The Cotton Dilemma: Sustainability in Fashion
The topic of sustainability has garnered much attention over the last few years. Consumers have become more aware of their shopping habits and the impact they have on the environment. This has led companies to be held to a higher standard for their responsibility to the environment. Despite the shift to an environmentally aware consumer, many have gotten caught up in the ‘greenwashing’ advertising of companies and fail to understand exactly what ‘sustainable’ means. Cotton, because of its natural origin has become the poster fiber for sustainability in the minds of consumers.
But is it our best option to make the fashion industry go green?
After an analysis of CottonWorks Sustainability topics, a few concepts stand out to reflect a possible answer to this question. Cotton is a natural cellulose fiber, and the word ‘natural’ leads to the assumption that it must be a sustainable option. Yet, when farming and processing are considered, it is hard to be sure if natural is the better option. Despite natural fibers such as cotton being renewable, soil erosion can be caused by irrigation. Furthermore, fertilizers and pesticides are well known to cause irreparable damage to our environment. But these things are commonly used and essential in the process of farming cotton. Looking ahead, cotton must be cleaned and processed to ensure a pure product that is ready to be transformed into fabric. During this process, a lot of water is required to wash and rinse cotton after it is bleached, mercerized, and dyed. A keyword here is mercerization; this process is performed only on cotton and is intended to improve the luster, absorbency, and strength of the fiber. The catch is that the process uses a solution of sodium hydroxide. A high concentration of this is toxic to aquatic environments. Lastly, to add the many desirable qualities of an ideal fiber, cotton must be finished using a variety of methods that may expose humans and the environment to several toxic chemicals. Carcinogenic chemicals, for example, may cause cancer in humans or even animals in the long run. So, if all this damage can be done in just the pre-consumer stage of cotton, what occurs when cotton is disposed of?
In cotton's post-consumer stage, many factors are at play to determine whether or not it will further impact the environment. CottonWork’s Biodegradability topic section conducts an in-depth exploration of the fiber impact on the environment, specifically, the rate at which it breaks down in soil and water. A study comparing cotton to rayon, polyester, and a blend of cotton and rayon proved that due to cotton’s natural cellulose makeup, it degrades at a much faster rate. The study was conducted in salt water, fresh water, and wastewater; still cotton persisted in being the fastest to break down and leave fewer microfibers behind. A similar study was conducted in soil to determine which of these fibers degrades at a faster rate. Once again, cotton proved to degrade at a much faster rate than the other fibers. The results are attributed to cotton's cellulose origin made of plant cell walls and vegetable fibers. Compared, for example, to polyester’s main ingredient- polyethylene terephthalate, which is also found in plastic water bottles.
Since cotton proves to be the most sustainable in terms of its biodegradability, the next important question is, is it recyclable?
After analyzing CottonWork’s Recycled Cotton content, it became clear that recycled cotton no longer has the same quality as original cotton. This is because it is much harder to turn cotton back into a fiber after it has been blended with other fabrics, has a variety of colors, and more. While the process may keep many products from ending up in landfills, it ultimately limits the end-use of recycled fiber. A major point to understand is that recycled cotton loses strength and quality through the process; therefore, it can not be recycled indefinitely. This limits the potential for a sustainable system using recycled cotton. For this reason, virgin cotton would be the most sustainable option.
Cotton is also one of the most practical options available globally since it is produced in multiple countries. With this understanding, companies can pursue cotton as a sustainable fiber, as well as brainstorm uses for recycled fiber that would extend the life of recycled cotton in a practical manner. The use of the most environmentally friendly fiber would ensure that in its post-consumer stage it could be repurposed. If no new use can be found for it, cotton's faster biodegradability rate would alleviate the issues of pollution and harmful environmental impacts.
