Textile Exchange, an international nonprofit organization committed to a more sustainable textile industry, released the results of an international Life Cycle Assessment on Friday that shows the tangible benefits of organic cotton cultivation, it said.
The life-cycle study, which tracked organic cotton fiber production worldwide, purports to show significant reductions in global warming potential, soil erosion, water consumption and energy demand in the use of organic cotton, as opposed to conventionally grown varieties.
Textile Exchange engaged PE International, a sustainability strategic consultancy, to conduct the study based on data from producer groups located in the top five countries of organic cotton cultivation: India, China, Turkey, Tanzania and the U.S. These countries account for 97 percent of global organic cotton production. The LCA investigated the impact of organic cotton cultivation in the categories of climate change and global warming potential, soil erosion and soil acidification, water use and consumption, and energy demand.
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The most significant findings in the comparison between organic and conventional cotton were a 46 percent reduction in global warming potential, 70 percent less acidification potential, a 26 percent decrease in soil erosion, a 91 percent reduction in consumption of blue water — that is, water withdrawn from groundwater or surface-water bodies — and a 62 drop in primary energy demand.
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“The release of the Organic Cotton LCA marks a turning point for the organic cotton sector as a whole,” said La Rhea Pepper, managing director of Textile Exchange. “For 12 years, we have been promoting the benefits of organic cotton. This study allows us to show the quantitative data that supports what we already know, that organic cotton is much better for our environment than conventional cotton. This information is empowering for the people and organizations along the organic cotton supply chain, including farmers, cotton ginners, spinners, brands and retailers and all the way to the consumer level. Making a commitment to grow, manufacture and use organic cotton in our textiles is also making a commitment to improve our water, soil and air.”
The study was funded by 14 Textile Exchange members, including the C&A Foundation, Eileen Fisher, Esquel Group, GOTS, H&M, Inditex, Kering, Nike Inc., the Otto Group, Prana and Pratibha Syntex.