[KozmoNau7]

I've gotten second-hand information about the first study, and the guy who wrote it says he's being misinterpreted. His study only looks at a very narrow invironmental impact, namely the production costs and impacts. It is not a full cradle-to-grave study, it does not cover environmental impact from improper disposal, nor a host of other factors.

The most important missing factor is the fact that cotton bags can be repaired and repurposed. I have a handful of heavyweight cotton bags (the oldest my grandpa bought sometime before I was born), only one of which I've purchased myself. They're all holding up very well, some of them with decades of use, and if they ever start to fray in the stitching or wear out, I can patch them very easily. Alternative, worn-out bags can be used as patches for other items or cut into cleaning cloths and similar things.

We need to move away from our single-use-then-throw-away lifestyles and relearn how to repair and reuse our stuff.

As a bonus, cotton bags biodegrade nicely, if they do happen to be discarded by mistake.

As for other cotton, I don't just throw out t-shirts because they get a few holes in them. They get repaired or delegated to DIY work or concert duty (shirt with holes are very punk/metal), or if they're too far gone they get turned into DIY band patches or used as cleaning cloths. It's all about getting the most use out of what you buy.