The problem with industrial agriculture
Increased demand for cotton meant that the world needed to also increase its supply.
Largely begun in the 1950s, the expansion of conventional industrial farming methods meant farms could get bigger and bigger to increase productivity. Monocultures and mechanized equipment became standard to increase efficiency.
But these “new” ways of growing cotton (and crops in general) also led to the elimination of biodiversity, killing vitally important pollinators, and negatively impacting overall crop and soil health. More pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides were then needed to keep production at pace, making conventional agriculture one of the most polluting and destructive industries on the planet.