G-Star RAW unveils new potential of greenhouse-grown cotton
In collaboration with Wageningen University & Research and Dutch Cotton, Amsterdam-based fashion brand G-Star is exploring the potential of growing cotton in greenhouses to address the resource-intensive nature of traditional cotton farming.
A homegrown denim project
Amsterdam-based denim brand G-Star RAW has collaborated with Wageningen University & Research and Dutch Cotton to launch the "Homegrown Denim" project a Dutch initiative aimed at reducing the environmental impact of cotton cultivation.
Cotton, despite being an easy crop to grow, requires significant resources, including up to 10,000 litres of water per kilo of fibre. Additionally, it demands large tracts of land in warm climates, complicating the supply chain and adding environmental strain. The Homegrown Denim project seeks to mitigate these issues by cultivating cotton in controlled greenhouse environments.
A six-month experiment conducted in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands, focused on a small batch of greenhouse-grown cotton, assessing quality, yield, and fibre properties compared to conventional methods. It also explored strategies such as precision irrigation and renewable energy to minimise environmental impact and evaluated commercial potential.
Where good fashion solutions grow better
The results seem promising: greenhouse-grown cotton showed increased productivity and quality while significantly reducing environmental risks. Plants grew up to four metres tall and produced 5 to 23 times more cotton. The cotton was also cleaner, whiter, and free from weather damage and pests without using synthetic pesticides. Water usage was reduced by up to 95% through the use of recycled rainwater.
G-Star has already partnered with local suppliers such as Spinning Jenny, Liberty Threads, and Blueprint Amsterdam to produce the first 100% locally sourced and manufactured jeans, utilising electric vehicles to minimise supply chain distance.
While greenhouse-grown cotton products are not yet available for purchase, the experiment opened the door for scaling up the project and the possibility to eliminate cotton’s heavy environmental impact. The collaborators, G-Star and Wageningen University & Research are now working with Inno Growers a Dutch greenhouse company to transition into practical cultivation, aiming to increase cotton yield. The project has potential to significantly change the current highly polluting cotton production methods, making a positive environmental impact at both local and global levels.
