"We became involved in vertical farming when we noticed that the retail industry had become increasingly focused on sustainability and supply chain traceability," says Simon Wardle, CEO and co-founder of Gooddrop, a UK company specializing in the production of cotton in a controlled environment.
Traditionally, cotton farming takes place in open fields in regions with a warm climate and sufficient water supply but it is an industry that can rely heavily on the use of pesticides, consume excessive amounts of water, and degrade valuable farmland. Working conditions in cotton fields can often be challenging, with workers facing long hours, low wages, limited access to safety measures, and exposure to harmful chemicals.
Photo right: Gooddrop cotton harvesting under glass at University of Nottingham
"To make matters worse, the supply chain is plagued by a lack of transparency, making it nearly impossible to track how or where cotton is grown," continues Simon, who began exploring the idea a few years ago with his Gooddrop co-founder Anders Perea - 'Could cotton be grown indoors, like lettuce or strawberries?'
Talking to various experts in the field, the curiosity became overwhelming.
"We then asked ourselves, is anyone actually really trying to grow cotton like this? And why not? It has to get into the market!"
And the germ of an idea became a fledgling business as the Gooddrop team decided to give it a try soon realising that while it's achievable, the vertical farming of cotton will require significant effort and isn't going to be a quick or a straightforward process.
Gooddrop cotton plants under UV light at University of Nottingham test labs
Collaboration with the University of Nottingham adds an academic layer
To move the Gooddrop vision forward in 2023 they enlisted research and development help from the University of Nottingham, one of their main research and development partners.
"We designed and built our own high-spec custom test laboratories in two container units and then installed them earlier this year on-site at the university's Sutton Bonington Campus."
The crop, which takes between 130 and 160 days to mature in open fields under conventional cotton farming, needs to be adapted to an indoor system.
"Every step will require rethinking, investing deeply in R&D," Simon adds, "including experimenting with lighting recipes, optimising planting densities to maximize yield, and exploring how the plants accustom to an indoor growing environment.
"Our aim is to harvest cotton within 120 days, adding one, or two, extra crop cycle(s) per year. Currently, the team is trying to figure out how to increase the lint yield and find out which cotton genes are most valuable."
Gooddrop's CEO Simon Wardle and one of the new research units at University of Nottingham
Challenges ahead
While Gooddrop expects to find problems at every turn on the journey ahead in terms of developing its seeds and cotton growing environment, and building its first full vertical farm unit, the team are looking forward to the challenges of how best to connect their cotton farms with their spinning mills in adjoining units.
"It will be a steep learning curve," Simon admits, "but we expect the results to be more than worth it by proving that cotton can be grown indoors in a demonstrably sustainable way while linking that to our own cotton spinning operations."
The Gooddrop and University of Nottingham research team
Future plans
Another one of the agtech's future plans is to launch their first cotton retail products, such as T-shirts made of indoor-grown cotton.
"These T-shirts will be our proof of concept and, at the same time, tangible evidence that sustainable cotton farming is possible and hopefully viable. And while the actual unit numbers to start with will be relatively small this is bigger than just cotton. It's about proving that sustainability and profitability can coexist."
The long-term vision involves building a global network of vertical cotton farms next to manufacturers, lowering the environmental footprint, and adding transparency throughout the entire cotton supply chain.
"We want to help shape a world where fashion is truly traceable, ethical, and sustainable.
"Tracing every step of cotton production from seed to apparel and creating an ethical supply chain is what we're working towards," says Simon.
As they prepare to present their latest findings to stakeholders, Simon is optimistic.
"The word is getting out," he says. "People are starting to see what we're doing, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive."
For more information:
Gooddrop Ltd.
[email protected]
https://www.good-drop.com/