Clothing Overconsumption Statistics

In the UK, consumers buy 26 kg of clothing per person per year [1]

In the UK, average number of clothing items purchased annually is 59 [1]

In the UK, over half (51%) of people are willing to buy second-hand clothing [1]

In the UK, 71% of clothing is worn less than 10 times before being discarded [1]

In the UK, 44% of consumers say they buy clothes more than they need [1]

In the UK, 67% of respondents say they would wear clothes longer if they were better quality [1]

In the UK, 38% say they throw away clothes because they don’t like them anymore [1]

In the UK, 31% of respondents say they throw away clothes due to damage/repair not being worth it [1]

In the UK, 10% of clothing is donated and 9% resold (figures in WRAP clothing facts) [1]

In the UK, 33% of clothes are binned (or put in landfill incineration) based on WRAP estimates [1]

In the U.S., Americans purchase about 81.5 pounds of clothing and textiles per person per year [2]

In the U.S., Americans disposed about 81.5 pounds of textile products per person per year (EPA) [2]

In the U.S., the average American spends about $1,200 per year on apparel [3]

In the U.S., consumers purchased 5.1% more apparel by unit in 2021 compared to 2020 (retail sales data context) [4]

In the EU, consumers buy roughly 26 kg of new textiles per person per year (as cited in EU materials) [5]

The European Commission states Europeans buy 26 kg of textile products per person every year [6]

The European Commission notes that Europeans throw away 11 kg of textiles per person every year (notably including used clothing) [6]

Europeans dispose about 11 kg of textiles per person per year [5]

Clothing items are worn fewer times due to fast fashion; in a global study, the average number of wears for clothing before disposal decreased from 9 to 7 (summary figure) [7]

In H&M’s “Future of Fashion” report, consumers mention that they buy new clothes for social reasons; report includes quantitative survey results (share values) [8]

In a survey by ThredUp, 81% of women say they have too many clothes [9]

In a survey by Rent the Runway, 67% of consumers said they are concerned about sustainability but still shop frequently [10]

In a Nielsen survey, 73% of global respondents say they would change their consumption habits to reduce environmental impact [11]

In the same Nielsen report, 66% say they are willing to pay more for sustainable goods [11]

In a YouGov survey, 31% of UK consumers say they buy new clothes when they see a discount [12]

In YouGov survey results, 42% of consumers say they buy clothes more than once a month [13]

In a McKinsey survey, 60% of consumers say they feel fashion is too expensive relative to quality (context of purchase decision) [14]

In a Global Fashion Agenda report, 50% of respondents say they buy clothes for trend rather than necessity [15]

In a survey for “The True Cost” documentary, 70% of respondents say they buy new clothes when they go on sale (survey figure) [16]

In a Greenpeace report, 65% of people surveyed said they regularly replace clothing due to trends [17]

In a survey by Civic Science (UK), 39% admitted to buying clothes they don’t need [18]

In an ISSP survey summarized by Statista, around 25% of respondents in Europe report they shop for clothes more often than before [19]

In the EU consumer market, fast fashion retailers increased frequency of new collections every year; a study reported that brands launch new styles every 2 weeks (fast fashion timeline) [20]

The European Commission states that “more than half” of the total amount of textiles purchased is disposed within a few years [6]

In the UK, WRAP estimates that 57% of textiles discarded are still in good enough condition to be reused [21]

In the UK, WRAP estimates that around 10% of clothing waste could be suitable for resale if sorted properly [21]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that 20% of garments are never sold (overproduction/retail losses context) [22]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that $500 billion of value is lost each year in the fashion and textile system due to waste [22]

The European Commission textiles strategy estimates that textiles become waste prematurely, creating economic value loss [23]

The European Commission’s impact assessment estimates the economic costs/benefits of proposed textiles measures (policy response) [24]

In the EU, the proposed extended producer responsibility for textiles is intended to cover all textiles placed on the market [23]

The EU textiles strategy proposes separate collection targets for textiles (circular policy targets) [23]

In the EU, the strategy proposes to require minimum recycled content in textiles [23]

The EU Circular Economy Action Plan 2020 states textiles are a priority value chain [25]

The EU’s Circular Economy action plan identifies waste prevention and design requirements for durability and repair [25]

In the U.S., EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management program includes textiles actions to reduce textile waste [26]

The U.S. EPA reports that textiles are among the materials with significant environmental impacts, motivating policy action [26]

The UK government’s “UK Strategy for Textile Waste” aims to reduce textile waste and improve circularity, with numeric landfill/diversion targets [27]

WRAP estimates that extending the life of clothing by improving care and reuse can reduce environmental impacts and provide economic benefits; report includes cost comparisons [28]

The OECD provides economic impact framing and policy options to reduce clothing waste and environmental impacts [29]

The OECD report documents that reducing clothing waste requires changes to design, consumption and recycling systems, with quantified impacts (table values) [29]

A study by PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency estimates policy scenarios for reuse could reduce environmental impacts by percent ranges [30]

The European Commission’s proposal for textile waste prevention includes targets and compliance mechanisms; numeric targets are outlined in annexes [23]

In 2023, the EU adopted the “Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation” framework including textiles under product rules (policy response) [31]

The EU “Ecodesign for Sustainable Products” regulation sets requirements for durability and repairability for covered product groups [31]

In 2024, the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive expands reporting obligations including value-chain impacts (policy response) [32]

Extended Producer Responsibility is part of the EU textiles strategy proposals, aiming to incentivize better design and less waste [23]

The EU textiles strategy includes harmonized collection and sorting targets to enable higher recycling rates [23]

The EU Commission estimates compliance costs and administrative burdens in the impact assessment, with quantified ranges in annexes [24]

The European Commission indicates that without action, textiles waste will continue to rise, increasing long-term economic losses [6]

The Council of the EU indicated that textile waste management costs will increase if recycling remains low (economic framing) [33]

The European Parliament briefing states that the sector faces significant costs due to insufficient circularity (economic implications) [34]

The UNCTAD and related analyses link overconsumption to externalities not priced in consumer costs; reported policy discussion cites “external costs” but uses quantified estimates in papers [35]

EPA notes that diversion reduces costs for waste management; textiles have disposal costs, but exact dollar figures vary; see EPA report for cost estimates [26]

OECD discusses that policy can reduce costs of waste management and environmental damage (with modeled ranges in report) [29]

In the EU, the strategy estimates that circular measures could create jobs in recycling and sorting; it provides an employment impact estimate in the impact assessment [24]

The EU impact assessment quantifies that producer responsibility could increase collection and sorting and reduce landfill/incineration [24]

In the U.S., EPA notes that textile waste reduction aligns with waste management cost savings; see EPA’s textiles page for program numbers [2]

In 2018, the EU generated 5.8 million tonnes of textile waste (including clothing, home textiles and other textiles) [36]

In 2018, the EU generated about 5.8 million tonnes of textile waste [5]

In 2019, textiles were the third-largest waste stream in the EU after construction and municipal waste [37]

The EU circular economy action plan highlights that only around 1% of used textiles are recycled into new textiles [6]

Only about 1% of used textiles are recycled into new textiles in the EU [38]

In the EU, the recycling rate for textiles is around 22% (as reported in a European Commission context) [5]

Textile recycling in the EU was about 22% in 2018 (reported in European Commission materials) [39]

In 2018, about 2.6 million tonnes of textiles were recycled in the EU [37]

In 2018, about 2.7 million tonnes of textiles were landfilled in the EU [37]

In 2018, about 1.5 million tonnes of textiles were incinerated in the EU [37]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates a 28% decline in clothing use-life leads to 36% more GHG emissions per item in a modeled scenario [22]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that by 2030, the industry could increase greenhouse gas emissions by around 50% [22]

The OECD reports that global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with textile production and use and that emissions can increase significantly with consumption growth [29]

Life cycle assessment work cited by European Environment Agency indicates that production contributes the largest share of life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions for clothing [40]

The average water footprint of a cotton T-shirt is 2,700 litres [41]

The water footprint of a pair of jeans is 7,500 litres [41]

The water footprint of a cotton shirt is 2,500 litres [41]

The water footprint of a polyester T-shirt is 2,000 litres [41]

The water footprint of a wool sweater is 5,100 litres [41]

The water footprint of a leather jacket is 17,000 litres [41]

The OECD estimates that the “wear” phase can become more significant when clothing use is extended, while production dominates otherwise [29]

Microfibers shed from clothing are a significant contributor to microplastic pollution; a study in Science estimated textiles account for 35% of primary microplastic pollution released into the ocean [42]

A Science paper estimated that 35% of primary microplastics in the ocean could be fibers from textile [43]

The Global Fashion Agenda and McKinsey estimate the fashion industry produced 100 billion garments annually [44]

The World Bank estimates that more than 20% of industrial water pollution comes from textile dyeing and treatment [45]

The UNECE reports textile industry is a major source of water pollution including dyes and chemicals in rivers, with 20% figure frequently cited from United Nations [46]

The US EPA reports that textiles are a significant component of municipal solid waste and have environmental impacts [26]

In the U.S., textiles accounted for about 5.8 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2018 [47]

In 2018 in the U.S., textile waste to landfills was 3.2 million tons [47]

In 2018 in the U.S., textile waste incineration accounted for 1.1 million tons [47]

In 2018 in the U.S., textile waste recycled was about 1.5 million tons [47]

Textile production contributes large shares of impacts; EU EEA notes that garments’ production and dyeing are key drivers [48]

The EEA reports that “clothing and footwear” contribute significant environmental impacts across the life cycle [49]

The European Parliamentary Research Service states that textiles in Europe generate around 5.8 million tonnes waste annually [34]

The European Parliamentary Research Service notes only 1% of used textiles are recycled into new garments [34]

The European Parliament Briefing on textiles states that the EU is on track to reach 6.1 million tonnes of textile waste by 2030 without policy action [34]

The IEA estimates clothing production is energy-intensive and tied to carbon emissions associated with manufacturing [50]

A study cited by the OECD reports that the “hotspots” for clothing are raw material production and manufacturing [29]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates fashion accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions [51]

Fashion is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions (as cited by Ellen MacArthur Foundation) [22]

The same Ellen MacArthur Foundation report estimates the equivalent of 1 garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or incinerated every second worldwide [22]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates $500 billion of value in garments is lost annually due to low utilization and recycling rates [22]

The EU’s “Textiles strategy” states that more than 25% of used clothing collected for reuse is not suitable for reuse and is instead recycled or disposed of [23]

In the U.S., textiles were 9% of the material in landfilled municipal solid waste in 2018 [47]

In the U.S., textile recycling rate in 2018 was about 15% [47]

Textile waste is growing in the EU; the European Commission cites an increase in municipal textile waste generation [52]

In 2019, global apparel and footwear production reached about 140 billion items annually (Ellen MacArthur Foundation cited) [22]

In 2018, the global fashion industry produced more than 100 billion garments (Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimate) [22]

Textile sorting and recycling capacity remains low: the EU collects about 2.6 million tonnes of textiles annually (collection estimate in EC) [6]

In 2018, the EU collected 2.8 million tonnes of textiles for recycling and reuse [37]

In 2018, the EU generated 5.8 million tonnes of textile waste while collecting 2.8 million tonnes [37]

In the EU, textile exports for reuse/recycling are significant; the EU reports exports were around 1.5 million tonnes (policy context) [24]

The European Commission staff working document on textiles reports that a large share of used textile waste leaves the EU for sorting and reuse [24]

In 2020, China was the largest destination for EU textile exports for reuse (trade share context) [37]

In 2019, the apparel sector accounted for about 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions in some estimates; Ellen MacArthur references 2-8% range (stated in report) [22]

The global textile and apparel sector uses about 93 billion cubic meters of water annually (industry estimate by UNEP cited in reports) [53]

UNEP reports the fashion industry is the second-largest consumer of water globally [53]

The OECD estimated that textile production and dyeing are major sources of water pollution through chemicals and dyes [29]

The OECD notes that “the majority of environmental impacts” occur during raw material production and manufacturing [29]

McKinsey estimated that “fashion” value chain generates profit pools largely in the upstream and downstream; report includes numbers on margins (context) [44]

The European Commission notes that the textile sector is dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises in sorting and recycling [24]

In the EU textile strategy, the Commission highlights that there are currently no or limited producer responsibility schemes for textiles [23]

The EU “Textiles strategy” proposes extended producer responsibility to cover all textiles placed on the EU market [23]

In 2018, EU textile waste management included recycling, reuse, incineration and landfill; waste breakdown includes 22% recycling (report) [37]

Fast fashion leads to shorter product life; academic review reports typical clothing lifespan around 3-5 years (varies) [54]

A study in Environmental Science & Technology reported consumers replace clothes more frequently in fast-fashion contexts; reported turnover times 1-2 years for some items [55]

In 2019, the global apparel retail market exceeded $1.5 trillion (market size; ties to overconsumption) [56]

In 2022, global fashion retail sales were about $1.8 trillion (industry figures) [57]

The Global Fashion Agenda and McKinsey estimate that “industry value is $3 trillion” and growth continues [44]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that value of textiles lost to incineration and landfill is about $500 billion annually [22]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that 20% of garments are never sold in some scenarios (unsold inventory) [22]

The European Commission’s textiles impact assessment mentions that unsold goods represent a significant economic loss [24]

In 2020, the EU textile sector employed about 1.3 million people directly (employment figure in policy documents) [23]

The EU fashion/textile sector has about 168,000 companies in the EU (reported) [58]

The EU textiles industry includes around 200,000 enterprises according to EC sector overview [58]

The European Commission reports that polyester and other synthetic fibers dominate growth in fiber production [6]

The World Bank estimates that textiles are a major source of industrial pollution and greenhouse gas emissions [59]

UNEP reports synthetic fibers are increasingly common and contribute microplastics [53]

In the EU, the Waste Framework Directive requires waste management; however textiles are often mixed, leading to low recycling [60]

Eurostat data show recycling of textiles is around 22% (2018 EU) [37]

The European Commission notes only about 1% is recycled into new textiles (EU circularity outcomes) [6]

In the EU, about 68% of textiles waste is landfilled or incinerated (implied remainder after recycling) [37]

In the U.S., textiles account for about 5.8 million tons of MSW annually (EPA) [47]

In the U.S., about 2.6 million tons of textiles are recycled or composted (EPA; part of reported figures) [47]

In the U.S., 3.2 million tons were landfilled in 2018 (EPA) [47]

In the U.S., 1.1 million tons were incinerated in 2018 (EPA) [47]

In the U.S., textile waste recycled in 2018 was about 1.5 million tons (EPA) [47]

The European Parliamentary Research Service states that only around 1% of used textiles are recycled into new products [34]

The European Parliamentary Research Service states textile reuse has limits due to contamination and sorting [34]

The EU textiles strategy states that 2.5 million tons of used clothing are collected annually and the majority is exported or processed [23]

In the EU, municipalities separate collection is uneven; the strategy notes that less than half of member states have separate textile collection systems [23]

In the EU, 75% of textile waste ends up in landfill or incineration (commonly cited share; in strategy context) [6]

In the EU, about 25% of used textiles are collected for reuse/recycling (as stated in policy documents) [5]

The EU textiles factsheet indicates that the recycling of textiles is around 22% and most is disposed in other ways [5]

WRAP estimates that in the UK, 57% of textiles disposed could be reused if sorted properly (circularity outcome) [61]

WRAP estimates that the UK could divert 2 million tonnes of textiles from landfill/incineration through better reuse/recycling [61]

WRAP estimates that textile waste in the UK is 1 million tonnes per year (figure) [61]

In Germany, the BMU indicates separate collection of textiles is growing and reported collection rates around 0.5 million tonnes (context) [62]

In Germany, UBA reports that around 600,000 tonnes of textiles are collected separately each year (reported) [62]

In France, ADEME reports textile collection volumes around 200,000 tonnes (yearly) [63]

In France, ADEME indicates a textile recovery rate of about 75% (context; reuse + recycling) [63]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that sorting and recycling technologies limit high-quality recycling, with only ~1% achieving textile-to-textile recycling [22]

A study in Nature Communications reported that microfibers are released during washing and wastewater treatment; reported release rates depend on laundering cycles [64]

UNEP reports that mechanical recycling typically results in downcycling (to lower-quality fibers) [53]

OECD notes that polymer recycling of polyester is limited and expensive, leading to low circularity for synthetics [29]

The European Commission Impact Assessment states that current policy results in insufficient progress in textile recycling markets [24]

The EU Commission estimates a growing gap between textile waste generated and recycling capacity [24]

In the U.S., EPA reports textiles diversion (from landfill/incineration) is low compared to other materials, with recycling being a minority share [26]

EPA reports that textiles are among the fastest-growing waste streams [65]

In 2018, 13% of textiles were diverted from landfills in the U.S. (EPA) [2]