Cotton Australia and CRDC have worked with international cotton programs, including the Better Cotton Initiative, Cotton Incorporated, Textile Exchange and the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, to develop a new guideline for cotton Lifecycle Assessments (LCAs). The publication, From Data to Impact: How to Get Cotton LCAs Right, aims to educate brands on how LCAs should and shouldn’t be used in making sustainability assessments.

LCAs measure the environmental footprint of a product from farm to finished product, including factors like water use, energy and emissions. But they are often misused, with brands comparing fibre types, cotton programs or not taking into account local context and important data limits. This can undermine trust in sustainability claims, cotton from a particular region excluded, and can lead to poor investment or business decisions.

“Cotton programs have an important role in helping brands understand how cotton is grown around the world and how these assessment tools should be used,” said Brooke Summers from Cotton Australia. “We owe it to our farmers to ensure their concerns are heard and that they help shape solutions. Change will not happen unless farmers are at the centre, working alongside the supply chain and our brand partners.”

The new LCA guidelines will encourage cotton to be recognised for its sustainability attributes, particularly compared with synthetic fibres, and support investment on farms that drives positive environmental outcomes.

Read more: Joint LCA report calls for better use of data to drive impact in the cotton sector.