RALEIGH, N.C. – Textiles are one of the top 10 largest contributors to landfills, but e3 sustainable cotton is trying to change that.

A product from BASF Corporation, e3 cotton works with many retailers around the globe and here in North Carolina, like Raleigh Denim, to create fashion that is more sustainable.

“e3 cotton is environmentally responsible, economically viable, and socially equitable. So what that means is that really we can take this fabric that the seams are made from and trace it back to the individual farmer and individual field where it came from and give those sustainability metrics and measures around this fabric,” says Jennifer Crumpler, BASF’s e3 Sustainable Cotton Program Manager.

According to Richard Venditti, a professor in the Department of Forest Biomaterials at N.C. State, items made out of materials like spandex and polyester, such as those stretchy jeans or athleisure items you have may in your closet, can take anywhere from 20 to 200 years to fully biodegrade depending on the environment. One hundred percent cotton on the other hand takes anywhere from about five months to as little as a week to break down.

“We love seeing that picture at the grocery store of that farmer that grew our sweet potatoes, but being intentional about where your clothes come from is even more important…even if you give them away, throw them away, they're going to be in that landfill for 100 years,” Crumpler says.

While many people are used to checking the ingredients before buying food, Crumpler hopes it’ll eventually become a habit to also check the tag.

To find out more about e3 cotton visit BASF’s website.