Why is cotton preferable material for towels?

1. Is cotton fully biodegradable?

How long does it take to fully biodegrade? There is growing evidence that cotton biodegrades in most natural environments. Cotton microfibers are readily biodegradable in wastewater, soil, freshwater and seawater conditions, while polyester microfibers are durable and non-degradable. How long it takes cotton to biodegrade depends on the conditions of the surrounding environment – including factors such as temperature, the presence of microorganisms, and more.

2. Planting or recycling cotton, which is more energy efficient?

Growing cotton provides energy. Considering the energy stored in cottonseed, cotton actually produces more net energy than is needed to grow cottonseed. Cottonseed oil can be processed and used in biodiesel, and the unprocessed cottonseed can be fed to animals as an important nutritional energy source. Therefore, the cotton production process is a net energy provider. 100% cotton fabric can be recycled for textile or other materials. The energy efficiency of the process depends on the sorting quality, the type of material, the equipment used and the final product. Growing and recycling cotton is important for both providing energy and saving energy, and researchers are always looking for ways to manage it to increase the efficiency of energy production and use.

3. After the cotton is harvested, what to do with the rest of the cotton plant?

In addition to using cotton to produce fabrics, cottonseed, cottonseed oil and cotton linters are also produced. Cotton is an “integrated” crop – meaning that as a cotton plant, not only is cotton fiber harvested, but it can also be used in hundreds of other products. Cottonseed oil is used in everything from salad dressings to cosmetics to toothpaste, and cottonseed can be fed to dairy cows. Cotton linters are tiny fluff left on the husks of cottonseeds and are a form of renewable cellulose. Linter is commonly used to make products such as paper, but can also be found in foods such as ice cream and beer.

4. How can cotton farmers protect the environment, such as maintaining biodiversity and wildlife habitat?

Cotton and the environment in which it grows benefit from a wide variety of wildlife habitats. Cotton farmers understand and value the importance of biodiversity, and land that is no longer productively producing cotton can become habitat for pheasants, quails, insects and other species.

5. What is the difference between traditional cotton and organic cotton?

In discussions on the topic of sustainability, the distinction between organic and conventional cotton is often misunderstood. In fact, their growing process is very similar. The biggest difference is where the seeds come from and what chemicals are used to grow and protect the cotton crop. When they are produced responsibly, both organic and conventional cotton can be grown with less environmental impact. But neither is more sustainable than the other, as growing conditions and farm practices are key drivers of sustainability.

6. Are many pesticides used in cotton cultivation?

Insecticides protect crops from weeds, insects and disease. Instead of using extensive pesticides on cotton crops, many cotton farmers have adopted an integrated pest management approach. Cotton farmers use pesticides in the lowest possible proportions suggested by pesticide labels only when necessary, taking into account the combination of efficacy, insect resistance potential and the environment. The use of pesticides has improved considerably in recent years. American cotton farmers today use 50 percent fewer pesticides than a generation ago.

7. Does cotton need a lot of fertilizer?

In addition to carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight, all plants need mineral nutrients to grow. The major nutrients required are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, but other minor and micronutrients are also essential. There are several ways to meet the nutritional needs of cotton during growth, including the use of nitrogen-fixing cover crops, manure, and soluble fertilizers. Fertilizing crops can promote growth and optimize yields. When used properly, fertilizers can help cotton farmers produce the same amount of crops on less land and with less water. However, too much nitrogen fertilizer is not only unhelpful for plants, it can harm the environment while reducing farm profits. Therefore, cotton farmers have strict control over the amount of fertilization.

8. Does cotton need a lot of water?

Cotton, like all plants, needs water to grow. Most of the water used to produce cotton is produced naturally from rainfall. Cotton farmers have been working to optimize water use in their cotton fields using technologies such as no-till farming and advanced irrigation systems. At 2.5 cm of rainfall per 4,000 square meters, modern cotton plant varieties tend to produce at least 22.7 kg of lint and 34 kg of seeds, enough lint to make over 170 T-shirts and seeds to feed over 10 cows! (Lint cotton is cotton that has been ginned and deseed, also known as raw cotton, and is a general commodity cotton in the conventional sense.)

9. Will cotton cultivation take up a lot of land?

Over the past 50 years, cotton production has been increasing while the amount of land devoted to cotton production has decreased by 50%. 5.6 High-yielding cotton varieties and modern agricultural practices help us continuously improve land use efficiency.