The Journey of a T-Shirt – From Cotton to the Store

The journey of a T-shirt begins in cotton fields. Cotton is mainly grown in countries such as India, China, the USA, and Pakistan.
Cotton cultivation requires a lot of water: On average, about 2,700 liters of water are needed for a single T-shirt.
Pesticides and chemical fertilizers are often used, which can harm the environment and the health of workers. Many small farmers struggle with low wages and fluctuating raw material prices.
Organic cotton is a more environmentally friendly alternative and avoids harmful chemicals.
⚙ cottoncultivation

After harvesting, cotton is processed in factories:
- First, it is cleaned and ginned.
- Next, it is spun into yarn.
- The yarn is woven or knitted into fabrics.
- Then the fabrics are dyed, cut, and sewn into T-shirts in garment factories.
Most production sites are located in countries with low wages such as Bangladesh, Vietnam, or Ethiopia. There, poor working conditions, low wages and unsafe workplaces are common. Child labor and excessive working hours are unfortunately still widespread.
Cotton – the challenge of white gold
Fashion industry in Bangladesh: These are the working conditions for our clothes
Trapped in the cotton chain
⚙ processing

After production, the T-shirt embarks on its next journey:
- It is transported over long distances in containers by ship, truck or rail.
- From the manufacturing countries, it usually arrives in Europe or North America at large warehouses.
- There the shirts are sorted, labeled, and finally distributed to individual stores or online retailers.
This worldwide transport causes considerable CO₂ emissions.
⚙ transport

Arriving at the store, the T-shirt is offered for sale.
Many fashion chains rely on the concept of 'Fast Fashion': New collections appear constantly at low prices.
This tempts consumers to buy frequently and discard quickly. As a result, the lifespan of a T-shirt is often short.
Fast Fashion leads to excessive resource use, increasing waste, and additional environmental burden.
MADE IN BANGLADESH - Inside the fast fashion factories where children work
⚙ sale

Negative impacts along the production chain:
- High water use and pesticide application
- Poor working conditions and exploitation
- Large CO₂ emissions due to transportation
- Massive textile waste
Workers in manufacturing countries often lack sufficient legal protection. Environmental problems, such as the pollution of waterways from dyeing wastewater, are severe.
Fast Fashion: Who pays the real price for our casual street wear? | planet.e
⚙ social

How can it be more sustainable?
- Fair Fashion: Focuses on fair wages, safe working conditions, and transparent supply chains. Seals like Fairtrade or GOTS help with purchasing decisions.
- Organic cotton: Protects the environment and health.
- Second-hand and upcycling: Extend the life of clothes and reduce waste.
- Buying consciously and less: Quality over quantity – saves resources and money.
Many fashion labels now offer fair and ecological alternatives. Consumers can contribute to improvements through their purchase decisions.
Sustainable vintage clothing and upcycling love: 'Im Wühli' is a paradise for second-hand lovers
⚙ alternatives

Stage	Examples	Impacts
Cotton cultivation	India, USA, China	High water use, pesticide application
Processing/Factories	Bangladesh, Vietnam	Low wages, poor working conditions
Transport	by ship/truck	CO₂ emissions, long distances
Sale	Stores, online shops	Fast consumption (Fast Fashion)
Disposal	Worldwide	High waste, landfill mountains