Page 11 - TEXtalks. March- April 2023

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Better Cotton launches new

2030 Impact Targets

Better Cotton, the world’s largest cotton sustainability initiative, announced. These ambitious new metrics form
part of its ongoing 2030 Strategy and detail plans to galvanize change at the field level in key areas. The new
target sets out to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% per tonne of Better Cotton lint produced by the
end of the decade.

With more than 22 million tonnes produced annually, cotton is one of the world’s most important renewable
resources and exists in very diverse landscapes. The sector’s development has the potential to reduce poverty
whilst promoting sustainability and equality which is why four Impact Targets were developed in conjunction
with leading civil society organizations and industry experts:
• Sustainable Livelihoods – Sustainably increase the net income and resilience of two million cotton farmers
and workers.
• Soil Health – Ensure 100% of Better Cotton farmers have improved the health of their soil. World Water Day
• Women’s Empowerment – Reach one million women in cotton with programs and resources that promote
equal farm decision-making, build climate resilience, or support improved livelihoods. And ensure 25% of field
staff are women with the power to influence sustainable cotton production. When will the textile industry be the change it wants to see?
• Pesticides – Reduce the use and risk of synthetic pesticides applied by Better Cotton farmers and workers by
at least 50%. Textile industries around the world are one of the According to WRI, an estimated 5 trillion liters of
• In the 2020-21 cotton season, Better Cotton and its network of field-level partners trained 2.9 million farmers most water-consuming, waste-water-producing, and water are used in the dyeing process, and an
in 26 countries on more sustainable farming practices. polluting. This World Water Day, a day once in the estimated 48-144 billion square meters of fabric
year comes to unite everyone towards a common from factory waste ends up in landfills each year. It
goal; to save the most precious resource in the world takes up to 10,000 liters of water to make a single
that is constantly emptying itself from the basket faster pair of jeans, and about 2,500 liters to make a
than we realize. What better day than today to ask cotton shirt. This water is enough for a person to
oneself, how can I be the change I want to see? drink for 900 days. Overall, the industry is
H&M promoting resale program This World Water Day is about accelerating change which is enough water to quench the thirst of 110
responsible for 20% of the world’s water pollution,

to solve the water and sanitation crisis. We need to
million people for an entire year.
take a moment to learn about the textile industry’s
impact on our water sources. Water is an essential Meanwhile, waste and circular economy have
Fast-fashion retailer H&M has collaborated with ThredUp, an online consignment platform, a resale program to resource for most organizations and reducing its become major issues as the total amount of textile
run their used clothing sales. ThredUp is already in partnership for this purpose with dozens of other brands footprint brings a lot of benefits. The textile sector waste has increased 8-fold since 1960, with only
H&M is by far the largest retailer to work with ThredUp. A spokesperson of H&M said the brand has been relies heavily on water for the processing of raw 15% being recycled but 85% being incinerated or
working secondhand since 2015, and learned through this process. It was after this experience they decided to materials and the finishing of textiles. During these landfilled. In terms of carbon emissions, the industry
make it user-friendly and easy to access." processes, dyes and chemicals are released into is responsible for ~7-10% of the annual global
our waterways and contaminate the water sources emissions – which is more than all international
Initially, around 30,000 articles of clothing will be available on H&M’s resale site. Other clothing retailers, that are vital for drinking, bathing, farming, and flights and ocean shipping combined. By 2030,
including Inditex's Zara and online fashion retailer SHEIN, have also launched resale marketplaces as shoppers recreation. Synthetic fibers, such as polyester and these greenhouse gas emissions will increase by
express growing interest in sustainability initiatives. Brokerage Morningstar has estimated that the resale polyamide, are also major contributors to water more than 50%.
market could grow to $300 billion by 2031. pollution. In total, up to 85% of textiles go into
landfills each year. That’s enough to fill the Sydney Despite various statistics echoed throughout the
H&M officials said that the resale of used clothing is a part of sustainable practices. Besides, it has launched harbor annually. industry, it is near impossible to accurately sum up
denim clothing made with recycled materials which consumers are encouraged to buy. fashion’s impact on water – this is not helped by a
H&M was earlier accused of marketing its clothes as more eco-friendly which was partly true as the clothing Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of water lack of transparency upstream of the value chain,
was not as eco-friendly as claimed by the brand. A lawsuit in this regard was filed against H&M in 2002. A worldwide, with the fashion industry producing 20% not only challenging identification of impact but also
spokesman of the company conceded that after an investigation of irregularities most have been of the world’s wastewater. Now more than ever, it is the necessary actions. Awareness needs to be
removed from its website. important for businesses to consider their water raised so that brands and textile companies become
footprint and take steps to reduce it. Our actions can more conscious of their business decisions that
have a profound impact on our waterways. have detrimental effects on their surroundings.

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