The textiles industry is one of the most environmentally heavy industries in the world. Cotton is a major raw material used in textile production. It is natural and renewable, but due to the large quantities of fertilizers, pesticides and water needed for its cultivation, it is also an extremely resource intensive crop.

The process of converting raw cotton into yarn, fabric and garments requires even more water. Dyestuffs and chemicals deplete and pollute the limited fresh water reserves available on our planet, and are a major contributor to CO2 emissions.

Bangladesh is the second largest apparel producer in the world and the number one producer of cotton T-shirts. This also results in tons of cotton textile scraps as a bi-product every day. These scraps, known as jooth in Bangladesh, are traditionally burned, discarded, exported or down-cycled into low quality fabrics, insulation and padding materials.