Most debates about textile waste start at the closet, or at the donation bin. But a closer look at a basic cotton T-shirt ...

America lost its top rank for cotton production in the middle of the last century, its mark as the top exporter to Brazil three years ago.

Cotton, the world’s most profitable nonfood crop, is used more than any other natural fiber. Known for its comfort and durability, it has been utilized since antiquity in fabrics and ​other goods.

The move marks the largest industrial-scale deployment of the technology globally and a significant step forward in lower-impact cotton processing at scale. The partnership combines Fibre52’s patented ...