Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The global apparel market was valued at approximately $1.5 trillion in 2022
The U.S. apparel market was worth about $343.7 billion in 2023
Fast fashion market size reached $106 billion globally in 2022
In 2023, the women's apparel segment generated $843 billion worldwide
China is the world’s largest textile exporter, contributing 39% of global textile exports in 2021
The average American buys 68 garments per year
The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions
Approximately 20% of global wastewater is produced by the fashion industry
The resale apparel market in the U.S. is projected to reach $70 billion by 2027
Over 80 billion garments are produced globally each year
The U.S. has over 96,000 apparel manufacturing jobs as of 2023
About 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year
Footwear accounts for approximately $398 billion of the global apparel market
Companies & Competitive Landscape
- Zara produces roughly 450 million items a year
- H&M had over 4,800 stores worldwide by 2022
- H&M generated $22.3 billion in revenue in 2022
- Nike generated revenue of $51.2 billion in its 2022 fiscal year
- Adidas had global revenues of $23.5 billion in 2022
- LVMH’s fashion and leather goods segment generated €38.6 billion in 2022
- In 2022, Uniqlo had global net sales of approximately $18.18 billion
- Amazon is the largest apparel retailer in the U.S. as of 2022
- Nike spends approximately $3.1 billion annually on advertising and promotions
- ASOS has over 26 million active customers worldwide
- Rent the Runway has over 141,000 active subscribers as of 2023
Interpretation
In an industry where Zara churns out nearly half a billion garments a year and Nike spends over $3 billion just telling us to "Just Do It," the fashion giants are proving that mass production, mega marketing, and global reach aren't just trends—they're the runway to billions in revenue and a planet-sized footprint.
Consumer Behavior & Trends
- The average American buys 68 garments per year
- Online sales account for 29% of total apparel sales in the U.S. as of 2023
- The average clothing utilization has decreased by 36% in the last 15 years
- The average revenue per user (ARPU) in the global apparel market is $190.40 in 2023
- The average lifespan of a garment in a developed country is about 3.3 years
- Demand for sustainable fashion is growing annually by over 8%
- 30% of online apparel orders are returned
- In 2022, about 55% of online apparel shoppers were women
- Retail apparel markdown rates average 50% globally
- Over 60% of fashion consumers in the U.S. consider sustainability when shopping
- The average item of clothing is worn just 7 times before being discarded globally
- Secondhand apparel is expected to make up 10% of global fashion purchases by 2030
- Fashion brands launch around 50-100 micro-collections per year
- The average global household spends 4% of its annual income on apparel
- Fashion-related Google searches grew by 12% year over year in 2022
Interpretation
In a world where the average garment is worn just seven times, returned with a 30% likelihood, and produced in micro-collections faster than trends can tweet, fashion has become a high-speed, high-waste paradox—where sustainability is trending, but our closets are still full of barely-worn contradictions.
Export & Import Data
- China is the world’s largest textile exporter, contributing 39% of global textile exports in 2021
- Bangladesh is the second-largest apparel exporter globally
- Apparel exports from Bangladesh exceeded $45 billion in 2022
- 90% of garments sold in the U.S. are imported
- U.S. apparel exports totaled $6.7 billion in 2022
Interpretation
In a global fashion landscape stitched together by supply chains, China weaves the fabric, Bangladesh tailors it for the world, and the U.S.—while mostly dressed by others—still manages to hem in a niche $6.7 billion export market.
Market Size & Growth
- The global apparel market was valued at approximately $1.5 trillion in 2022
- The U.S. apparel market was worth about $343.7 billion in 2023
- Fast fashion market size reached $106 billion globally in 2022
- In 2023, the women's apparel segment generated $843 billion worldwide
- The resale apparel market in the U.S. is projected to reach $70 billion by 2027
- Over 80 billion garments are produced globally each year
- The U.S. has over 96,000 apparel manufacturing jobs as of 2023
- Footwear accounts for approximately $398 billion of the global apparel market
- The children’s apparel market is set to reach $276 billion globally by 2027
- Global luxury fashion market is valued at $115.9 billion in 2023
- Roughly 300 million people work in the fashion industry, many in developing countries
- E-commerce fashion sales globally are projected to grow to $1.2 trillion by 2025
- The second-hand apparel market is growing 3 times faster than the global apparel market
- By 2030, fashion consumption is expected to grow by 63%
- North America’s fashion market is projected to reach over $450 billion by 2025
- Global online fashion revenue was $820 billion in 2023
- The global men's apparel market is expected to surpass $600 billion by 2027
- Organic cotton represents less than 1% of all cotton grown
- The global denim jeans market is expected to reach $95 billion by 2030
- The global sportswear market is projected to reach $547 billion by 2024
- Global fashion brands earned $665 billion in direct-to-consumer sales in 2022
- Europe’s apparel market is projected to hit $498 billion by 2027
- Between 2000 and 2015, global clothing production doubled
- India is the second-largest producer of textiles and garments in the world
- Brazil is the 5th largest textile and apparel producer in the world
- Sweater production in the U.S. was valued at over $1.5 billion in 2023
- The wedding apparel market is projected to reach $73.2 billion globally by 2030
Interpretation
In a world where fashion’s global footprint tops trillions and still races ahead, the industry stitches together staggering profits, fast-paced trends, and a mounting environmental price tag—underscoring that what's worn by billions also wears on the planet.
Sustainability & Innovation
- The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions
- Approximately 20% of global wastewater is produced by the fashion industry
- About 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year
- 75% of fashion supply chain materials end up in landfills
- Synthetic fibers like polyester make up about 60% of materials used in clothing production
- It takes about 2,700 liters of water to produce one cotton shirt
- About 93% of fashion brands surveyed by Fashion Checker aren’t paying garment workers a living wage
- Fashion accounts for 20-35% of microplastics in the ocean
- Only 1% of clothing is currently recycled into new garments
- Patagonia pledges 1% of sales to environmental causes annually
- Polyester production emits 2 to 3 times more carbon than cotton
- A single load of laundry can release over 700,000 microplastic fibers
- Ghana receives over 15 million donated secondhand clothes each week, much of it ends up as waste
- Over 50% of garments made annually are discarded within three years
- Apparel and footwear sectors account for an estimated 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions
- In the UK, consumers throw away an estimated 300,000 tonnes of clothing each year
Interpretation
With runway flair and landfill flair alike, the fashion industry stitches a stylish legacy of pollution, waste, and worker exploitation—proving that what’s trending today is too often tomorrow’s environmental tragedy.