Cotton comes from a plant, the Gossypium, or cotton plant, which grows in the hot regions of the world.
It’s mainly produced in India, the US, and China… and has been used to make clothes for thousands of years.
Cotton fabrics are soft, insulating and absorbent, but they can shrink or go moldy.
How is cotton produced?
Plants are grown for several months until the flowers are covered with a boll.
Each boll contains about thirty seeds surrounded by an abundant down, the cotton.
The cotton fibers are then spun to make a wide variety of textile products such as clothes, sheets, towels…
Cotton is the most produced natural fiber in the world.
However, this poses many problems, both for the environment and for those who grow it.
Cotton requires lots of water, fertilizers and pesticides to grow, which degrades the soil and affects the health of workers.
For example, it’s estimated it takes nearly 2000 gallons of water to produce one pair of jeans; the equivalent of 50 bathtubs!
Fortunately, many brands are committed to reducing the environmental impact of cotton.
Less water, fewer pesticides and fairer pay, will guarantee better cotton for people… and the planet.