A coalition of stakeholders from the cotton industry has created new guidelines aimed at improving the use of Cotton Lifecycle Assessments (LCA) within the textile and apparel sectors. This consortium includes notable organizations such as the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), Cotton Australia, Cotton Incorporated, and the US Cotton Trust Protocol.
The guidelines, detailed in a report titled ‘From Data to Impact: How to Get Cotton LCAs Right,’ are designed to help the fashion and textile industries implement these assessments effectively and reliably, while also integrating complementary methodologies.
The report highlights the importance of merging Cotton Lifecycle Assessments with primary data collection to enhance insights from the field and foster comprehensive, data-driven sustainability communications. Lars van Doremalen, impact director at Better Cotton Initiative, stated, “With stronger methodological discipline and clearer communication, the cotton sector can ensure that sustainability claims are science-based, data-backed, and farmer-informed.”
He added that moving forward requires coordinated efforts from companies, initiatives, and policymakers, all founded on scientific integrity, acknowledgment of limitations, and practical application in the real world.
The report draws attention to the pitfalls of current LCA practices, which often result in misguided sustainability initiatives, wasted resources, and a loss of stakeholder confidence. It calls for a thorough reevaluation of how Cotton Lifecycle Assessments are utilized and communicated so that more reliable and context-aware sustainability outcomes can be achieved.
Endorsed by Cascale, Textile Exchange, and the Cotton Research and Development Corporation, the document critiques the frequent misuse of LCAs within the apparel industry. Issues stemming from inappropriate comparisons, lack of context, and disregard for methodological limitations not only undermine trust in sustainability claims but also mislead investments and interventions.
Cotton Incorporated Chief Sustainability Officer Jesse Daystar remarked, “LCAs are like looking through a keyhole; you certainly see something, but it is never the full picture.”
While the report emphasizes the usefulness of Cotton Lifecycle Assessments in identifying and prioritizing environmental measures and ensuring compliance with regulations, it also acknowledges that LCAs often fail to capture social metrics or rapid changes in agricultural practices, leading to an incomplete representation of real farm conditions.
Furthermore, the authors urge greater consensus within the industry. They recommend that standard-setting bodies collaborate to create essential data metrics and encourage brands and retailers to apply LCA results judiciously, focusing on investments that genuinely support sustainable farming practices.
Allan Williams, executive director of the Cotton Research & Development Corporation Australia, noted, “LCA doesn’t add anything for a farmer at the moment… Our focus is to invest in the fundamental research so we can understand which practices have the most impact rather than just collecting data for the sake of an LCA.”
The report ultimately advocates for prioritizing new primary data collection efforts and encourages stakeholders using Cotton Lifecycle Assessments data to commit to investments that truly enhance sustainable farming practices.
