Why

Producing a single pound of conventional cotton takes about 240 gallons of water (Higg Materials Sustainability Index, version 3.9). Add that to the carbon footprint of preparing the soil, the harmful pesticides that impact field workers, cultivating the plants and harvesting the crops, then scale up that number to encompass all the cotton grown in the world—and you get a significant environmental cost. By using recycled cotton, we extend the life span of a fiber that has already been created, uses fewer environmental resources and still has that soft, comfortable feel.

Where We Are

Our supply- chain partners collect a variety of cotton waste products—some from postconsumer sources that would otherwise get landfilled and others from pre-consumer spinning-mill waste or sewing factory scraps—and use only the cotton that meets our quality standards . Then, the fibers are mechanically shredded, so they can be re-spun into new yarn. Most of our recycled cotton is blended with recycled polyester. This process extends the length of the fibers to make the perfect yarn for sweatshirts and T-shirts.

While the majority of our cotton is organic, we know it’s also important to do more with what we already have. For the Spring 2026 season, 20% of our cotton fabrics by weight are made with recycled cotton. Using recycled cotton fiber reduces CO₂e emissions by 82% per kilogram compared to using conventional virgin cotton fiber, based on the Higg Materials Sustainability Index, version 3.7.

What’s Next

Patagonia is focusing on four types of cotton: organic cotton, recycled cotton, Cotton in Conversion (cotton from farmers who are transitioning their crops from conventional to organic cotton) and Regenerative Organic Certified® cotton. By prioritizing these types of raw materials, we’re also prioritizing the positive impacts they can have on the environment, including providing economic stability for farmers and ranchers, and creating more resilient ecosystems.