If you’ve ever stood at the sink scrubbing plates after dinner, you might assume hand-washing uses the least water. But the latest figures suggest otherwise.

When you pick up a simple cotton T-shirt, you probably don’t think about water. But behind that soft, everyday fabric is surprisingly 2,700 litres of fresh water.

Fresh water is one of Earth’s most essential and limited natural resources. Covering just 2.5% of the planet’s total water supply, freshwater is critical for drinking, agriculture, sanitation, industry, and sustaining ecosystems.