Textile Insight

Made in Africa, e3, organic cotton, and numerous cotton-specific sustainability initiatives from individual brands and retailers. In addition to U.S. and Australian cotton, all of these," concludes Daystar, "offer options that should fit into any brand's individual sustainabile sourcing guidelines. And the good news is that a company doesn't have to pick just one." A Multitude of Cotton Programs To Daystar's point, there are numerous programs aimed at improving the envi- ronmental footprint of cotton, but why so much interest in cotton? Daystar suggests longterm familiarity and versatility. "Cotton has been used as a textile fiber for over 6,000 years," he explains. "Consumers not only prefer cotton, they perceive it to be natural, and sustainable compared to synthetic options." Responses to the 2016 Global Lifestyle Monitor survey indicate that 79% of consumers prefer their clothing to be cotton-rich; and nearly seven in 10 global consumers say cotton is most sustainable, compared to man-made fibers. "Because cotton is such a versatile fiber, manufacturers like it, too," continues Daystar. "The number of these programs suggests that business want to continue offering cotton – sustainable cotton – to their customers and to consumers." Cotton's Natural Advantages Cotton, as a textile fiber option, has many advantages for a sustainable supply chain. It is a natural fiber and one preferred by consumers around the world. It is a versatile fiber that can be constructed into garments as rugged as bull denim and as delicate as lace. It is a drought- and heat-tolerant crop that can thrive in regions that cannot grow other cash or food crops. Along with being drought-tolerant, it is estimated that half of the water needs of cotton around the world are met by rainfall, alone. From planting to harvest, the crop season for cotton is approxi- mately 90 days. Like other cellulosic fiber crops, such as flax for linen and hemp, the short growing season creates the opportunity to rotate in other seasonal crops when cotton is not being grown. Alternatives to such natural fibers include synthetics. Many of these are derived from petrochemical sources. Recent studies, such as "Microfiber Pollution and the Apparel Industry" (Bren School of Environmental Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara) and "The Plastics Inside Us" (New York State University at Fredonia/University of Minnesota, School of Public Health) are raising awareness of the effects of synthetic textile microfibers on aquatic environments. Between natural fibers and synthetics lie bio-based cellulosic sources, which can begin as trees, which are then ground to pulp, altered in a chemical bath, and extruded as fiber to create rayon fabric. While many of these chemical conversion processes are said to be clean, they raise concerns over deforestation and water use. A eucalyptus tree, for example, can consume as much as ten litres of water a day, every day, for its fifteen-year road to maturity, according to Dr. Chin Ong, a lead researcher at the World Forestry Institute (ICRAF) --- that's nearly 55,000 litres of water for every tree. Cotton produces a crop every year and 50% of the global crop derives its water from rainfall, alone to meet its water needs. To put it in perspective, more water is required to grow an acre of lawn grass than to grow an acre of cotton; and 50% of the world's cotton crop relies on rainwater, alone to meet its water needs. "There are myriad reasons to pick cotton as a textile ingredient, and a range of programs that can fit under the sustainable sourcing umbrella," says Daystar. "Their approaches and concentrations may vary, but all of them are working to reduce the environmental footprint of cotton." Q 3EPTEMBER/CTOBER ^ 4EXTILE )NSIGHT s TEXTILEINSIGHTCOM There are myriad reasons to pick cotton as a textile ingredient, and a range of programs that can fit under the sustainable sourcing umbrella." DR. JESSE DAYSTAR, COTTON INCORPORATED

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