Excellent
Material Deep Dive
Recycled Cotton
Recycled cotton scores 92/100 due to very low cradle-to-gate carbon and low weighted water use for mechanical recycling, plus full biodegradability.
Plant
Recycled
End of Life
3 months
100/100
Chemical Use
Low
80/100
Pollution
Low
80/100
Water Usage
635 L/kg
97/100
Carbon Footprint
0.381 kg CO₂/kg
98/100
Carbon Footprint Analysis
98/100
Recycled Cotton produces approximately 0.381 kg CO₂-equivalent per kilogram of fiber.
The Data
Carbon Footprint
0.381 kg CO₂/kg
FSI Carbon Score
98/100
Sources: Higg Materials Sustainability Index, Textile Exchange Preferred Fiber Report
Sustainability Breakdown
Microplastic risk
None
Care level
Easy
Available certifications
Global Recycled Standard (GRS), Recycled Claim Standard (RCS)
Key properties
breathable, soft, absorbent, biodegradable, hypoallergenic, versatile, reduced environmental impact
Common uses
t-shirts, apparel, denim, home textiles, sportswear, underwear, socks
Also known as
reclaimed cotton, post-consumer cotton, pre-consumer cotton, circular cotton