Recycled cotton: A sustainable alternative to traditional cotton

Selecting materials that are as environmentally friendly as possible is always the first step in our design process. Recycled cotton has quickly established itself as the undisputed leader among our materials.

Reducing water consumption, reducing CO2 emissions, less textile waste, limiting pesticides and chemical fertilizers, supporting the circular economy, extending the lifespan of cotton fibers, reducing demand for new cotton crops… It has it all 😮

If you can't be bothered to read everything:

😊 Recycled cotton is made from cotton textile waste that is recovered and 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 fiber length and strength. Only 1% of the world's cotton is recycled.

✅ Recycled cotton is eco-friendly, reduces waste, provides 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 used (post-consumer) or unsold cotton clothing. Instead of ending up in landfill, this cotton waste is collected, sorted, and processed to be reused as new fiber. This approach reduces and recycles textile waste while avoiding the consumption of natural resources . Classy, ​​right?

How is recycled cotton made?

The process of making recycled cotton looks like this:

• Collection of cotton waste.
• Sorting textiles by color and quality.
• Shredding textiles into fibers.
• Mixing fibers to strengthen their strength.
• Spinning recycled fibers to create new cotton yarns.
• Use of threads to make fabrics.

Why isn't cotton eco-friendly?

Traditional cotton, although a natural fiber, is far from being environmentally friendly. Cotton cultivation is resource-intensive: it requires a lot of water (even organic cotton) and the massive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers , which pollute soils and waterways . In addition, cotton production often goes hand in hand with deforestation and soil depletion . As you can see, recycled cotton uses existing resources without requiring new crops, making it a much more environmentally friendly alternative.

How much water does recycled cotton save?

Recycled cotton offers significant water savings compared to virgin cotton . It is estimated that to produce 1 kg of virgin cotton, approximately 10,000 liters of water are required. By using recycled cotton, up to 95% of this water can be saved , which makes 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 largely positive. By avoiding the demand for new cotton crops, it helps to almost completely reduce the use of pesticides and water, while lowering greenhouse gas emissions linked to agricultural production. It also contributes to the reduction of textile waste , a growing problem in the fashion industry. In addition, since this textile waste is available almost everywhere, it is possible to source recycled cotton close to home (in Spain in our case) and therefore avoid having our material come from the other side of the planet 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 good quality?

The quality of recycled cotton depends mainly 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 alone to make strong clothing.
To maximize its quality, recycled cotton is usually blended with other materials . For example, we blend it with recycled polyester to create a 100% recycled textile to ensure that our clothes are strong and durable. (And I promise it's just as comfortable as conventional cotton)

How many times can cotton be recycled?

Cotton can be recycled multiple times, but the fibers become shorter and more brittle after each recycling process. Typically, 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 portion is actually remade into new clothing . The majority of recycled cotton is used for lower-value products, such as insulation or padding, rather than making new clothing. While recycling has limitations, it significantly extends the useful life of cotton and reduces the need to produce new cotton.

The advantages and limitations of recycled cotton

Benefits of recycled cotton	Limits of recycled cotton
GOOD better for the planet than conventional/organic cotton Reduces the volume of waste to be treated and the use of virgin resources So comfortable than conventional/organic cotton Allows local production because it is available in Europe	Depends on the availability of textile waste (but there are enough of them, don't worry) Recycled fibers are shorter and less strong , requiring blending with other materials. he is not not entirely without environmental impact , particularly due to the fiber sorting and treatment processes.

Conclusion: Recycled cotton or not?

Recycled cotton represents a highly promising alternative to traditional cotton. It reduces water consumption, textile waste, the distance traveled along the production chain, and the negative environmental impacts associated with growing virgin cotton. At Lucid, nearly all of our clothing is made from recycled cotton because we believe it's one of the most sustainable materials available today, and we must maximize its use for the well-being of our planet and future generations.

Sources:

• Textile Exchange. (2021). Recycled Cotton. Accessed at 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