Cotton versus polyester: Which is the most sustainable to wear?
Choosing clothes made from cotton over those made from polyester should be an easy decision. One is a natural fibre, the other a plastic made from petroleum. But not so fast! Lets look at whats good and not so good about the two materials. Invented in 1941, polyester became uber-popular in the 1970s. Its more durable than cotton, doesnt tear or pill easily, and was once advertised as a miracle fibre that can be worn for 68 days straight without ironing and still look presentable. READ MORE: * Fashion is making progress on sustainability, this is what needs to come next * Think secondhand shopping is fuelled by good intentions? Think again, says thrift-shopping researcher * Style Solutions: Easy tips for building a capsule wardrobe * The Oodie problem: Hooded blankets cosy, not great for oceans or our health The ad does not mention how it smells after 68 days though! Today up to 60% percent of clothes worldwide are made from polyester which is usually derived from petroleum. Its a form of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the same material we know from drinking bottles, containers and packaging. PET is not biodegradable and can take 200 years to decompose. Polyester also sheds microplastics every time we wash our clothes which end up in the ocean. We dont know how microplastics affect our health and the environment, but we know theyve spread everywhere, and are found in birds, in the depths of the ocean as well as in our bodies. Polyester is not all bad, right? The longer clothes last the better , in sustainability terms. Polyester is cheap to produce and very durable. Its also easy-care. You can wash it in cold water, dry it quickly and skip the ironing, potentially saving a lot of energy over its lifetime compared to natural materials like cotton. How about recycled polyester? Buy a smart new fleece jacket, and chances are it will have been made from recycled plastic bottles. This doesn't solve the microplastic problem, but it does reuse the bottles and reduce the garments carbon footprint. Once plastic bottles are recycled into fabric, the blending of materials can make it challenging for the final product to be recycled again. So cottons better? Yes and no. People have used cotton for thousands of years to make fabrics. It grows quickly in several climates. Cotton is also washable, breathable, absorbent and reasonably strong. It could be a renewable source for our clothes. So whats the problem? Conventional cotton production uses a lot of pesticides and insecticides. It can pollute ecosystems and cause sickness and death among cotton workers. Growing cotton degrades soil quality and uses a lot of water. According to the UN, making one pair of jeans can take up to 10,000 litres of water . While cotton can be recycled and spun into new garments its not often done. Most cotton clothing ends up in landfill where it rots, emitting carbon. Is organic or recycled cotton the answer? Organic cotton uses regenerative methods and alternatives to pesticides and fertilisers. Its better for the planet, for the people wearing the fabric, and for those who work in the industry. But its expensive and growing it can be less efficient than conventional cottons genetically modified crops. Recycled cotton uses the fibres, either used fabric, or scraps left-over from producing cotton, and turns them into new textiles. Currently, recycled cotton often has synthetic material mixed in to improve the quality, meaning it prolongs the materials life, but then it cant be recycled again. The elephant in the room According to The World Bank, the clothing and textile industry produces around 10% of annual global carbon emissions. Every year more than 100 billion pieces of clothing are made and only about 1% of the material used to produce clothing is recycled. In New Zealand, an estimated 180,000 tonnes of clothing and textile waste is dumped in landfills every year. Mountains of clothes are sitting in warehouses, or unworn in our wardrobes. It makes you think twice about ordering a cheap garment from overseas that will end up in the bin Before buying new clothes, consider what you can get second-hand, or repairing what you already have. Can you rent or borrow something for that special occasion? A lot of research is going into making textiles more sustainable. The impact of every material can vary depending on where and how it is made. A good starting point is recycled cotton, organic hemp or linen or cellulose fabrics like tencel or monocel. When you do buy new, aim to buy the best you can, supporting companies that are trying to operate in sustainable ways. In the future, we need a business model that includes the sharing, swapping or renting, repairing and eventually recycling of all our clothes. For more check out Good on You , an app that rates thousands of brands. See here for more This versus That options: Wine bottle versus can: Whats more sustainable wine in a can or a bottle? Cat versus dogs: Which one makes the most sustainable pet?