Fashion Industry Carbon Emissions Statistics

The average person buys 60% more clothing items than they did 15 years ago [1]

Clothing consumption in the EU increased by about 40% since 2000 [2]

In the EU, the average person purchases around 26 kg of new clothing per year [2]

The EU average annual consumption of clothing is about 26 kg per person [2]

Global clothing resale/reuse is growing but remains small relative to total consumption [3]

The share of apparel that is recycled/reused is low; UNEP highlights limited collection/recycling rates [4]

Fast fashion drives more production; garments are often worn only a few times before replacement (reported in UNEP) [4]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates clothing use will increase by 60% by 2030 [5]

The US textile generation in 2018 was 17.3 million tons [6]

Fashion industry represents about 10% of global carbon emissions [4]

The fashion industry is responsible for about 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2-equivalent per year [5]

The UN Environment Programme estimates the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions are around 2–3 billion tonnes CO2e per year [4]

“Textiles” and “clothing” combined are responsible for ~2.1 billion tonnes of CO2e annually in the UNEP accounting referenced in their fashion/climate report [4]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates clothing production accounts for 2.1 billion tonnes of GHG emissions per year [5]

In 2019, the fashion sector (EU) produced about 3.2% of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions [2]

In 2018, EU textile consumption was linked to 2.3–3.0 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent per year from retail of new garments [2]

McKinsey estimates apparel production creates roughly 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 per year [7]

The World Bank report notes fashion’s emissions are comparable to aviation and shipping combined (as cited widely) [8]

The same Ellen MacArthur Foundation report estimates GHG emissions could rise by 50% by 2030 under current trends [5]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation report estimates demand growth in materials could lead to an emissions increase [5]

Fashion’s “2.1 billion tonnes” is used in many summaries; UNEP references it for textile/clothing sector [4]

The World Bank states fashion emissions are 4% of global total (often cited for textiles + fashion) [8]

Global GHG emissions per year from the textiles sector are reported at 2.1 billion tonnes CO2 equivalent in some assessments used by major institutions [5]

Microfibers released from washing synthetic textiles contribute to ocean plastic pollution and are linked to carbon impacts of synthetic production [9]

Polyester production alone is responsible for about 705 million tonnes of CO2e annually (global estimate) [10]

Globally, cotton cultivation and processing contribute significantly to emissions and energy use across fashion supply chains [11]

Fast fashion leads to higher emissions due to higher turnover; average garment lifetime can be as low as 3–4 years in many markets [4]

Global fashion value chain emissions are largely concentrated in use and production stages, with the majority from production [12]

Life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions for clothing are typically dominated by fiber production, dyeing, and finishing [13]

WRI notes the largest share of emissions comes from manufacturing of apparel (upstream) [12]

McKinsey reports that 70% of fashion’s environmental impact occurs before the garment is made (raw materials and processing) [7]

The IEA notes that plastic (including polyester precursors) production is energy intensive and contributes to emissions [10]

The IPCC AR6 WGIII reports global warming potential depends strongly on methane and CO2; fashion emissions generally include CO2 from production [14]

Fashion’s carbon footprint is typically reduced by extending garment life; reuse can reduce impacts by several tens of percent depending on pathway [15]

A study finds that extending garment lifetime by 9 years can reduce total GHG emissions by about 30%–50% (depending on assumptions) [15]

The ILO and other sources estimate garment sector is a key employment sector with supply-chain impacts, but carbon is driven by upstream production [16]

Fashion accounts for ~20% of global wastewater and is linked to energy-intensive dyeing/finishing (carbon hotspot) [4]

Higg Index notes that manufacturing stage dominates the footprint for many categories (application) [17]

A typical polyester garment’s production stage accounts for the majority of its life-cycle climate impact in LCAs [15]

A case study for denim shows washing/drying can be a large share depending on laundering frequency [15]

“Downstream” consumer use emissions (washing, drying) can be a substantial portion; one LCA reports washing contributes up to ~20%–30% in certain scenarios [15]

For cotton T-shirts, manufacturing dominates while consumer use depends on wash temperature and frequency [15]

Polyester garment production is typically associated with high GHG emissions due to fossil feedstock [10]

UNEP states that synthetic fibers are a major contributor to microplastic pollution, linking to fossil-derived emissions [4]

Cotton dyeing and finishing can be energy intensive and contributes to GHG; UNEP cites heavy energy use in textile processing [4]

The IEA reports plastics production emissions are about 1.7 Gt CO2 in 2019 [18]

The IEA projects plastics emissions could increase to 4% of global emissions by mid-century without intervention [18]

An OECD working paper estimates that keeping garments in use longer can lower environmental impacts by 20%–30% for many products [19]

The IEA notes plastics sector emissions arise from feedstocks and energy, analogous to polyester-related emissions in fashion [18]

Fashion industry greenhouse gas emissions include upstream processes; UNEP states emissions come mainly from production of fibers and yarns [4]

Dyeing and finishing are major contributors; UNEP identifies them as a hotspot [4]

The JRC BREF “Textiles” includes wastewater and energy figures; typical carbon reductions come from reduced energy and steam [20]

UNEP reports that sorting and recycling of clothing is currently limited, resulting in lower recycled fiber rates and higher net emissions [4]

Only about 1% of global clothing is recycled into new clothing [21]

The EU textile strategy notes only about 25% of textiles are collected for reuse/recycling [22]

The EU revised Waste Framework targets separate collection of textiles by 2025 [23]

Denmark’s “Textile action plan” aims to increase reuse and recycling rates to 50% by 2030 [24]

The UK “Textile strategy” set a target to send zero textiles to landfill by 2040 [25]

The EU Circular Economy Action Plan targets a 55% municipal waste recycling rate by 2025 [26]

The EU Circular Economy Action Plan sets a 65% municipal waste recycling rate by 2035 [26]

By 2030, EU targets aim for 10% of plastics to be recycled from packaging, relevant to synthetic fiber supply chain plastics [27]

The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation sets reuse and recycling targets that indirectly affect textile packaging and supply chains [28]

The New Plastics Economy/EP’s targets include recycling 10 million tonnes of plastic waste by 2025 [29]

Another LCA study reports recycling polyester-based garments can reduce climate impacts by up to ~60% compared with virgin polyester [30]

Chemical recycling can reduce GHG impacts compared with virgin feedstock in some scenarios by about 30%–60% [31]

Mechanical recycling generally reduces climate impacts but is limited by fiber quality; some studies show ~30%–50% reduction vs virgin [32]

The EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products framework includes requirements to assess product environmental footprint (including carbon) [33]

The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requires reporting under ESRS that includes climate transition plans, relevant to supply chain emissions [34]

The EU “Due diligence” directive requires companies to address adverse impacts, including climate impacts where relevant [35]

The EU’s “Green Claims” proposal targets misleading environmental claims, improving transparency on carbon footprints [36]

The EU’s REACH regulation affects chemical inputs used in textile processing and can influence emissions indirectly [37]

The EU’s textiles strategy (2019) aims for textiles to become circular by 2030 [38]

The EU strategy targets collection of used textiles for reuse/recycling by 2025 [38]

The EU plan aims that by 2030, textiles will be designed to be durable and repairable [38]

UNEP highlights that a “systemic change” is needed; current fiber-to-fiber recycling remains extremely limited (~1%) [4]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation reports that “fiber-to-fiber” recycling is about 1% globally [21]

Textile manufacturing is highly energy intensive, and improving energy efficiency can reduce emissions [39]

Energy efficiency interventions in textile mills can reduce energy use by 10%–30% depending on technology [39]

Switching to renewable electricity can reduce Scope 2 emissions substantially, and UNEP emphasizes it as a lever [4]

OECD indicates that the textile sector is under circularity, leading to higher emissions [19]

BAT documents for textile finishing quantify energy and water use reductions; typical energy savings are targeted in ranges [20]

The fashion industry uses about 79 trillion liters of water per year [4]

Polyester accounts for around 52% of global fiber production (used in garments) [8]

Cotton accounts for about 24% of global fiber production used in apparel [8]

Viscose/rayon accounts for about 6% of global fiber production [8]

Wool accounts for about 2% of global fiber production [8]

The share of polyester in textiles is increasing due to lower costs and durability [8]

Global polyester production is increasing; the IEA notes rapid growth in plastics and related feedstocks which underpin synthetic fibers [10]

The textile sector’s global fiber production total is about 100 million tonnes/year (used in fashion) [8]

The International Energy Agency reports that the global plastics sector accounts for ~3.4% of global oil consumption and is projected to rise, relevant to synthetic fibers [18]

Global production of textiles is expected to reach 102 million tonnes by 2030, increasing emissions potential [5]

In 2019, the share of polyester used in apparel dominates synthetic fiber usage [8]

Polyester production is linked to fossil emissions; synthetic fibers represent a large share of fiber output (over 50%) [8]

The EU “Best Available Techniques” reference for textiles includes energy consumption figures for processes; typical ranges are reported (e.g., steam use) [20]

The EU textile industry produces about 2.1–2.6 million tonnes of textile waste annually [2]

In the EU, textiles accounted for about 5% of municipal waste by weight [2]

In the EU, 87% of textiles are not recycled and end up in landfills or incineration [2]

The EPA (US) estimates textiles disposed are around 12.1 million tons per year [6]

In 2018, 17.3 million tons of textiles were generated in the US [6]

In the US, about 2.5 million tons of textiles were recycled in 2018 [6]

In the US, about 8.4 million tons of textiles were landfilled in 2018 [6]

In the US, about 5.2 million tons of textiles were incinerated in 2018 [6]

Textiles are among the fastest-growing sources of waste in EU municipalities, with increases expected to continue [2]

In the EU, textile waste generation is estimated to rise from 12.6 kg per person in 2010 to 19.6 kg per person by 2030 (scenario) [2]

In the EU, about 5.8 million tonnes of textile waste are generated each year (EU-27) [2]

In the EU, 4.8 million tonnes of textile waste are landfilled each year [2]

The World Bank/UN report states textiles can take years to decompose, affecting waste-phase emissions [8]

Global recycling rate of textiles is estimated at ~13% (reused/recycled) [2]

EU estimates that ~87% of textiles are not recycled [2]

In 2018, European textile waste generation was about 6 million tonnes [2]

The EU textile waste per capita is about 5.8 kg per person (waste generated) [2]

Life-cycle emissions are highly sensitive to end-of-life routing; incineration typically increases climate impacts compared to recycling [19]

OECD reports that preventing textile waste reduces emissions more than improving collection alone [19]

In 2020, the EU incinerated about 53% of municipal waste; textiles within this stream contribute to emissions [40]

EU municipal waste generation was about 502 kg per person in 2022 (context for textiles) [40]

European Environment Agency reports that in the EU, 6.3 million tonnes of textiles are discarded annually [2]

In the EU, only around 1 million tonnes of textile waste is collected for recycling [2]

In the EU, about 2.5 million tonnes are disposed in incineration [2]

In the EU, about 2.8 million tonnes are landfilled [2]

The average EU garment collection rate is low; EEA notes collection rates far below total waste [2]

The US textile recycling rate in 2018 was about 15% of generated textiles [6]

The US textile landfill rate in 2018 was about 49% of generated textiles [6]

The US textile incineration rate in 2018 was about 30% of generated textiles [6]

The European Commission’s textile waste figures show textiles disposal and collection, which correlate to end-of-life emissions [41]