At One Nine Nine, we talk a lot about sustainable oils and fats, soya and timber (and EUDR of course), but the reality is that all agriculture has an environmental and a social impact!

Cotton is everywhere - in fact, we grow 27 million tons of cotton a year, enough to give everyone on Earth 27 t-shirts.

But that huge amount of cotton comes at a cost - to the climate, farmers and more.  

In this blog, we take a closer look at some of the problems associated with cotton production and the solutions and best practices involved, including sustainability initiatives like Better Cotton. 

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The Environmental Impact of Cotton

Cotton farming is big business with half of all textiles made from cotton. According to World Wildlife Fund, it’s the ‘most widespread profitable non-food crop in the world’ and provides income for 250 million worldwide.

That colossal amount of cotton is grown using 2.5% of the world’s cultivated land and 6% of all pesticides used worldwide. It’s not just pesticides - cotton farming is particularly water-intensive; one look at the now-arid Aral Sea sadly demonstrates just how much of an impact irrigation can have on cotton farming.

Some of the sustainability issues associated with cotton include:

• Water usage: Cotton is a thirsty crop and often requires vast amounts of water in regions where water is already scarce. Unsustainable irrigation practices can put further strain on water shortages and damage local ecosystems.
• Pesticide use: Cotton production often relies heavily on pesticides which can lead to soil degradation, harm biodiversity and pose health risks to farmers and communities. Chemical overuse can also deplete the soil and create resistance in pests. 
• Soil health: Continuous cotton cultivation can lead to soil depletion. Practices like monocropping and the absence of crop rotation degrade the soil, making it less fertile over time.
• Labour practices: Cotton is often grown in regions with weak labour laws, leading to exploitation, child and forced labour. Farmers are frequently underpaid, trapped in cycles of debt, and have limited access to proper healthcare or education.
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Solutions and Best Practices in Cotton Farming

Those challenges are clearly significant, especially considering our dependence on cotton. But the the cotton industry is increasingly taking steps to reduce its environmental and social footprint, with key sustainability practices and initiatives emerging to address these issues. Organisations such as the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), Fairtrade and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) are at the forefront of efforts to make cotton more sustainable.

Here are some of the best practices being implemented:

1. Water-efficient irrigation techniques: More sustainable irrigation techniques, including drip irrigation, are increasingly used to minimise cotton’s water footprint while maintaining crop yields. Additionally, better water management practices, such as scheduling irrigation based on crop needs rather than fixed schedules, are becoming more common.
2. Reduced pesticide use: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) combines biological, cultural and mechanical pest control techniques, reducing reliance on chemical pesticides. This also improves biodiversity and soil health while reducing the harmful impacts of pesticide overuse. Organic cotton farming, which eliminates synthetic chemicals, is another growing trend.
3. Soil regeneration techniques: Healthy soils are essential to sustainable cotton production. Practices like crop rotation, reduced tillage and organic fertilisers help maintain and regenerate soil health. 
4. Sustainable initiatives: Initiatives - like Better Cotton - set standards for sustainable farming while giving farmers the training and resources they need to become more sustainable. They focus on reducing chemical use, improving water efficiency and promoting decent working conditions. Others to look out for are the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and the Fairtrade Cotton Standard. 
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The Role of Consumers and Brands

While sustainable farming practices are essential, brands and consumers also have an important role to play. 

Brands that prioritise sustainably sourced cotton can influence the industry by embracing sustainable cotton while shoppers can vote with their bank balances.

Alongside them, industry-wide programs are driving cotton toward a more responsible future. Last year, Better Cotton farmers provided 5.47 million tonnes or 22% of the world’s cotton production, building up a network across 22 countries. 

Taken together, brands, shoppers and certification programmes can reduce cotton’s vast environmental and social impacts. Our dependence on cotton isn’t going to change, but there’s increasing hope that we can work together to find a more sustainable future for this essential crop.

Need Help With Your Sustainability Marketing?

If you’re struggling to understand sustainability and how it can positively impact your marketing, One Nine Nine is here to help. We work with a wide range of clients including KTC, Daabon and Axiom across a wide range of sustainability issues. Our team of experts specialises in sustainability marketing and can assist you in creating genuine, compliant and impactful green claims.

To learn more about how we can help your business with sustainability comms and marketing team at 01138444111 or email us at contact@oneninenine.agency today.