The notion that cotton is a water guzzler is a myth reveals denim and cotton industry groups Transformers Foundation and ICAC. They say figures like “it requires 20,000 liters of water to make a T-shirt” are not true. According to ICAC, cotton uses around 1,931 liters of irrigation water to produce one kg of lint, which is about what is needed for one T-shirt.

Another myth that the groups debunk is the idea that cotton is a direct contributor to water stress, and is an inherently water-thirsty crop. They say though cotton grown in many water-stressed regions can contribute to water management challenges, cotton is a drought-tolerant plant adapted to arid regions and that it is not a proportionally high consumer of irrigation water (blue water) compared to many other crops.

Other factors that play into water stress include the lack of water-saving technologies and local water availability. They say the relationship between farming, cotton, and sustainable water management is complex and that calling cotton water-thirsty is misleading and can lead consumers to demonize a crop or a fiber rather than open up a conversation about water stewardship and sustainability in the cotton sector. Their suggestion is brands and companies across the fashion supply chain should offer better reporting, monitoring and data on their environmental practices.