Created in Australia in 2011, the Plastic Free July movement turned July into a period of awareness about the excessive use of plastics in daily life. But what does awareness about plastic pollution have to do with cotton and fashion? With the expansion of the textile industry, plastic fabrics made from petroleum-derived polymers like polyester have gained more space in factories due to their low production cost, increasing their presence in wardrobes worldwide.

In defense of natural fibers

For the Brazilian Association of Cotton Producers (Abrapa), Plastic Free July is a month to raise awareness about all the harms caused by plastic fibers used in fashion. According to a 2016 study published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin, it is estimated that each wash in a small 6 kg washing machine can release over 700,000 microplastic fibers into the water.

Plastic ingestion is today one of the main problems for marine species conservation, as they confuse microplastics with food. This happens with turtles, for example, which are prevented from eating and performing other physiological functions due to ingesting synthetic fibers, leading to suffering that can last until death.

The rise of synthetic fabrics in global fashion can be expressed in numbers. Since 2020, cotton’s share in global fiber consumption has dropped from 23.9% to the current 22.2%, according to the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC). Moreover, the presence of synthetic fibers is growing at a rate of over 5% per year, while cotton grows around 1% annually.

“When we advocate for a greater presence of cotton in the global textile mix, we are defending a plant-based, natural, biodegradable fiber with a much smaller carbon footprint than synthetic fibers, which are produced from fossil derivatives,” explains Gustavo Piccoli, president of the association.

For a world with less plastic

With cotton advocacy at the core of Cotton Brazil and the Sou de Algodão movement—Abrapa initiatives promoting Brazilian cotton—the association has positioned itself as a new voice in the market. Besides becoming the world’s largest cotton exporter, Brazil stands out with 80% of its national crop socio-environmentally certified and irrigation used on only 8% of the planted area.

“Choosing cotton products and clothing is mainly a matter of responsibility and concern for our future. People are increasingly worried about the impact of what they buy both on their health and the planet. Nobody wants to wear clothes made from fossil-based fabrics,” argues Piccoli.

Beyond environmental pollution by plastics, a 2024 article by researchers at the University of New Mexico, published in Nature Medicine, found microplastics present in the human body—including vital organs like the brain.

Biodegradable, renewable, and responsibly produced, cotton is an ally for those who want to live more lightly and consciously.