Fast Fashion Carbon Emissions Statistics

In the UK, clothing use generates 26.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year [1]

Clothing in active use in the UK generates 66 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent over its lifetime [1]

Extending the active life of clothing by 9 months can reduce carbon footprints by 20-30% [1]

If every garment were worn just nine months longer, carbon, water and waste footprints would be reduced by around 20-30% each [2]

Washing, drying and ironing account for 3.1% of global carbon emissions from clothing [3]

Washing and drying a polyester shirt over its lifetime can produce more emissions than were created during its production [4]

Consumers bought 60% more garments in 2014 than in 2000 [5]

The average garment is kept half as long as it was 15 years ago [5]

Europeans consume nearly 26 kg of textiles and discard about 11 kg of textiles per person each year [6]

The average person buys 60% more items of clothing than 15 years ago [7]

Consumers keep clothing items for about half as long as they did 15 years ago [7]

Wearing a garment for just half as long as the global average drives 75% more climate impact [8]

Doubling the number of times a garment is worn can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 44% [1]

The average number of times a garment is worn has decreased by 36% compared with 15 years ago [9]

The average consumer bought 60% more clothing in 2014 than in 2000 [10]

The average consumer keeps clothing for half as long as 15 years ago [10]

In the EU, washing, drying and ironing textiles consumed 104 cubic metres of water and generated 270 kg CO2 per person in 2020 when combined with lifecycle impacts of clothing and footwear consumption [11]

Clothing utilization has declined by 36% compared to 15 years ago [12]

In the UK, around 350,000 tonnes of used clothing goes to landfill each year [1]

The UK sends around £140 million worth of clothing to landfill each year [1]

More than $500 billion of value is lost every year due to clothing underutilization and lack of recycling [9]

Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned [9]

Less than 1% of clothing material is recycled into new clothing [9]

In the EU, 85% of all textiles are discarded rather than reused or recycled [13]

In 2015, global clothing and footwear sales generated 8.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions across the supply chain and use phase [14]

The use phase of clothing can account for 20% of total emissions in the apparel value chain [15]

Laundering frequency and drying method are among the biggest drivers of a garment’s use-phase emissions [16]

Reducing washing temperature and avoiding tumble drying can significantly cut use-phase emissions from apparel [4]

In 2018, 17% of all clothing products sold in the UK were unworn or underused [17]

About 30% of clothes in the average wardrobe have not been worn for at least a year [1]

The global resale market could displace new production and cut emissions if it extends product life [18]

Less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing at scale [10]

Polyester production for textiles emitted around 706 million tonnes of CO2 in 2015 [19]

Polyester now makes up 52% of global fiber production [19]

Virgin polyester has more than double the climate impact of cotton [19]

Synthetic textiles were responsible for 1.35% of global oil consumption in 2015 [19]

Producing 1 kg of conventional cotton can emit around 5.9 kg CO2e [20]

Producing 1 kg of polyester can emit around 9.52 kg CO2e [21]

Producing 1 kg of acrylic can emit around 11.53 kg CO2e [22]

Producing 1 kg of nylon can emit around 18.18 kg CO2e [23]

Polyester fiber represented 54% of global fiber production in 2021 [24]

Recycled polyester represented only 14.8% of the global polyester market in 2021 [24]

Global virgin fossil-based synthetic fiber production was 67 million tonnes in 2021 [24]

Man-made cellulosic fibers accounted for 6.4% of global fiber production in 2021 [24]

Cotton represented 21.4% of global fiber production in 2021 [24]

Synthetic fibers made up 69% of total global fiber production in 2021 [24]

Producing polyester releases more than twice as much carbon as producing cotton [4]

More than 70 million barrels of oil a year are used to make polyester fibres [25]

Plastic-based fibers such as polyester, acrylic and nylon make up about 60% of garments produced today [10]

Polyester is made from fossil fuels and can take more than 200 years to decompose [10]

The textiles sector consumed 342 million barrels of oil in 2015 for polyester production [12]

Synthetic fibers are expected to grow from 69% to 73% of all fiber production by 2030 [24]

Global fiber production reached 113 million tonnes in 2021 [24]

If current trends continue, fiber production will rise to 149 million tonnes by 2030 [24]

A polyester shirt has a carbon footprint of 5.5 kg CO2e [16]

A cotton shirt has a carbon footprint of 2.1 kg CO2e [16]

A pair of jeans has a carbon footprint of 33.4 kg CO2e [16]

The raw material stage contributes 38% of the fashion industry’s total greenhouse gas emissions [26]

Material production and preparation account for 15% of the fashion value chain’s emissions [15]

Yarn preparation contributes 1% of apparel and footwear value chain emissions [15]

Fabric preparation contributes 2% of apparel and footwear value chain emissions [15]

Fiber production contributes 30% of apparel and footwear value chain emissions [15]

Most of the apparel industry’s emissions, about 70%, come from upstream activities like material production and processing [27]

Around 60% of emissions in the fashion industry come from material production, preparation, and processing [28]

Material choices can account for over 70% of a fashion product’s cradle-to-gate emissions [29]

The fashion industry is responsible for about 10% of annual global carbon emissions [30]

The fashion industry emits 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases annually [30]

Global fashion accounts for 2.1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year [26]

The fashion industry contributes 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions [26]

If no action is taken, the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions could rise to around 2.7 billion tons a year by 2030 [26]

To align with a 1.5°C pathway, the fashion industry must reduce emissions by 1.1 billion tons by 2030 [26]

The apparel and footwear sector generated 2.1 billion tonnes CO2e in 2018 [15]

Apparel and footwear represented 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2018 [15]

The fashion sector must cut emissions to 1.1 billion tonnes CO2e by 2030 to stay on a 1.5°C pathway [31]

Current fashion sector emissions are around 2.1 billion tonnes CO2e annually [31]

The textile sector emitted 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2015 [6]

Textile production is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions [6]

Fashion produces between 4% and 8.6% of global greenhouse gas emissions [10]

The fashion industry’s emissions were estimated at 2% to 8% of global carbon emissions [32]

Global apparel consumption generates 715 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually [1]

The clothing sector produces more greenhouse gas emissions than international flights and maritime shipping combined [10]

The fashion industry accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions [25]

Apparel and footwear emissions are projected to increase by more than 50% by 2030 [25]

The global fashion industry emits around 1.7 billion tons of CO2 per year [33]

Fashion is responsible for roughly 8.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions [14]

Apparel and footwear supply chains generated 3.4% of global emissions in 2005 [7]

Apparel and footwear supply chains generated 3.9% of global emissions in 2016 [7]

Fashion’s emissions could increase by more than 60% by 2030 if business continues as usual [7]

The apparel sector’s climate impact totals 1.025 gigatons of CO2 equivalent annually [27]

The fashion industry is estimated to be responsible for 5% of global emissions [8]

The textiles value chain contributes 6% to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions [28]

The fashion industry could account for 26% of the world’s carbon budget by 2050 if current trends continue [12]

Clothing and footwear consumption in the EU caused about 270 kg of CO2 emissions per person in 2020 [11]

Total greenhouse gas emissions from clothing and footwear consumption in the EU were 121 million tonnes in 2020 [11]

The textile industry in Europe was responsible for 654 kg of CO2 equivalent emissions per person in 2017 from household consumption [13]

Tier 2 material processing accounts for 52% of apparel sector emissions [27]

Tier 1 finished goods assembly accounts for 14% of apparel sector emissions [27]

Tier 4 raw material extraction accounts for 16% of apparel sector emissions [27]

Tier 3 yarn and textile preparation accounts for 18% of apparel sector emissions [27]

Dyeing and finishing accounts for 36% of the fashion industry’s total greenhouse gas emissions [26]

Garment assembly contributes 8% of the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions [26]

Retail and last-mile contribute 3% of the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions [26]

Packaging contributes 2% of the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions [26]

Transport contributes 2% of the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions [26]

End of use contributes 3% of the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions [26]

Consumer use phase contributes 20% of the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas emissions [26]

Cutting, making, trimming, packaging and distribution account for 19% of apparel and footwear value chain emissions [15]

Wet processing accounts for 17% of apparel and footwear value chain emissions [15]

Product use contributes 20% of apparel and footwear value chain emissions [15]

End-of-life contributes 3% of apparel and footwear value chain emissions [15]

Tier 2 suppliers account for more than 50% of fashion brands’ supply-chain emissions [34]

Over 70% of the fashion industry’s emissions come from upstream activities [34]

Scope 3 emissions account for about 96% of the total emissions of leading fashion brands [34]

Manufacturing represents about 80% of a garment’s total environmental impacts [25]

More than half of fashion’s emissions occur in the supply chain [28]

The majority of fashion emissions are generated in Asia, where much of the supply chain is concentrated [26]

Approximately 95% of the industry’s supply-chain emissions arise from tier 2 and tier 3 operations [26]

Coal supplies about 70% of the energy used in textile production in some major manufacturing hubs [26]

Approximately 50% of a fashion brand’s supply-chain emissions can be reduced through energy efficiency and renewable electricity in manufacturing [34]

Air freight can create emissions up to 14 times higher than shipping by sea for apparel transport [35]

Processing, including spinning, weaving, dyeing and finishing, accounts for the majority of textile emissions [11]

Transport and retail together contribute less than 10% of fashion’s total emissions [26]

The fashion industry must reduce emissions by 45% by 2030 to align with the Paris Agreement [31]

Signatories to the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action commit to net-zero emissions by 2050 [31]

The updated Fashion Charter sets a target to reduce aggregate GHG emissions by 50% by 2030 [31]

The fashion industry’s decarbonization pathway requires a 45% reduction from 2019 levels by 2030 [27]

Apparel sector emissions need to fall from 1.025 Gt CO2e to 0.563 Gt CO2e by 2030 [27]

The apparel sector must reach 0.129 Gt CO2e by 2050 in a 1.5°C pathway [27]

Energy efficiency can deliver 30% of the emissions reductions needed in fashion’s supply chain [26]

Renewable electricity can deliver 21% of the emissions reductions needed in fashion’s supply chain [26]

Sustainable materials adoption can deliver 19% of the emissions reductions needed in fashion’s supply chain [26]

Coal phaseout can deliver 8% of the emissions reductions needed in fashion’s supply chain [26]

Brands’ own operations account for only about 4% of total emissions, meaning 96% are indirect and need value-chain action [34]

A 1.5°C-aligned fashion pathway requires a 43% absolute emissions cut by 2030 from a 2019 baseline [36]

The apparel and footwear sector has to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050 [36]

More than 40% of the apparel sector’s emissions reductions this decade must come from manufacturing decarbonization [27]

Fiber shift and material innovation together can provide about 25% of the sector’s needed decarbonization by 2030 [27]

Circular business models could reduce the fashion industry’s emissions by 143 million tonnes by 2030 [37]

Existing decarbonization measures could reduce fashion emissions by 60% at current cost levels [28]

Upstream interventions account for roughly 70% of the sector’s decarbonization potential [28]

Improved material efficiency can cut a brand’s emissions by around 10% to 20% [34]

Switching to renewable electricity in supplier factories can reduce emissions by about 40% in some production stages [34]

Textile Exchange’s Climate+ goal seeks a 45% reduction in GHG emissions from fiber and raw material production by 2030 [38]

To stay within 1.5°C, fashion emissions need to decline by about 7% annually through 2030 [27]

Decarbonizing textile wet processing is one of the largest levers because it represents 17% of sector emissions [15]

Fiber production represents 30% of emissions, making material transition a critical climate lever [15]

Consumer use and end-of-life together represent 23% of sector emissions, creating a major opportunity for circular strategies [15]

The fashion sector needs to reduce emissions to about half of today’s level by 2030 [26]

Without action, fashion’s share of the global carbon budget could rise to 26% by 2050 [9]

More than 250 organizations have signed the UN Fashion Charter [31]

The Fashion Charter originally set a 30% aggregate emissions reduction goal by 2030 before being strengthened [31]

The apparel and footwear industry is not on track to meet a 1.5°C pathway without immediate action across the value chain [36]

Circular economy measures in fashion could help tackle the industry’s 2% to 8% share of global emissions [32]