Damaging Sustainability Myths Debunked: Cotton Is Not A “Thirsty” Crop, Says Report It has been stated that wild-growing plant fibers are more sustainable than cotton because they are “rainfed” and therefore use less water. In fact, more than half of global cotton crops are purely rainfed. Cotton water 'usage' myths debunked in part 3 of this 4 part series on cotton misinformation.