Ecological Footprint and Water Analysis of Cotton, Hemp and Polyester

The report finds that polyester is the most energy-intensive and highest CO2 emitter, while hemp generally has the lowest Ecological Footprint. Cotton, particularly in Punjab, exhibits the highest Ecological Footprint due to low productivity and high land requirements. Water analysis reveals that cotton is extremely water-intensive, requiring between 9,788 and 9,958 litres per kilogram of lint, whereas polyester's water use is negligible in comparison.

• Polyester is the most energy-intensive fibre analysed, requiring between 104,479 and 126,706 MJ per tonne of spun fibre, which is significantly higher than the 11,000 to 32,000 MJ required for cotton and hemp.
• Polyester production also generates the highest carbon dioxide emissions, ranging from 7.2 to 9.52 kg of CO2 per tonne of fibre.
• Hemp demonstrates the lowest Ecological Footprint among the three main textile types, with values ranging from 1.46 to 2.01 global hectares (gha) per tonne of spun fibre.
• Cotton has the highest Ecological Footprint, peaking at 3.57 gha for conventional cotton in Punjab; this is primarily driven by low productivity and the resulting need for more land area.
• Cotton production is highly water-intensive, with estimates for the growth and processing of cotton imported into the UK ranging between 9,788 and 9,958 litres per kilogram of lint.
• Hemp requires significantly less water than cotton, with the overall water requirement to produce 1 kg of usable fibre estimated at 2,123 litres in an experimental method, while traditional processing requires 343 litres per kg.
• Polyester's water use is negligible compared to cotton, with a hypothetical comparison showing it uses less than 0.1 per cent of the water required for cotton growing.
• Organic cultivation of cotton and hemp reduces energy requirements by eliminating synthetic fertilisers and herbicides, though organic cotton yields are 20-50 per cent lower than conventional yields.
• In the UK, textiles consumed by households represent 1 per cent of the total UK Ecological Footprint, with clothing accounting for 53 per cent of that textile impact.

APA

Cherrett, N., Barrett, J., Clemett, A., Chadwick, M., & Chadwick, M. (2005). Ecological Footprint and Water Analysis of Cotton, Hemp and Polyester. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-Report-EcologicalFootprintAndWaterAnalysisOfCottonHempAndPolyester-2005.pdf

Chicago

Cherrett, Nia, John Barrett, Alexandra Clemett, Matthew Chadwick, and M.J. Chadwick. Ecological Footprint and Water Analysis of Cotton, Hemp and Polyester. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2005. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-Report-EcologicalFootprintAndWaterAnalysisOfCottonHempAndPolyester-2005.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cherrett |first1=Nia |last2=Barrett |first2=John |last3=Clemett |first3=Alexandra |last4=Chadwick |first4=Matthew |last5=Chadwick |first5=M.J. |title=Ecological Footprint and Water Analysis of Cotton, Hemp and Polyester |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2005 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-Report-EcologicalFootprintAndWaterAnalysisOfCottonHempAndPolyester-2005.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cherrett2005ecological, author = {Cherrett, Nia and Barrett, John and Clemett, Alexandra and Chadwick, Matthew and Chadwick, M.J.}, title = {{Ecological Footprint and Water Analysis of Cotton, Hemp and Polyester}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2005}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-Report-EcologicalFootprintAndWaterAnalysisOfCottonHempAndPolyester-2005.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }