contamination. It is an agricultural product and completely biodegradable if nothing is added to it. However the way it is farmed may be. Let’s take a look at some of the more common misperceptions that the public has as a result of misinformation on the world of cotton production, especially here in the United States, where scrutiny of many industries is more intense than in other markets. If you’re trying to live a more eco-friendly life, switching … In areas with marginal irrigation needs, drip irrigation offers important water savings. For cotton, one of the main purposes of genetic modification is to lessen the amount of pesticides needed throughout the growing season, which results in less pesticide runoff. The use of child labor and slavery is common in the industry. Obviously, one could question the appropriateness of growing a non-food crop in arid portions of California and Arizona during the current multi-year drought. Perhaps the most dramatic overuse of irrigation water is visible in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, where the Aral Sea declined in surface area by 85%. Learn more ». Fiction: Genetically modified cotton (aka biotechnology) is bad for the environment and harmful to humans. Organic cotton is grown in a way that uses methods and materials that lessen the impact on our environment. Genetically modified cotton can also help reduce pesticide application, but with many caveats. One such third-party certification organization is the Global Organic Textile Standards. Cotton is the most pesticide intensive crop in the world: these pesticides injure and kill many people every year. Organic cotton uses far less water too. In the United States, western cotton farmers rely on irrigation as well. Recent advancements in technology, including the ability to modify the cotton plant’s genetic material, have made cotton toxic to some of its common pests. In addition, you need to consider the annual, dramatic increases in yield per acre in cotton production over the last decade. The former cotton fields of Uzbekistan have seen this issue on a large scale. In addition, synthetic fertilizers contribute an important quantity of greenhouse gases during their production and use. Growing cotton in a sustainable manner also means planting it where rainfall is sufficient, avoiding irrigation altogether. Fact: This couldn’t be farther from the truth. As defined by a Danish study in 2018, any cotton grocery bag should be used 7,100 times for it to truly be positive for the environment. And, it turns out, organic cotton is even worse — needing to have 20,000 uses versus 7,000 (this is due … We use cotton fibers to make clothing, bed sheets, curtains, car seats, pillows, and much, much more. Cotton as such is not bad for environment. Competing weeds are another threat to cotton production. Our process for purifying cotton is completely chlorine-free. The goal for the next 10 years for U.S. Cotton is to increase land use efficiency by 13%. Knowing where cotton comes from is only half the story. It can be coloured and woven. Is Microfiber or Cotton More Eco-Friendly? A new life cycle assessment said that plastic bags are better for the environment than organic cotton tote bags. Fact: Genetic modification has different goals in different crops. Fiction:  Disposable, single-use products are not biodegradable. Fiction:  Cotton uses a large amount of farmland. Lately, global members of the supply chain have worked in collaborative frameworks like Cotton LEADS, a joint venture of the American and Australian cotton industries. Conventional cotton has a higher yield than organic cotton (i.e. All Rights Reserved. Cotton require a lot of water. The class of pesticides used on cotton is one of the main suspects in the worldwide bee die-off. Though this has reduced the use of insecticides, it hasn't eliminated the need. That way, the fields can be sprayed with the herbicide when the plant is young, easily eliminating competition from weeds. As part of the same study, published in Science, researchers also took surface water samples and compared the microfiber contents from samples taken decades prior. In the Texas Panhandle, cotton fields are irrigated by pumping water from the Ogallala Aquifer. Conventionally grown cotton requires the heavy use of synthetic fertilizers. Cotton is everywhere. If you have questions about the environmental impact of our products, please contact us to learn the facts about cotton and the safety of our environment. Every part of cotton, whether you’re talking about the plant itself, seed, oil, and of course the fiber, is used in one way or another. Spanning eight states from South Dakota to Texas, this vast underground sea of ancient water is being drained for agriculture far faster than it can recharge. Cotton production is responsible for the emission of 220 million tons of CO2 annually. It still uses chemicals, just naturally derived ones, which advocates say … Generally, a combination of tilling practices and herbicides are used to knock back weeds. In fact, we recently updated our purification process on a number of fronts. Data shows that the purification process removes these organisms. In northwest Texas, Ogallala groundwater levels have dropped over 8 feet between 2004 and 2014. Although it is less energy intensive than nylon to produce, it still requires more than double the energy of conventional cotton to produce. So, was my decision to ditch plastic bags bad for the environment… Cotton is a natural fibre that when woven or knitted produces a soft, strong fabric that is breathable, absorbent and washable. Cotton plants require significant pesticide use, making up 16% of all insecticide and almost 7% of all herbicide use worldwide. 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