Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions
The fashion industry consumes about 93 billion cubic meters of water annually, enough to meet the consumption needs of five million people
The fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global wastewater
87% of the total fiber input used for clothing is ultimately incinerated or sent to a landfill
Every year, half a million tons of plastic microfibres are released into the ocean from washing synthetic textiles
Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of water globally
A single pair of jeans requires about 3,781 liters of water to produce
Producing one cotton shirt requires 2,700 liters of water—the amount a person drinks in 2.5 years
The fashion industry could use 26% of the world’s carbon budget by 2050 if it continues on its current path
60% of clothing produced is discarded within a year of being made
Over 100 billion garments are produced each year globally
Less than 1% of clothing is recycled into new garments
Clothing production has roughly doubled since 2000
Economic and Labor Aspects
- One in six people in the world works in a job related to fashion
- 90% of all clothing sold in the United States is imported
- The fashion industry is the third-largest manufacturing sector in the world
- Denim sandblasting, a technique used for a “worn look,” can cause fatal lung disease in factory workers
- Textile workers earn as little as $3 per day in some countries
- 93% of brands surveyed by Fashion Checker aren't paying garment workers a living wage
- The global fashion industry is worth $2.5 trillion
- Garment production is the most labor-intensive manufacturing sector globally
- More than 300 million people are employed in the global fashion supply chain
Interpretation
Behind the $2.5 trillion allure of fashion lies a global empire built on exploited labor, imported trends, and faded denim dusted with danger—where style sells, but ethics are out of season.
Environmental Impact
- The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions
- The fashion industry could use 26% of the world’s carbon budget by 2050 if it continues on its current path
- Polyester production for textiles released 706 billion kg of greenhouse gases in 2015, equivalent to 185 coal-fired power plants
- Cotton farming uses 24% of the world’s insecticides and 11% of pesticides despite covering just 2.5% of arable land
- If the fashion industry continues as-is, its greenhouse gas emissions will surge by more than 50% by 2030
- Producing clothing made from recycled textiles could reduce carbon emissions by 20% to 30%
- Over 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw materials into textiles
- The global apparel and footwear industry produces 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions
- Making a simple T-shirt emits 4 kg of CO2
- Fashion manufacturing contributes to 20 million tons of CO2 annually in the UK alone
- Fast fashion emissions are expected to rise by 77% in the next decade
- Viscose production is linked to deforestation in endangered forests
- 25% of fashion’s carbon footprint comes from the consumer use phase, like washing and drying
- Each cotton T-shirt produces the equivalent of 2.1 kg of CO2
- Synthetic textile production emits millions of tons of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas 300 times more potent than CO2
Interpretation
Dressing to impress shouldn’t mean undressing the planet, but with fashion spewing more carbon than aviation and shipping combined, we’re tailoring ourselves a climate catastrophe one garment at a time.
Market Trends and Consumer Behavior
- Clothing production has roughly doubled since 2000
- The average consumer buys 60% more clothing today than in 2000, but keeps each item for half as long
- The fashion industry is projected to grow by 81% by 2030
- Fast fashion is causing an increase in clothing consumption of 400% compared to 20 years ago
- Used clothing exports have increased by 500% since 1990
- Secondhand clothing makes up 70% of wardrobes in Sub-Saharan Africa
- 33% of young women consider clothes "old" after wearing them fewer than three times
- The resale apparel market is expected to grow 11 times faster than retail clothing by 2025
- A 2020 survey showed 88% of consumers wanted brands to help them be more environmentally friendly
- Fast fashion brands like Zara release up to 24 new collections each year
- The average lifetime of a garment is about 2.2 years
- UK consumers buy more clothes per person than any other country in Europe
- The global fashion resale market is projected to reach $77 billion by 2025
- Clothing consumption is projected to increase by 63% by 2030
Interpretation
Fashion today moves faster than our conscience, as we buy more, wear less, and chase trends at breakneck speed—leaving a landfill legacy stitched with fleeting style and long-term environmental cost.
Resource Consumption
- The fashion industry consumes about 93 billion cubic meters of water annually, enough to meet the consumption needs of five million people
- A single pair of jeans requires about 3,781 liters of water to produce
- Producing one cotton shirt requires 2,700 liters of water—the amount a person drinks in 2.5 years
- Over 100 billion garments are produced each year globally
- Synthetic fibers, such as polyester, account for about 60% of all materials used by the fashion industry
- 70 million barrels of oil are used each year to make polyester
- Production of a kilogram of cotton requires up to 20,000 liters of water
Interpretation
In the race to stay in style, the fashion industry is guzzling enough water to quench the thirst of millions, churning out oil-soaked synthetic fabrics at warp speed, and costing the Earth more than just a price tag per cotton tee.
Waste and Pollution
- The fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global wastewater
- 87% of the total fiber input used for clothing is ultimately incinerated or sent to a landfill
- Every year, half a million tons of plastic microfibres are released into the ocean from washing synthetic textiles
- Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of water globally
- 60% of clothing produced is discarded within a year of being made
- Less than 1% of clothing is recycled into new garments
- Fashion accounts for up to 35% of microplastics found in the ocean
- 92 million tons of textile waste is created annually
- Fast fashion produces 92 million tons of waste per year, expected to reach 134 million tons by 2030
- The average American throws away 81 pounds of clothing every year
- Textile waste occupies nearly 5% of all landfill space
- Textile treatment and dyeing contributes to 20% of global water pollution
- Only 12% of the material used for clothing ends up being recycled
- Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, is commonly used in textile production
- Polyester takes more than 200 years to decompose
- An average washing load of synthetic clothes releases 700,000 microfibres
- 82% of discarded textiles in the U.S. end up in landfills or are incinerated
- Less than 15% of used clothing in the U.S. is recycled or donated
- Only 10% of clothes donated to charity are sold in-store
- In Bangladesh, 2.5 million tons of wastewater is generated from textile production annually
- 40% of fashion retailers destroy unsold stock to protect brand value
- An estimated 500,000 tons of textiles are incinerated in Europe each year
- Each year, Americans discard 13 million tons of textiles
- Washing clothes accounts for 35% of primary microplastics in the environment
- A truckload of textiles is burned or sent to landfill every second globally
- About 60% of garments are discarded within a year of production
Interpretation
Fashion may dress us up, but behind the seams it’s a dirty business—leaving a trail of toxic dyes, microplastic-laced oceans, and landfill-choked trends that prove one season’s style is another century’s environmental regret.