It ain't fashion, if it ain't sustainable

Cotton

Cotton Production / Impact Study

6 September 2023

2 minutes

Cotton — supplying approximately a quarter of global textile fibres — has various environmental impacts, including water use, toxicity, eutrophication and greenhouse gas emissions. The study in question identified these impacts across multiple lifecycle stages.

Consumers Have Critical Role to Play in Cotton Sustainability; Usage Stage as Important as Cultivation and Manufacturing

An international research project on the impact of cotton says that consumers can play a critical role in enhancing sustainability not just by opting for slow fashion but also in how they use the garments.

Staff Writer

Due Diligence / GOTS 7.0

9 August 2023

2 minutes

The OECD Alignment Assessments, which are advisory-only in nature, assess the alignment of sustainability initiatives with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear Sector. Participation in this process does not imply endorsement by or affiliation with the OECD.

GOTS Starts OECD Alignment Assessment Process to Advance Sustainable Practices in Textiles Industry

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) has started the three-stage OECD Alignment Assessment which would help textile companies gain access to a due diligence process, enabling them to identify, assess, and mitigate adverse impacts throughout their supply chains.

Staff Writer

Climate Action / Cotton Farming

7 August 2023

2 minutes

Farmers and cotton stakeholders will use novel cotton mapping data products derived from Sentinel-2 images in a feasibility study run by CottonConnect and Assimila.

CottonConnect Project to Address Health Issues Caused by Climate Change among Smallholder Cotton Growers

Exploiting advances in earth observation and climate data science, a CottonConnect C5 pilot project is exploring how climate advice could help farmer decision-making at key stages in the cotton production cycle.

Staff Writer

Cotton Farming / Disease

26 July 2023

2 minutes

Disease is a major priority issue for the Australian cotton industry. It contributes to significant yield losses and undermines long-term confidence in growing cotton. In extreme cases, some growers have opted out of cotton in response to severe and escalating disease pressure.

Australia Launches $10 million Cotton Disease Research Project over 5 Years

Australia's premier research institution Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC) has embarked on an ambitious $10 million five-year collaborative approach to disease research to mitigate the economic impacts of disease.

Staff Writer

Cotton Farming / Australian Industry

25 July 2023

3 minutes

Cotton is grown mainly on family farms in inland eastern Australia. In recent years, it has also expanded into parts of Northern Australia.

Australia's Cotton Industry Has Halved Water Usage in Last 25 Years

The Australian cotton industry has made remarkable progress in the last 25 years, with its water consumption dropping by half. The last year also witnessed a record harvest of 5.6 million bales valued at a record $4.6 billion.

Special Correspondent

Cotton Production / Ginning

24 July 2023

2 minutes

An artist's impression of ginning in the United States around 1860.

First Ever Responsible Business for Gin Code of Conduct Released by CottonConnect

CottonConnect has developed a Responsible Business for Gins Code of Conduct in consultation with multiple industry stakeholders and independent verification bodies.

Staff Writer

Cotton Production / Australia

11 July 2023

4 minutes

Higher temperatures and lower rainfall associated with severe drought in 2018–19 saw more evaporation, more plant stress, and more irrigation water needed to grow cotton. All of those factors combined to reduce yields and reduce water use efficiency in that drought year.

Australian Cotton Productivity Increases, GHG Emissions Too Rise 15%

The just released Australian Cotton Sustainability Update 2022 has revealed some critical findings and suggests the way ahead on how it can cotton on to better sustainable ways and profitability with people and planet at centrestage.

Staff Writer

Climate Action / US Cotton

4 July 2023

2 minutes

A harvester in Mississippi. The Climate Smart Cotton Program brings together leaders and partners from supply chain outreach, academia and sustainability.

Cotton Growers Get Chance to Become Climate-Smart under US Cotton Trust Protocol Project

The US Cotton Trust Protocol has launched a five-year project which seeks to measure and improve the carbon footprint of the US cotton industry.

Staff Writer

Cotton Farming / Bioinformatics

4 July 2023

2 minutes

Gossypium herbaceum, commonly known as Levant cotton, is a species of cotton native to the semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa and Arabia, where it still grows perennially in the wild as a shrub.

Computer Scientists Sequence Genome of Cotton Species 'Gossypium herbaceum'

Computer scientists have reconstructed one of the most complete genomes of a top cotton species, which now give scientists a more complete picture of how wild cotton was domesticated over time and may help to strengthen and protect the crop for farmers.

Special Correspondent

Going Circular / Denim Deal

30 June 2023

4 minutes

On 1 January 2023, in total 49 signatories, including eight brands and retailers, were committed to the Denim Deal with the aim to close the denim loop by promoting the use of high-grade post-consumer recycled cotton fibres (PCR-cotton) in new jeans and other denim garments.

Denim Deal Study Shows Share of 20% PCR-Cotton in Jeans is Growing

The Denim Deal Monitor 2022 says there is a positive development in the increase in application of post-consumer recycled cotton in denim garments and jeans, with 7 of the 8 participating brands and retailers aiming for higher targets than the 5%-PCR-content in the coming years.

Special Correspondent