Fabric
Organic Cotton
Certified organic farms in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Gujarat
Impact score
74/ 100
Better Choice
A blended indicator of water, carbon, chemical load, durability and recyclability.
Measured impact per kg of fibre
Water footprint3,800 L / kg
Carbon footprint3.8 kg CO₂e / kg
Process energy42 MJ / kg
Microfibre sheddingNo shedding
BiodegradableYes
Durability5 years typical wear
Recyclability70 / 100
Data confidence
highHigh confidence — multiple peer-reviewed or industry datasets agree
Sources: Textile Exchange Organic Cotton LCA 2022 · GOTS 2023
Figures are cradle-to-gate averages per kilogram of fibre or fabric, not measurements of your specific garment. A typical adult shirt weighs roughly 0.2 kg.
Qualitative ratings
Water useModerate
Carbon footprintModerate
Chemical loadLow
DurabilityGood with care
RecyclabilityGood when unblended
What is it
Cotton grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, usually rain-fed.
Why it matters
Rain-fed cultivation and no synthetic agro-chemicals cut both blue water use and chemical load sharply.
Water Carbon Chemicals End of life
What you can do
Look for GOTS certification, not just the word 'organic' on the swing tag.