As expectations rise for brands to substantiate sustainability claims with reliable data, Cotton Incorporated’s 2026 Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of U.S. Cotton Fiber Production can help companies align sourcing decisions with decarbonization strategies, regulatory requirements, and sustainability reporting.
This study examines how cotton’s environmental impacts are measured and where meaningful improvements can be made across the value chain. The new data, grounded in real‑world grower inputs, measures what drives U.S. cotton’s environmental footprint from field to gin.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-compliant study, critically reviewed by an independent three-person expert panel, evaluates environmental impacts at the cradle-to-gate stage. Built on primary data from 753 growers across 17 states, the study offers new clarity into the key impact drivers including fertilizer production, on-farm emissions and irrigation, and highlights how methodological choices influence how results are interpreted.
The study reports that the cradle-to-gate production of 1 kg of U.S. cotton fiber generates 1.45 kg of fossil CO2 equivalent emissions. When accounting for biogenic carbon flows, including carbon stored in soil and temporarily in the fiber, the modeled-net result at this production stage is -0.264 kg CO2e per kilogram of fiber1. These results are presented within the defined system boundary and reflect how carbon is accounted for within the study.
As expectations rise for brands to substantiate sustainability claims with reliable data, this LCA provides a clear, independently reviewed reference for U.S. cotton. Built on primary data from real U.S. farms, it supports more informed material selection and Scope 3 Category 1 reporting, helping companies align sourcing decisions with decarbonization strategies, regulatory requirements, and sustainability reporting.
The LCA provides brands and other stakeholders with updated science-based data that can inform sustainability reporting, fiber sourcing decisions and broader efforts to assess cotton within material strategies. Read the full LCA report and executive summary at CottonWorks.com/LCA.
AMERICA’S COTTON PRODUCERS AND IMPORTERS.
Service Marks/ Trademarks of Cotton Incorporated © 2026 Cotton Incorporated.
Posted: June 27, 2026
Source: Sponsored Content Provided By Cotton Incorporated
For More information on the “Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of U.S. Cotton Fiber Production”
Please visit:
