Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions
Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of water globally
The fashion industry produces 20% of global wastewater
87% of the total fiber input used for clothing is incinerated or disposed of in a landfill
The equivalent of one garbage truck full of clothes is burned or dumped in a landfill every second
Washing clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year
The average person buys 60% more clothing now than 15 years ago but keeps each item half as long
Fashion accounts for 4% of freshwater withdrawal globally
It takes about 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton shirt
Making one pair of jeans emits as much greenhouse gas as driving over 80 miles
Synthetic fabrics like polyester can take up to 200 years to decompose in a landfill
Polyester production for textiles in 2015 emitted 706 billion kilograms of greenhouse gases
Up to 35% of primary microplastics in the ocean come from synthetic textiles
Chemical and Water Usage
- Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of water globally
- The fashion industry produces 20% of global wastewater
- Fashion accounts for 4% of freshwater withdrawal globally
- It takes about 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton shirt
- Cotton farming uses 16% of all insecticides sold globally and 6% of pesticides
- Egyptian cotton uses 95% less water than conventional cotton
- 90% of the cotton grown globally is genetically modified
- Modern tanning of leather uses 250 chemicals, including toxic ones like chromium
- It can take 3,000 liters of water to produce a cotton T-shirt
- Hemp uses 50% less water than cotton
- Undyed fabrics reduce water consumption by over 80%
- Nearly 25% of chemicals produced worldwide are used in textiles
- Dyes and finishing can comprise 20% of overall water pollution globally
- Organic cotton reduces water consumption by 91% compared to conventional cotton
- Fashion is the second highest user of water globally
- India consumes around 4,000 billion liters of water annually for textile production
- 93 billion cubic meters of water are used annually by the fashion industry
- Up to 8,000 synthetic chemicals are used in fashion production
Interpretation
Behind every stylish outfit lies a staggering water footprint and a cocktail of chemicals, making fashion less a statement of personal expression and more a silent contributor to our planet’s pollution crisis.
Consumer Behavior
- The average person buys 60% more clothing now than 15 years ago but keeps each item half as long
- The average number of times a garment is worn has decreased by 36% since 2000
- The average lifetime of a piece of clothing is 3 years
- Consumers miss out on $460 billion of value each year by throwing away clothes that could still be worn
- Clothing consumption is expected to increase 63% by 2030
- On average, consumers wear only 20% of their wardrobe 80% of the time
Interpretation
Fast fashion’s high-speed churn has turned our closets into graveyards of barely-worn garments, costing the planet dearly and leaving consumers $460 billion poorer—all while we keep wearing the same favorite 20% on repeat.
Environmental Impact
- The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions
- Washing clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year
- Making one pair of jeans emits as much greenhouse gas as driving over 80 miles
- Synthetic fabrics like polyester can take up to 200 years to decompose in a landfill
- Polyester production for textiles in 2015 emitted 706 billion kilograms of greenhouse gases
- Up to 35% of primary microplastics in the ocean come from synthetic textiles
- By 2030, fashion’s global emissions could increase by 50%
- 60% of all materials used by the fashion industry are made from plastic
- The fashion industry contributes more to climate change than international aviation and shipping combined
- Every year, half a million tons of plastic microfibers are released into the ocean from washing synthetic textiles
- 70 million barrels of oil are used each year to make polyester
- If the fashion industry continues its current path, it could use up a quarter of the world’s carbon budget by 2050
- Secondhand clothing prolongs garment life by about 2.2 years
- Leather production contributes to deforestation and releases toxic chemicals
- Garment production emits 1.2 billion tons of CO2 equivalent annually
- Renting clothing could reduce carbon and water footprints by up to 67%
- The processing of raw materials accounts for nearly 30% of a garment’s carbon footprint
- Using recycled cotton can reduce emissions by 70%
- Fabric production accounts for 39% of emissions in garment lifecycle
- Recycled polyester uses 59% less energy than virgin polyester
- One kilogram of textile production emits 20-30 kg of CO2
- 80% of emissions across a garment’s lifecycle are generated during production
- Only 16% of apparel brands have carbon reduction targets aligned with science-based goals
- EU’s fashion sector is the fourth largest pressure category for resource use and environment degradation
- Using bamboo can reduce land use impact by over 80% compared to cotton
- Reusable garments reduce lifecycle emissions by up to 30%
- A 10% increase in the use of second-hand garments can reduce emissions by 3%
- Wool production results in high methane emissions, contributing significantly to climate change
- 430 million tons of CO2 could be saved annually if garments were worn twice as long
- Microplastics from textiles account for 16-35% of global ocean pollution
- Reducing washing frequency can cut garment lifecycle emissions by 20%
Interpretation
Fashion may be fabulous, but behind the runway lies a staggering reality: our closets are not only overflowing with clothes, but also with carbon, plastic, and pollution—making the industry more climate-crushing than planes and ships combined, while your favorite jeans and polyester tee quietly unravel the planet one wash at a time.
Market Trends and Business Models
- Fast fashion production doubled between 2000 and 2014
- One in six people work in some part of the global fashion industry
- Workers in major garment-producing countries often earn less than the living wage
- Around 90% of workers in the global garment industry are women
- The resale market is projected to grow 11 times faster than traditional retail
- 75% of fashion companies have not implemented sustainable policies
- Clothing rental market is expected to reach $2.3 billion by 2028
- Fast fashion brands offer up to 24 collections per year compared to 2 per year in traditional retail
Interpretation
As fast fashion speeds ahead with 24 collections a year, low wages, and minimal sustainability, it seems the industry’s true trend is exploiting people and the planet—though the resale and rental markets might just be fashion's conscience trying to catch up.
Waste and Overproduction
- 87% of the total fiber input used for clothing is incinerated or disposed of in a landfill
- The equivalent of one garbage truck full of clothes is burned or dumped in a landfill every second
- Only 1% of clothing is recycled into new clothes globally
- Clothing production has roughly doubled since 2000
- 92 million tons of textile waste is created each year by the fashion industry
- The average American throws away approximately 37 kg of clothes each year
- Less than 15% of consumer-used clothing is recycled in the U.S.
- 85% of textiles go to the dump each year
- 70% of global clothing donations end up in Africa
- The average consumer throws away 70 pounds of clothing per year
- About 75% of fast fashion ends up in landfills or is incinerated
- Conventional fashion supply chains involve over 20 different stages from fiber to retail
- Only 20% of clothing globally is collected for reuse or recycling
Interpretation
In an industry that prides itself on changing trends, fashion’s most consistent look is waste—churning out clothes faster than we can wear them, only to stitch them straight into landfills at the cost of our planet.