What is the estimated amount of agrochemicals used to produce a single cotton t-shirt?
According to the USDA 2007 usage data, .00544 pounds of pesticides is used to grow one pound of conventionally grown U.S. cotton. When 2005 synthetic fertilizer usage (nitrogen, phosphate, potash and sulfur) is included in the calculation then the combines synthetic fertilizer and pesticide usage is .179 pounds per pound of conventionally grown cotton. For example, a 9 oz cotton tee shirt could use as much as 2.85 oz of chemical inputs to cultivate the fiber needed to produce the average conventional cotton tee shirt, or about 1/3 of the weight of the shirt.
