Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The average American throws away approximately 81 pounds of clothing each year
Over 17 million tons of textile waste were generated in the United States in 2018
Only 14.7% of textiles were recycled in the U.S. in 2018
Globally, over 92 million tons of textiles are wasted each year
The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions
It takes 2,700 liters of water to produce one cotton shirt
85% of all textiles go to the dump each year
The average number of times a garment is worn has decreased by 36% compared to 15 years ago
The fast fashion industry produces 100 billion garments every year
The average garment is worn only 7 times before being discarded
Textile production contributes more to climate change than international aviation and shipping combined
Clothing waste accounts for over 5% of landfill space in the U.S.
Only 1% of used clothing is recycled into new garments
Consumer Behavior
- The average number of times a garment is worn has decreased by 36% compared to 15 years ago
- The average garment is worn only 7 times before being discarded
- The average consumer buys 60% more clothing than 15 years ago
- In 2019, people purchased 60% more garments than in 2000, but kept them for half as long
- Approximately 30% of clothing in UK wardrobes has not been worn in a year
- Clothing consumption in Europe grew 40% between 1996 and 2012
- 62% of Gen Z prefers buying from sustainable brands
- The average British shopper buys 60% more clothing than in 2000
Interpretation
We're dressing faster, ditching sooner, and stockpiling unworn outfits, proving that in the age of fast fashion, excess is in and longevity is out—even as the next generation claims to care more sustainably.
Environmental Impact
- The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions
- It takes 2,700 liters of water to produce one cotton shirt
- Textile production contributes more to climate change than international aviation and shipping combined
- Washing clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year
- Synthetic fibers like polyester can take up to 200 years to decompose
- The fashion industry produces 20% of global wastewater
- Cotton production uses 24% of the world’s insecticides and 11% of pesticides
- Fashion is the second-largest consumer of the world’s water supply
- It can take up to 200 years for synthetic fabrics to decompose in landfills
- Textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of water globally
- 60% of fabric fibers are now synthetics, derived from fossil fuels
- Discarded clothing made of non-biodegradable fabrics can sit in landfills for 200+ years
- Polyester production emits approximately three times more CO₂ than cotton
- Textile industry accounts for 35% of microplastics in the ocean
- Producing a single pair of jeans uses about 1,800 gallons of water
- Over 60% of clothing materials used by the fashion industry are made from plastic
- Secondhand shopping reduced 2.6 billion pounds of carbon emissions in 2022
- Clothing rental services could reduce fashion emissions by up to 30%
- Textile production relies on 98 million tons of oil per year
- If the fashion sector continues on its current path, it could use 26% of the world’s carbon budget by 2050
- Rewearing clothing just one more time reduces carbon, waste, and water footprints by 20-30%
- The fashion industry emits about 1.2 billion tons of CO₂ equivalent per year
- By 2050, fashion could be responsible for a quarter of global carbon emissions
Interpretation
Behind every trendy tee and fast-fashion find lies a climate catastrophe-in-the-making—where style costs the Earth its water, air, and oceans, unless we swap consumption for conscience.
Market and Industry Trends
- The fast fashion industry produces 100 billion garments every year
- Garment production doubled between 2000 and 2014
- Clothing production is expected to increase by 63% by 2030
- The resale market for secondhand fashion is projected to double in the next 5 years
- The U.S. exports about 700,000 tons of used clothing annually
- Africa receives over 70% of the world’s used clothing exports
- Used clothing shipments to Ghana have doubled in just ten years
- The global secondhand apparel market is expected to reach $218 billion by 2026
- Ghana imports 15 million items of secondhand clothing each week
- 70% of clothes donated globally end up in Africa
- Clothing resale could displace nearly a billion new garments by 2026
- The number of fashion seasons increased from two to over 50 per year with fast fashion
- The global textiles market is projected to reach $1,412.5 billion by 2030, increasing demand and waste
Interpretation
As fast fashion churns out clothes faster than we can wear them, the planet drowns in discarded threads—transforming Ghana into a global closet of castoffs while secondhand markets rise as both landfill antidote and uncomfortable mirror.
Recycling and Circularity
- Only 14.7% of textiles were recycled in the U.S. in 2018
- Only 1% of used clothing is recycled into new garments
- Less than 1% of clothing collected for recycling is actually recycled into new clothes
- In the U.S., 2.5 million tons of textiles were recycled in 2018
- An estimated $500 billion in value is lost every year due to underused clothes and lack of recycling
- 95% of textiles that end up in landfills could be recycled or reused
- Just 2.62% of fashion's annual materials are produced in closed-loop systems
- Only 20% of globally produced textiles are collected for reuse or recycling
- Each year, about 500 billion dollars of value is lost due to underutilization and lack of recycling in fashion
- Up to 95% of the clothes thrown away could be reworn or recycled
Interpretation
Despite closets bursting at the seams, the fashion industry is unraveling—wasting billions and burying mountains of reusable clothes, while recycling efforts remain threadbare at best.
Waste Generation
- The average American throws away approximately 81 pounds of clothing each year
- Over 17 million tons of textile waste were generated in the United States in 2018
- Globally, over 92 million tons of textiles are wasted each year
- 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year
- Clothing waste accounts for over 5% of landfill space in the U.S.
- In the UK, 350,000 tonnes of clothing go to landfill every year
- 73% of the world’s clothing ends up in landfills or incinerated
- Landfills received 11.3 million tons of textiles in 2018 in the U.S.
- In the European Union, 5.8 million tons of textiles are discarded every year
- The average U.S. consumer discards about 37 kg of clothes annually
- Shein produces 10,000 new styles a day, boosting clothing overproduction
- The UK sends 700,000 tons of used clothing abroad each year
- In Canada, the average person throws away 37 kg of textiles annually
- Globally, 85% of textiles are dumped into landfills each year
- Consumers throw away shoes and clothing worth $400 billion every year
- Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned
- Around 300,000 tonnes of used clothing are burned or buried in the UK annually
- Residents of New York City throw out 200,000 tons of clothing annually
- Fast fashion brands produce thousands of styles each week, increasing textile waste drastically
Interpretation
We're drowning in denim and suffocating under sequins, as our addiction to fast fashion turns closets into landfills and style into one of the planet’s messiest crises.