47 Latest Organic Cotton Facts and Statistics

Conventional cotton farming has a reputation for being the thirstiest crop in the world. It's largely justified. There is no doubt that organic farming methods are much better for the environment and that consumer demand for natural fibers is growing rapidly.

However, did you know that many of the so-called facts about organic cotton you'll read online are obsolete, based on data obtained before 2005?

The 2024 organic cotton statistics will debunk a few commonly-held myths about cotton farming, and allow you to build an accurate picture using the latest available data.

Today you'll learn about the current state of the conventional and organic cotton industry, including production volume, environmental impact, global sources, and market value.

Organic Cotton Production Data

• In the 2020/21 harvest year, cotton farmers grew 342,265 tons of certified organic cotton fiber. That's the equivalent of 1,597,236 US bales.
• 24,380,507 tons of cotton was grown in total, meaning approximately 1.4% of global cotton is organically grown.
• Growth took place on a land area of 1,536,232 acres (621,691 hectares) in 21 countries.
• 32,633,000 hectares of global land was used to grow cotton globally, meaning approximately 1.9% of cotton growing land was organic.
• There was a 37% increase in the production of organic cotton over the previous year.
• 724,522 acres (293,204 hectares) of cotton-growing land were in conversion to organic in 2020/21.

Organic Cotton Market Report, ICAC Cotton Data Book

Environmental Impact of Organic vs. Conventional Cotton

• Conventional cotton farming uses over 51 Trillion Liters of irrigation water annually.
• Organic cotton farming uses up to 91% less water than non-organic cotton.
• It has long been claimed that it takes 20,000 liters of water to produce a kilogram of conventional cotton. However, more recent 2024 figures from ICAC show this claim is no longer true, and put the current figure at 2,068 liters per kg. This is a global average and varies by region.
• 1 kg of cotton lint is enough to produce one t-shirt or pair of jeans (depending on size).
• Cotton production uses 122,481 tons of pesticide (mostly in Brazil, USA & China) and 58,910 tons of insecticide (mostly in Brazil, China & India) annually.
• This represents 4.4% of global chemical pesticide use on all crops. In contrast, organic cotton is grown using natural pest control methods.
• Around 80% of organic cotton is grown in areas in which it can be rainfed (green water) and therefore does not require substantial blue water irrigation.
• Organic cotton causes 26% less soil erosion than non-organic. There is three times as much carbon in the top layer of soil globally as there is in the entire atmosphere.
• Organic cotton uses 62% less energy to grow and produce compared to normal cotton.

Soil Association, The World Counts, Transformers Foundation, Textile Association, ICAC Cotton Data Book, Bayer Crop Science, Carbon Brief

Leading Organic Cotton Producing Countries

• Organic cotton was grown in 21 countries, with India leading at 38%, followed by Turkey (24%), China (10%), and Kyrgyzstan (9%).
• The leading 8 countries produce 97% of the global total.
• 86% of global in-conversion land (being converted from non-organic to organic) is in India.

Organic Cotton Market Report, ICAC Cotton Data Book

Leading Companies Using Organic Cotton

• 10 companies that are amongst the leading brands using recycled and organic cotton in 2023 are Boll & Branch, Tentree, Patagonia, Naturepedic, Knickey, Outerknown, Kuyichi, Madewell ECOFashion Corp, and Stella McCartney.

Textile Exchange MCI

U.S. Organic Cotton Production

• Last year, U.S. annual organic cotton production was 5,821 Metric Tons, harvested from around 29,739 acres (12,035 HA).
• This represents a 16% reduction in output from the previous year's harvest.
• The U.S. represents 1.7% of global organic cotton production.
• Only 0.2% of cotton produced in the U.S. is organic.
• However, U.S. output is projected to increase next year due to an expanse of in-conversion land in Texas and the Central Valley of California.

Organic Cotton Market Report, ICAC Cotton Data Book

Organic Cotton Market Value

• The worldwide market for organic cotton is expected to experience significant growth, increasing from a valuation of $637.1 million in 2021 to an estimated $6.73 billion by the year 2028.
• During this forecast period from 2021 to 2028, the market is anticipated to expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 40.0%.
• The price of organic cottonseed varies between $500 and $740 per ton. This is significantly more valuable than regular cottonseed, where prices range between $275 to $460 per ton.
• Overall sales of organic textile products in the US increased 10% over the prior year, reaching $2.3 billion in 2021.
• Estimates suggest there could be an 84% increase in the demand for organic cotton by 2030, compared to that in 2020.

USDA, OTA, Fortune Business Insights, Organic Cotton Demand Insights Report

Organic Cotton Regulation and Certification

• The term "organic" is legally regulated, unlike more vague terms like natural or sustainable. Government authorities set specific rules that farmers must follow to be allowed to label their cotton as organic.
• To market their crops as organic, farmers have to follow stringent guidelines. These include avoiding the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), synthetic fertilizers, or harmful chemical pesticides, and maintaining soil quality.
• Independent certification bodies such as GOTS and OCS cover the entire supply chain, from organic farming practices to what happens when the cotton leaves the farm.
• In 2021, there were 11,885 facilities globally certified to the Organic Content Standard, a 37% increase over 2020.
• Turkey (2,639), China (2,544), and India (1,743) were the top 3  countries by number of OCS-certified facilities
• The number of GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified facilities grew by 10% to 13,549 globally in 2022.
• There are now 84 GOTS-certified facilities worldwide (a YOY increase of 5%).
• India (3699), Turkey (1674), and China (1646) were the top 3  countries by number of GOTS-certified facilities.
• 60% of GOTS-Certified businesses say that certification offers them more business opportunities.

GOTS Annual Report, Organic Cotton Market Report

Products Made Using Organic Cotton

• Around 60% of organic cotton fiber is used in apparel (This includes organic clothing, outdoor wear, shoes, and accessories).
• 11.2% is used in packaging, including bags and cosmetics packaging.
• The remainder is used in fabrics that form part of sustainable home furnishings, bedding, cotton towels, curtains, makeup applicators, and medical supplies
• Cottonseed oil is also used in various food products.

Fortune Business Insights

More Facts About Conventional Cotton Farming

• Cotton as a whole represents 22% of the global fiber market.
• Up to 70% of all clothing produced today contains at least some cotton.
• In 2020, 75% of all cotton planted was genetically modified.
• 500 people die every day from pesticide poisoning.
• Some growers spend 60% of their annual income on expensive GMO seeds and chemical sprays.

TheRoundup.org, ICAC Cotton Data Book, Textile Exchange MCI, PAN

The Final Word

The environmental and worker health benefits of organic cotton versus conventional are clear.

However, many commonly quoted organic cotton facts are outdated, and it is important to report the latest available data to allow accurate opinions to be formed.

Our research indicates that despite increasing prices and market demand, organic farmers still only produce a tiny fraction of the world's cotton output.

Significantly more progress is needed over the next few years - both to satisfy demand, and to reduce the impact that conventional cotton producers have on the environment.

Sources

Textile Exchange | Textile Exchange | Material Change Index | ICAC | The World Counts | Soil Association | Transformers Foundation | Carbon Brief | USDA | Organic Textile Association | Fortune | GOTS | Pesticide Action Network