Goondiwindi Cotton Circular Cotton Project

Ground Breaking Trial Returning Cotton Textile Waste to Cotton Fields Launched in Goondiwindi, Queensland

 

"Worn Up is committed to finding solutions to the enormous problem of textile waste and the environmental implications of this facing us all. The Goondiwindi Circular Cotton Project and the calibre of partners involved leaves us optimistic about the future, and how we can work together to tackle textile waste in an innovative and scalable way.”

Annie Thompson, Founder, Worn Up

 

A cotton farm just outside the rural town of Goondiwindi Queensland is the site of a ground breaking trial to test whether shredded cotton products could offer benefits to cotton soil health, and a scalable solution to textile waste. 

The project, under the guidance of circular economy specialists Coreo, is a partnership between the Queensland Government, Goondiwindi Cotton, Sheridan, Cotton Australia, Worn Up and Cotton Research and Development Corporation supported soil scientist Dr Oliver Knox of UNE.

 

 

Around two tonnes of cotton textiles, garments and end of life State Emergency Service coveralls have been processed at WORN UP in Sydney, transported to “Alcheringa” farm, and spread onto a cotton field by local farmer, Sam Coulton.

The field is being prepared for planting the next cotton crop in October. It’s hoped the fabrics will break down in the soil, increase microbial activity, lock in carbon and provide cover to improve soil moisture.

Projections show 2,250kg of Carbon Dioxide equivalents (CO2 e) into the atmosphere will be mitigated through the breakdown of these garments in soil rather than landfill.

The trial will look at the breakdown process at different application rates, and will assess effects on soil nutrition, respiration/CO2 and microbial biomass.

The project team hopes the results will provide evidence for a large scale circular solution for 100% cotton textile products in Australia, which are naturally biodegradable, renewable and recyclable