Majority of consumers trusts safety of cotton, survey finds

A majority (85 percent) of global consumers believes that cotton is safe for the environment according to a survey by US non-profit organisation Cotton Incorporated. This is the highest percentage of any natural fibre, closely followed by wool (81 percent), as well as silk (76 percent) and hemp (69 percent).

Since 2017, the research company has been surveying close to 29,000 consumers in China, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, the UK and the US annually. The latest data revealed that man-made fibres like rayon/viscose, Lycra/spandex, polyester and nylon were each considered safe for the environment by only 43 percent of respondents.

Microplastic awareness on the rise

Awareness of microplastic waste in the oceans remains steady at 45 percent, an increase by 18 percent compared to 27 percent in 2017. This means that most consumers accurately identify synthetic fibres such as polyester (62 percent), nylon (59 percent), and Lycra/spandex (55 percent) as containing microplastics. By country, awareness of microplastic waste was highest in India (56 percent) followed by China (47 percent) and Germany (46 percent), then Italy and the UK (44 percent), the US (41 percent) and Mexico (39 percent).

“The global Plastic Free July movement provides an important opportunity to highlight consumers’ growing awareness of cotton’s environmental benefits. The vast majority of respondents correctly identified cotton as a safe choice for the environment, while awareness around microplastic pollution in our oceans has risen significantly since 2017,” confirmed Andrea Samber, director of brand partnerships for Cotton Incorporated, in a statement.

Consumers ready to act more sustainably

The survey also found that a majority (84 percent) of respondents are motivated to take sustainable actions and for 70 percent, sustainability continues to influence their purchase decisions when shopping for clothes.

“They look to material, sustainable practices such as recycling and price to determine whether an item is sustainable. Most consumers (60 percent) say they are likely to pay more for sustainable clothing, especially Gen Z and Millennials,” finds the survey.

Recycling programme collects 8 tonnes of cotton

The Cotton Lives On recycling program was established in 2022 by Cotton Incorporated and the Cotton Council International to reduce textile waste and repurpose old cotton garments. Currently, they are transformed into mattresses for people at risk of homelessness. To date, the programme has collected approximately 8,000 kilograms of cotton in the UK and provided over 100 roll mats, each one containing the equivalent to 45 cotton T-shirts.

The programme works with UK fashion brands and retailers such as Anthropologie, Bianca Saunders, Charles Tyrwhitt, Hush, Margaret Howell, Whistles and others. “Responsible management of all textile waste remains essential. Through the Cotton Lives On recycling programme, we encourage brands to recycle old cotton products, helping to keep valuable natural fibres out of landfill,” emphasises Samber.