Magtech, H&M Group explore scaling soil-free cotton

Spanish hydroponic farming company Magtech and H&M Group’s Circular Innovation Lab are working together to expand soil-free cotton production and explore its potential for the textile industry. The collaboration aims to develop a system that can produce cotton without using soil and support its wider adoption in the future.

The project combines hydroponic farming, which allows crops to grow in water instead of soil, with artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce cotton’s dependence on these resources. In this system, cotton roots are placed in circulating water and supplied with a carefully controlled nutrient mixture. The plants grow under net structures, while the water is collected and reused.

Magtech and the Circular Innovation Lab are using AI-based monitoring systems to improve farming efficiency and resource management. Cameras, for example, assess when cotton is ready for harvesting and identify pest infestations at an early stage. This allows pesticides to be applied only to plants that require treatment. The closed-loop water system also prevents nutrient-rich wastewater from entering nearby rivers, where agricultural runoff from conventional cotton farming can contribute to excessive nutrient growth and eutrophication.

The hydroponically grown cotton has already moved beyond the laboratory stage. The first five-tonne batch passed quality checks and was used to produce garments in Spain. The partners are now planning to establish a second hydroponic farming site in India, marking another step towards expanding the technology and exploring its potential for textile supply chains.