Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions
The equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned every second
By 2030, global apparel consumption is expected to rise by 63%
The fashion industry uses around 93 billion cubic meters of water annually
20% of global wastewater comes from fabric dyeing and treatment
Only 1% of clothing is recycled into new clothing
Synthetic fibers account for 60% of all clothing material today
One polyester shirt can shed up to 1,900 microfibers per wash
Clothing production doubled between 2000 and 2014
The average consumer buys 60% more clothes per year and keeps them for half as long as 15 years ago
The carbon footprint of a cotton shirt is about 2.1 kg of CO2 equivalent
It takes about 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton shirt
The leather industry is a significant contributor to deforestation, particularly in the Amazon
Consumer Behavior
- By 2030, global apparel consumption is expected to rise by 63%
- The average consumer buys 60% more clothes per year and keeps them for half as long as 15 years ago
- People throw away 60% of their clothes within the first year
- The resale market for clothing is growing 11 times faster than the retail clothing market
- Global fashion search for sustainable keywords increased by 75% year on year
- Eco-friendly fashion brands grew revenue by 20% year over year in 2021
- Consumers are expected to spend $77 billion on secondhand goods by 2025
- Eco fashion is projected to reach $15 billion in global sales by 2030
- Certifications like GOTS increase consumer trust in eco fashion by 47%
- Nearly 70% of consumers say sustainability influences purchasing decisions
- The average garment is worn only 7–10 times before disposal
- 30% of clothes in UK wardrobes haven’t been worn in at least a year
- Consumers keep 85% of their wardrobe unworn each year
Interpretation
As fast fashion speeds toward a 63% increase in consumption by 2030, consumers are simultaneously tossing clothes like takeout containers, reviving the resale market, and Googling “sustainable” in a collective wardrobe crisis where 85% of our clothes go unworn—yet hope hangs by a (certified organic) thread.
Environmental Impact
- One polyester shirt can shed up to 1,900 microfibers per wash
- The carbon footprint of a cotton shirt is about 2.1 kg of CO2 equivalent
- The leather industry is a significant contributor to deforestation, particularly in the Amazon
- Up to 35% of primary microplastics in the ocean come from synthetic textiles
- Textile dyeing is the second-largest water polluter globally
- Switching to organic wool reduces land use impact by 67%
- Fashion generates more emissions than international flights and shipping combined
- The carbon impact of a single t-shirt is equal to driving 10 miles
- Compostable clothing can biodegrade in 90 days
- Biodegradable dyes reduce toxic runoff by 95%
Interpretation
Behind every trendy tee or chic jacket lies a trail of microplastics, emissions, deforestation, and dye pollution—making sustainable fashion less a statement and more a necessity.
Industry Practices and Innovation
- Synthetic fibers account for 60% of all clothing material today
- Clothing production doubled between 2000 and 2014
- Clothing production is expected to increase by 81% by 2030
- Fair Trade-certified factories ensure employees receive living wages and rights
- Garment workers are paid as little as $3 per day in some countries
- Circular fashion models could boost European GDP by €0.5 trillion
- Eco-fashion job growth has increased by 12% annually since 2017
- Responsible wool standards help protect over 1 million sheep
- Sustainable garments cost 50–60% more to produce than fast fashion
- 25% of chemicals produced worldwide are used for textiles
- 82% of fashion executives cite sustainability as a key priority
- Upcycling creates jobs nearly three times faster than burning or landfilling clothes
Interpretation
As fast fashion churns out synthetic threads at breakneck speed—doubling production while paying some workers less than a latte a day—eco-fashion stitches a smarter future, proving that paying sheep and humans fairly, reducing chemical soup, and upcycling yesterday's trends into tomorrow's jobs isn't just ethical, it's economically savvy.
Sustainability and Emissions Reduction
- The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions
- Organic cotton has 46% reduced global warming potential compared to conventional cotton
- Producing 1 kg of conventional cotton fabric emits 15.1 kg CO2e
- More than 50% of all textiles are synthetic and derived from fossil fuels
- Vegan leather can reduce carbon emissions by up to 60% compared to animal leather
- Renting clothing can reduce carbon emissions by 67% compared to traditional purchasing
- Wool production produces about 5 times the greenhouse gas emissions of cotton
- Clothes made from recycled PET can save 33-53% energy compared to virgin polyester
- 90% of garments are transported by ship, contributing to maritime emissions
- Switching from conventional to eco-friendly fabrics reduces CO2e by 20–30%
- About 1.2 billion tons of CO2e are emitted by the fashion industry per year
- Fiber-shed systems support local textile production with minimal carbon footprint
- Choosing secondhand over new clothes averts 500 lbs of CO2 annually per person
- Hemp requires less land and grows faster than cotton
- Recycled nylon reduces GHG emissions by up to 90%
- Bioplastics reduce fossil fuel use in fashion by over 65%
- 45% of pollution in fashion supply chains comes from material production
- Using deadstock fabric cuts manufacturing emissions by up to 70%
- Repairing clothing can extend garment life by 1.3 years and save 24% CO2 over time
- Eco fashion reduces the fashion industry’s emissions by up to 40% vs. conventional models
Interpretation
Behind the glitz of the runway lies a carbon trail longer than a conga line, but from hemp threads to deadstock duds, eco fashion proves sustainability isn’t just chic—it’s critical.
Waste and Resource Consumption
- The equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned every second
- The fashion industry uses around 93 billion cubic meters of water annually
- 20% of global wastewater comes from fabric dyeing and treatment
- Only 1% of clothing is recycled into new clothing
- It takes about 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton shirt
- Organic cotton uses 91% less water than conventional cotton
- Around 92 million tonnes of textile waste is created annually
- The average US consumer throws away 37 kg of clothing each year
- Bamboo fabric can grow with one-third the water needed for cotton
- 79 trillion liters of water are consumed annually by the fashion industry
- Patagonia uses 87% recycled materials in its product range
- TENCEL fibers require up to 50% less water than cotton during production
- Slow fashion can extend garment life by 3–5 times
- Recycled cotton saves 20,000 liters of water per kg compared to virgin cotton
- Upcycling clothing can reduce waste by 60%
- Eco-conscious linen has 50% lower water footprint than cotton
- Made-to-order fashion reduces waste by up to 30%
- PACT organic saves 75 million gallons of water annually
- Sustainable denim uses 80% less water than traditional denim
- A single pair of jeans requires 7,500 liters of water to produce
- Cutting textile waste by 20% could save £800 million in the UK each year
Interpretation
In a world where your shirt might drink more water than you do in three years and your closet contributes to a landfill every second, eco-fashion isn't just a trend—it's a life raft stitched from recycled threads and dyed in responsibility.