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Not Only Is This Towel Supremely Soft, It Costs The Planet 98.5% Less Water
At mbg, we're always looking for ways to minimize our carbon footprint—because our health and the health of the planet are one and the same. That includes shopping sustainably and supporting eco-conscious brands where possible. We've spent a lot of time talking about sustainable fashion, as well as sustainable foods, sustainable beauty, sustainable kitchen products, and more. But there's one critical category of household items we haven't covered yet: towels.
Towels are a part of our everyday lives. And yet, no one is talking about how environmentally taxing it can be to create them. That's where luxury textile brand Micro Cotton shines. With a goal to become carbon neutral, Micro Cotton is taking proactive steps to reduce the amount of water and energy used in their production practices. And the best part is the quality of their soft and absorbent towels is not compromised in the process. But let's take a closer look at what makes Micro Cotton towels highly sustainable—and why you should make the switch.
Towels require cotton—and cotton requires (a lot) of water.
Part of being sustainable in any industry is cutting down on water use. But industries that utilize cotton as a primary commodity are automatically playing catch up, as this natural fiber requires a tremendous amount of water. Thankfully, 15 years ago, Micro Cotton recognized the global shortage of water and decided to minimize its consumption by implementing a zero liquid discharge technology. Through this waste management system, they are able to recover and reuse 98.5% of water in their towel production process. Micro Cotton saves a total of 1,240 liters of water during towel processing and production by using 3,000,000 pounds of recycled cotton every year. This allows the brand to develop 89 towels with the amount of water it takes a conventional towel manufacturer to create one.
No stone left unturned.
Although water use is the largest concern when it comes to towel production, it's important that brands address the other common offenders as well. That means reducing energy use, sourcing environmentally friendly materials, and conserving natural resources. Micro Cotton is a leader on all fronts. More than 90% of the energy used to produce their towels is clean, green, and renewable. Using wind energy systems and the largest industrial solar rooftop establishment in India, they are able to save 22,420,753 lbs of coal per year.
Additionally, Micro Cotton towels are OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN certified. This guarantees that the towels are made using non-harmful substances and sustainable processes under environmentally friendly and socially responsible working conditions. Micro Cotton is also constantly researching and testing new ways to achieve net-zero emissions. When it comes to lessening our environmental impact, the work never stops!
Better quality, fewer towels.
Creating quality that lasts is another key part of sustainable towel production. Crummy towels that have to be replaced frequently end up canceling out the resources saved per towel. Whereas high-quality towels that provide long-lasting softness and absorbency allow consumers to get more use out of each towel—consequently cutting down on the number of towels produced and resources used. So finding a towel like Micro Cotton that utilizes superior cotton and yarn to produce soft, durable towels is an important part of the equation.
Dry your body, not the Earth.
There's no question that multiuse towels are more environmentally friendly than paper towels. But there's still a lot that can be done to improve how our towels are being made—just as with any process that consumes natural resources. And Micro Cotton is at the forefront of this effort. In an industry that some experts deem the largest user of water among all agricultural commodities, Micro Cotton is paving the way for more sustainable production standards across the market.
Let's face it: It's not realistic to nix towels entirely, just like it's not realistic to stop wearing clothes. We'd be cold, wet, and naked—no thanks. We just need to do a better job at reducing the impact these industries have on our planet. By shopping smarter and supporting brands that are actually doing something to improve their production practices, we can make a difference. Dry your body, not the Earth!
