Selecting materials that are as environmentally friendly as possible is always the first step in our design process. Recycled cotton has quickly become the undisputed leader among our materials.
Reduced water consumption, lower CO2 emissions, less textile waste, limited use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, support for the circular economy, extended lifespan of cotton fibers, reduced demand for new cotton crops… It has everything going for it 😮
If you're too lazy to read everything
😊 Recycled cotton is made from recovered cotton textile waste that is reused to create new fibers.
🔄 It is produced by shredding used cotton textiles, sorting them, and spinning them to create new cotton yarns.
🌱 Conventional cotton farming is water-intensive, uses a lot of pesticides, and contributes to deforestation.
💧 Recycled cotton saves up to 95% of the water needed to produce virgin cotton.
🌍 It reduces textile waste, decreases water and pesticide consumption, and helps limit CO2 emissions.
👍Less robust than virgin cotton, it is often blended with other fibers to improve its durability.
♻️Cotton can be recycled multiple times, but each cycle reduces the length and strength of the fibers. Only 1% of the world's cotton is recycled.
✅ Recycled cotton is eco-friendly, reduces waste, offers comfort, and encourages local production.
⚠️ Its limitations include the availability of cotton waste, lower quality compared to virgin cotton, and the need to blend with other fibers to strengthen the fabric.
What is recycled cotton?
Recycled cotton is a material made from cotton waste. This includes fabric scraps from textile production (pre-consumer) as well as worn (post-consumer) or unsold cotton clothing. Instead of ending up in landfills, this cotton waste is collected, sorted, and processed to be reused as new fiber. This approach reduces and repurposes textile waste while avoiding the consumption of natural resources .
As our friend Lavoisier so aptly put it, "nothing is created, nothing is lost, everything is recycled!"
How is recycled cotton made?
The manufacturing process for recycled cotton looks like this:
- Collection of cotton waste.
- Sorting textiles by color and quality.
- Shredding textiles into fibers.
- Blending of fibers to enhance their strength.
- Spinning recycled fibers to create new cotton yarns.
- Using yarn to make fabrics.
Why is cotton not environmentally friendly?
Traditional cotton , although a natural fiber, is far from environmentally friendly. Cotton cultivation is resource-intensive: it requires enormous amounts of water and the massive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers , which pollute the soil and waterways . Furthermore, cotton production often goes hand in hand with deforestation and soil depletion .
Organic cotton is more environmentally friendly because it excludes the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers and protects biodiversity. Unfortunately, its cultivation still requires a lot of water and land . We wrote an article on the subject right here !
As you will have understood, recycled cotton uses existing resources without requiring new crops, making it a much more ecological alternative.
How much water does recycled cotton save?
Recycled cotton offers significant water savings compared to virgin cotton . It is estimated that producing 1 kg of virgin cotton requires approximately 10,000 liters of water. By using recycled cotton, up to 95% of this water can be saved , making a huge difference, especially in regions where water is a precious resource.
What is the impact of recycled cotton?
The impact of recycled cotton is overwhelmingly positive. By avoiding the need for new cotton crops, it helps to almost entirely eliminate the use of pesticides and water, while also lowering greenhouse gas emissions associated with agricultural production. It also contributes to reducing textile waste , a growing problem in the fashion industry. Furthermore, since this textile waste is readily available, it's possible to source recycled cotton locally (in Spain in our case), thus avoiding having our material shipped from the other side of the world, as is generally the case with conventional cotton.
By adopting recycled cotton, brands and consumers are therefore making a concrete choice to support a more sustainable fashion system.
Is recycled cotton of good quality?
The quality of recycled cotton depends primarily on the quality of the recycled fibers and the manufacturing process. However, recycled cotton is less robust than virgin cotton due to the fibers being shortened during each recycling process . It remains a durable and functional option for certain uses but cannot be used on its own to make sturdy garments.
To maximize its quality, recycled cotton is generally blended with other materials . At our company, for example, we blend it with recycled polyester to create a 100% recycled textile and guarantee that our clothes are strong and last over time (and I promise it's just as comfortable as conventional cotton).
To go even further, our recycled materials are GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified to ensure responsible production and all our materials are OEKO-TEX 100 labeled which guarantees the absence of harmful substances .
If you want to know more: here is an article on sustainable fashion certifications .
How many times can cotton be recycled?
Cotton can be recycled multiple times, but the fibers become shorter and more fragile after each recycling process. Generally, recycled cotton is blended with other fibers to strengthen the final fabric. Currently, only about 1% of the world's cotton is recycled, and an even smaller proportion is actually transformed into new clothing . The majority of recycled cotton is used for lower-value products, such as insulation or stuffing materials, rather than for making new garments. While recycling has its limitations, it significantly extends the useful life of cotton and reduces the need to produce new cotton.
The advantages and limitations of recycled cotton
Advantages of recycled cotton |
Limitations of recycled cotton |
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Conclusion: Recycled cotton or not?
Recycled cotton represents a highly promising alternative to traditional cotton. It reduces water consumption, textile waste, the distance traveled in the production chain, and the negative environmental impacts associated with growing virgin cotton. At Lucid, almost all of our clothing is made from recycled cotton because we believe it is one of the most sustainable materials available today and that its use must be maximized for the well-being of our planet and future generations.
Sources:
- Textile Exchange. (2021). Recycled Cotton. Retrieved from https://textileexchange.org
- Fashion for Good. (2021). Understanding Recycled Cotton. Accessed at https://fashionforgood.com
- WWF. (2021). Cotton Farming and Water Use. Accessed at https://www.worldwildlife.org
- Greenpeace. (2019). The Environmental Impact of Cotton. Accessed at https://www.greenpeace.org
- Water Footprint Network. (2020). Water Footprint of Cotton Consumption. Accessed at https://waterfootprint.org
- Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2017). A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion's future. Retrieved from https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
- Textile World. (2021). Innovations in Recycled Cotton. Retrieved from https://textileworld.com
- Cotton Incorporated. (2020). Sustainability and Recycled Cotton. Retrieved from https://cottoninc.com
