Page 21 - TEXtalks International April/May 2022

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The need for a

Levi Strauss & Co. joins the circular economy

Organic Cotton Accelerator program in the US is

Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) is the latest to join the only made up 1 percent of global production in the growing
Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA), a 2019-20 crop year. Moreover, thanks to its massive
multi-stakeholder organization that brings supply reach, the heritage denim brand’s participation will
security and measurable social and environmental help the program empower organic cotton farmers. Textile production has increased dramatically over bottlenecks, and opportunities for circularity.
impact to organic cotton farming. Organic cotton is The OCA reached more than 12,000 farmers recent decades, particularly with the rise of fast
in high demand for its chemical-free, regenerative through its farming program from 2019 to 2020, fashion. Simultaneously, increased production of Global fiber production, hit by the COVID-19
properties that are reportedly better for the during which 2 percent of participating farmers synthetic, fossil-based fiber (e.g., polyester, nylon) pandemic, decreased from 111 million tonnes (MT)
environment and workers. Compared to other earned on average 2 percent higher net income due to their cost-efficiency and performance in 2019 to 109 MT in 2020 after years of growth,
materials on the market, organic cotton is one of the from their cotton than conventional farmers. characteristics (e.g., stretch, durability, shrink according to the Preferred Fiber & Materials Market
most environmentally friendly options, as it does not LS&Co.’s participation brings the brand closer to resistance) has resulted in a large volume of Report 2021. While it is not yet clear how the
have a harsh manufacturing process. reaching its goals of sourcing more responsible synthetic fibers. The value chain of textiles is pandemic and other factors will affect future
fibers. In a sustainability report published in
By joining the OCA as a contributor, LS&Co. will help September, the company pledged to reach 100 characterized by vertical disintegration and global development, production is expected to rise by 34 %
to 146 MT by 2030 if the industry builds a back
dispersion of successive processes that span
increase the global organic cotton supply, which percent more sustainable cotton by 2025.
several industries, including agriculture (natural business as usual. While the overall fiber production
fibers), petrochemical (synthetic fibers), declined in 2020, the market share of preferred fiber
manufacturing, distribution logistics, and retail. and materials is increasing. However, despite this
growth, preferred fibers still only represent less than
Textile products are produced, used, and disposed
Trial of Pakistani cotton seed of in the current linear economic model. It is a fifth of the global fiber market. This number
includes—in descending order—recycled polyester
estimated that a mere 15 % of discarded clothing
variety starts in Azerbaijan and textiles are collected for reuse, recycling, or (8.4 MT), preferred cotton as defined by a list of
recognized standards (7.8 MT), FSC/PEFC certified
downcycling in the US, while the remainder is sent
man-made cellulosic fibers (nearly 3.9 MT), and
to landfills and incineration. This represents a
tremendous loss of economic and material value other recycled and bio-based fibers produced
Trial sowing of new cotton varieties (one Azerbaijani, one Turkish, and seven Pakistani varieties) has begun in and has severe social and environmental impacts. according to recognized standards (0.57 MT). The
Azerbaijan’s Imishli, Saatli, Sabirabad, and Beylagan regions, Trend reports concerning Azerbaijan’s market share of recycled fibers increased from 6.9
Agriculture Ministry. According to the ministry, this experiment aims to identify seeds that are resistant to A circular economy (CE) approach aims to extend % in 2016 to 8.1% in 2020, with the majority (7.6%)
drought and diseases and with high yields. According to the Director of the Institute of Agrarian Problems of the life of textile products through reuse and repair coming from recycled PET bottles and only a minor
Azerbaijan’s National Academy of Sciences, Elchin Khalilov, such test crops have been and keep end-of-life (EoL) materials in the economy part (0.5 %) from other recycled feedstock. Furthere,
carried out since 2021. through recycling. Therefore, transition to a CE is the production of fibers is increasing as shown in
essential to reduce pressure on natural resources, figure (taken from a report published by the Textile
Historically, cotton production in Azerbaijan has been crucial to the national economy, accounting for create domestic and sustainable growth and jobs, Exchange).
approximately 25% of agricultural revenue. It occurs mainly in the area west of the Caspian Sea. Until the late and ensure our Nation’s security and economic
1980s, Azerbaijan was one of the world’s leading cotton producers, producing high yields of raw cotton up to prosperity. However, several challenges face the Therefore, fiber production is increasing, indirectly
2.5 tonnes/ha and gross annual production of 400–500 thousand tonnes. adoption of a circular economy for textiles. In increasing the need for a circular economy.
September 2021, The US National Institute of Furthermore, the cost of managing textile waste in
In 1999, seed cotton production amounted to 101,000 tonnes from 156,000 hectares (390,000 acres). Now Standards and Technology (NIST) held a three-day the US is high and increasing. In 2020, it was
the country is looking to increase its cotton production capacity. Therefore, the current trial of new varieties is workshop entitled “Facilitating a Circular Economy estimated that textile collection and disposal cost
under test. Furthermore, the Pakistani cotton variety trial in another country is good news for Textiles” aimed at identifying specific challenges Americans over $4 billion based on average
that could generate revenue. and needs to overcome those barriers. Nearly 150 landfilling/incineration tip fees and collection costs.
stakeholders participated in the event, including This cost will likely increase as transportation costs
brands/manufacturers, recyclers, non-profit rise and available landfill capacity is reduced. Thus,
organizations, industry associations, and the US and the whole world should move to a
researchers who discussed the current state, circular economy.

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