Understanding the Impact of U.S. Cotton Production
- David Connolly
- 1 day ago
- 1 min read
The 2026 Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of U.S. Cotton Fiber Production provides current, independently reviewed data on the cradle-to-gate environmental profile of U.S. cotton fiber. Built on primary data from 753 growers across 17 states, the study delivers an updated U.S. average life cycle inventory and impact results that brands, retailers, and sustainability professionals can use as an input for Scope 3 Category 1 reporting, sourcing decisions, and compliance readiness.
U.S. Cotton Production from Seed to Baled Cotton
A life cycle assessment, or LCA, is a science-based method for evaluating the potential environmental impacts of a product across defined stages of its life cycle. This LCA focuses on cradle-to-gate U.S. cotton fiber production, including upstream raw material and energy inputs, on-farm production, field-to-gin transportation, and ginning operations.
Producing 1 kilogram of U.S. cotton fiber generates approximately 1.45 kilograms of fossil CO₂e emissions from cradle to gate, while biogenic carbon storage in cotton fiber and soil temporarily removes approximately 1.71 kilograms. The net cradle-to-gate result is –0.264 kilograms CO₂e per kilogram of U.S. cotton fiber.
Intention of LCA Results
These results are intended to support understanding, reporting, hotspot identification, and decision-making for U.S. cotton fiber production. They are not intended as a stand-alone basis for direct comparisons with other fibers, regions, cotton programs, or LCA studies.
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