Homewares retailer Sheridan Australia is taking part in a novel trial in which its shredded cotton products are returned to the soil to test whether it can improve cotton soil health and act as a scalable solution to textile waste. The project is being led by circular economy specialists Coreo in partnership with the Queensland Government, Goondiwindi Cotton, Cotton Australia, Worn Up and Cotton Research and Development Corporation. Paul Gould, Sheridan Group’s general manager, was on site at
te at a cotton farm near Goondiwindi, Queensland, on Wednesday to witness two tonnes of cotton, from textiles and garments, being spread across the soil which is being prepared for the next crop in October.
“We’re incredibly proud,” Gould told Inside Retail. “It was quite a meaningful thing for a lot of people; how something so simple could be so powerful and we just hope this is going to be successful and will set the standard [for managing cotton waste.
“Today we contributed 1600 kilos and it didn’t go very far. The opportunity here is not just in cotton fields, but in all types of farming.”
Textile waste continues to be a major problem for communities and supply chains globally. The latest Australian estimate shows approximately 85 per cent of apparel is sent to landfill at end of life.
The goal of the trial is for the fabrics to break down, microbial activity to increase, soil moisture to improve and there to be less carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. Projections show 2,250kg of carbon dioxide equivalents can be mitigated through soil breakdown versus landfill.
If successful, the project team hopes this can provide a large scale circular solution for 100 per cent cotton textile products in Australia, which are naturally biodegradable, renewable and recyclable.
L-R Paul Gould (Sheridan), Sam Coulton (Farmer & Owner of Goondiwindi Cotton), Marjon Wind (COREO), Ashleigh Morris (COREO), Anne Thompson (Worn Up) and Brooke Summers (Cotton Australia) Image: Supplied.
Brooke Summers, supply chain consultant at Cotton Australia, is hopeful the system can benefit all in the cotton supply chain.
“Returning cotton garments to the farms on which they began would completely close the loop on a cotton product, providing a win for brands, retailers and consumers looking for circular solutions, and a possible benefit to our farmers, their soils and the planet. It’s very exciting,” she said.
For Sheridan, it’s another step forward on its sustainability journey.
“Recycling is very complex, it can be very costly with huge capital investments required. But this couldn’t be any simpler. One of the fortunate things with Sheridan sheets and towels is that they are 100 per cent cotton so they don’t need to be separated.
“And fibres don’t have to be shipped offshore. It’s [more cost effective].”
Take-back scheme making good progress
In 2019, Sheridan launched an in-store recycling program, where customers can drop off old towels, quilt covers and sheets which are then assessed for use in other textile products. While the program had to take a break at the height of Covid-19 outbreaks, Gould said it is making good progress.
“We’ve collected 25,000kg of bed linen and towels since early 2019 and this [cotton soil trial] will highlight to people that we’re offering that as an opportunity. We’re not just taking back our own products, but any sheets and towels,” he said.
The cotton field project comes off the back of lab-based testing of the biodegradation process of cotton fabrics back in 2020. The results showed increased levels of bacterial and fungal activity, significant breakdown of the fabric in about 24 weeks and germination of cotton seeds in the soil with cotton fabric.
This project will include further testing will be undertaken to determine the impact of dyes and finishes on soils and other challenges such as the removal of buttons, zips and synthetic threads and tags.
The trial will be completed by early 2022 but the real benefits for cotton yield and long-term soil health may not be known for many years.