Basically, cotton, as you know it, is the natural fibers of the cultivated plant of the same name. These fibers, in turn, are the so-called seed hairs that appear when the yellow flowers of the plant transform into cotton ball-like buds. These cotton bales are usually harvested by machine and processed in spinning mills. But even if the fibers are basically a natural product, there are some points in the cultivation and harvesting of conventional cotton that must be viewed critically:
- Use of pesticides: Due to the long growth time, the plants are susceptible to pests. There is therefore usually no avoiding the use of insect repellants on large plantations. However, this can seep into the groundwater.
- Genetically modified plants: In order to keep the harvest as high as possible, there are genetically modified cotton bushes in most fields worldwide. They are less prone to insect infestation and have high yields. However, it is not clear here what effects genetically modified seeds have on nature and humans.
- Leaching of the soil: so that the cultivation is profitable, one harvested seed is followed by the next. This leaves the earth no time to recover from nutrient deprivation.
- Massive water consumption: Around 11,000 to 23,000 liters of water are used to produce 1 kilogram of cotton, because the plants are quite thirsty. Dried out lakes and rivers are the result in some cultivation areas.
- Exploitation: Even though a large part of the work is done mechanically, there are still people who work in the fields and farmers who deliver their harvest to processing companies. But especially in countries like India, Pakistan and China, where cotton is mainly grown, it is not always clear whether fair wages are paid or the rights of workers are respected.