Global Cotton and Textile Product Chains

The report examines China's pivotal role as a major cotton producer, importer, and textile exporter, highlighting the environmental degradation caused by intensive chemical and water use in domestic production. It compares these impacts with those in other regions, noting that rain-fed production in West Africa offers a more sustainable alternative. The document evaluates four future scenarios up to 2020, arguing that internalizing environmental costs and shifting sourcing toward sustainable African production can improve global sustainability. Key recommendations include developing a national information strategy on sustainability, adopting international standards like the Better Cotton Initiative, and eliminating duties on African cotton imports.

• Cotton production in China is characterized by high environmental pressure due to heavy reliance on water and agrochemicals, with pesticide use in cotton accounting for 30 to 40 per cent of all crop pesticide use in the country.
• The textile printing and dyeing industry in China is a major source of pollution, with waste water discharge ranking fifth among all Chinese industries, totaling 1.413 billion tonnes in 2003.
• West African cotton production is identified as a highly sustainable alternative because it is primarily rain-fed and uses significantly fewer chemical fertilizers and pesticides than OECD countries or China.
• The report argues that internalizing environmental costs—such as through pollution taxes and discharge fees—would increase product costs by approximately 2 per cent but would drive technological upgrades and long-term sustainability.
• Scenario analysis for 2020 suggests that if the textile industry relocates outside China or shifts to domestic-only demand, China could import 3.5 million tonnes of cotton, which would be more environmentally beneficial than domestic production.
• China's comparative advantage in textiles is currently based on cheap labour and the externalization of environmental costs, but this is weakening due to rising wages and stricter regulations.
• The report recommends that China eliminate duties on African cotton imports and invest in African agricultural technology to improve the sustainability and quality of the supply chain.
• Organic cotton is highlighted as a critical tool for environmental protection, potentially saving 75 per cent of water compared to conventional cotton, though its current market share remains marginal.

APA

Pan, J., Chu, C., Zhao, X., Cui, Y., & Voituriez, T. (2008). Global Cotton and Textile Product Chains. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/china_sd_cotton.pdf

Chicago

Pan, Jiahua, Chengshan Chu, Xinghu Zhao, Yuqing Cui, and Tancrède Voituriez. Global Cotton and Textile Product Chains. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2008. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/china_sd_cotton.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{pan2008global, author = {Pan, Jiahua and Chu, Chengshan and Zhao, Xinghu and Cui, Yuqing and Voituriez, Tancrède}, title = {{Global Cotton and Textile Product Chains}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2008}, month = oct, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/china_sd_cotton.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }