Worldwide cotton is grown on about 80 million acres in approximately 80 countries, and provides about half of all global fibre requirements.

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Worldwide cotton is grown on about 80 million acres in approximately 80 countries, and provides about half of all global fibre requirements. According to the World Bank, China and the US contribute 20 percent of output, followed by India, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan, which account for another 25 percent of production. Turkey, Brazil, Australia, Greece, and many Central and West African countries harvest an additional 20 percent of the cotton found on the world market. Although these smaller countries individually produce less, cotton is a significant source of income for millions of small farmers and contributes significantly to their national and household economies.  Indeed, cotton is the most widely produced cash crop in the developing world, accounting for 30 to 40 percent of export earnings in some West African countries.

Although the size of the global cotton-growing area has not changed much since the 1930s, average yields have increased three-fold through the intensive use of synthetic chemicals, irrigation and the use of higher-yielding plant varieties. Because conventional cotton is highly prone to insect attacks, large quantities of toxic insecticides are typically used in its production. Cotton accounts for about 25% of the global insecticide market and about 10% of the pesticides market.

The intensive use of toxic substances in the production of cotton has led to serious health and environmental impacts. Drifting pesticide sprays, leaky applicators, as well as inappropriate and over use result in run off and seepage of pesticides into water and soil. Residues in soil, food and water and unsafe handling result in various medical problems for people including skin and allergic reactions, neurological damage, and carcinogenic diseases. The land base is also adversely affected through reduced soil fertility, reduced water holding capacity of soil, increased soil erosion, and diminished drought tolerance of crops. Pesticides also kill some useful insects, microorganisms and insect predator species, resulting in more resistant plant and vector species as well as reduced genetic diversity of plant species.

Several environmental and health impacts are also associated with the processing of cotton. For example, chemicals used during the various stages of processing are thought to be corrosive and toxic. In addition, the processes often create different types of pollution, including soil pollution resulting from untreated effluents seeping into the water table and air pollution caused by the release of cotton dust during the spinning stage.

In recent years, there has been some momentum to improve cotton production. For example, organic cotton is produced according to clearly established standards. Certification programs exist to assure buyers of the organic status of a product. There are many certification agencies worldwide for organic cotton production but far fewer for certifying cotton processing to assure reduced environmental and health impacts.