The Cotton Lives On initiative encourages UK fashion brands to recycle old cotton textiles, providing support for the homeless while addressing waste management issues.
The Cotton Lives On initiative, a recycling program launched in 2022 by Cotton Council International and Cotton Incorporated, is urging UK fashion brands and retailers to engage in its initiatives aimed at diverting old cotton textiles from landfills. The campaign builds upon the successful US initiative ‘Blue Jeans Go Green,’ which has recycled over 5.6 million pairs of jeans since its inception in 2006, effectively diverting 2,832 tonnes of denim from waste disposal.
Cotton Lives On aims to recycle various forms of cotton, including faulty or excess stock, transforming them into new products. This program currently includes participation from numerous UK fashion brands and retailers, such as Charles Tyrwhitt, Hush, Whistles, Hobbs, L’Estrange, Anthropologie, Paige, Bianca Saunders, Nexvision, and Me+Em.
Kim Kitchings, senior vice president of Cotton Incorporated, expressed her enthusiasm for the program’s reception, stating, “We are thrilled to see so much interest and participation in the Cotton Lives On recycling programme for 2025.” In her comments, she emphasized that fashion brands, retailers, and consumers can play a critical role in maintaining cotton’s circularity and preventing waste by contributing to the initiative. Importantly, the program also seeks to support individuals at risk of homelessness by providing them with roll mats made from recycled cotton.
To participate, brands must donate garments containing at least 85 percent cotton. These garments are then sorted, with components like buttons, zippers, and hardware removed prior to processing. The textiles are sent to a natural cotton fiber reprocessor, where they are converted into a non-woven pad for later use.
The initiative collaborates with Naturalmat, a natural bedding supplier based in Devon, to produce mattresses for individuals experiencing homelessness. These roll mats, made from recycled cotton garments, are distributed by UK charities such as Shelter and the Single Homeless Project.
As of now, Cotton Lives On has successfully collected nearly 8,000 kilograms of cotton and has provided approximately 100 roll mats. Each roll mat contains about 6.4 kilograms of unusable cotton, representing the equivalent of 45 T-shirts. Through these efforts, Cotton Lives On not only addresses waste management concerns but also contributes to social welfare by aiding those in need within the community.
Source: Noah Wire Services
