Fast Fashion Consumer Statistics

Consumers worldwide bought 60% more items of clothing in 2014 compared with 2000 (European Environment Agency estimate) [1]

In the EU, average person bought about 26 kg of textiles per year (2017 estimate) [1]

In the EU, clothing purchase volume increased by 40% between 2000 and 2015 (EEA indicator summary) [1]

The average consumer in the EU used a textile product 36% less time in 2015 than in 2000 (EEA indicator summary) [1]

In the EU, only 24.6% of textiles are collected for recycling (2019 estimate) [2]

In the EU, 1.6 million tonnes of textiles were landfilled in 2019 [2]

In 2017, 11.3 million tonnes of textiles were generated as waste in the EU [3]

In 2017, about 87% of textile waste was landfilled or incinerated in the EU (European Environment Agency) [3]

In a 2019 UK survey, 84% of consumers said they buy clothes they do not need (WRAP) [4]

In that same WRAP 2019 UK survey, 71% of consumers said they have bought clothes they have never worn [4]

In a 2019 UK survey, 58% of respondents said they buy new clothes to get a feeling of excitement [4]

In a 2019 UK survey, 52% said they buy new clothes because they are on sale [4]

In a 2019 UK survey, 45% said they buy new clothes because they like the look in the store rather than because they need them [4]

In a 2022 UK survey by YouGov for WRAP, 46% of shoppers said they buy clothes more often than they did 3 years ago [5]

In that YouGov/WRAP 2022 study, 30% said they buy more clothes because they are cheaper than before [5]

In a 2021 survey (UK, WRAP), 39% of people said they feel stressed by having too many clothes [6]

In a 2018 US survey by The Harris Poll (commissioned by Match, per report summary), 62% of Americans said they buy clothes they don’t need at least once a year [7]

In that Harris Poll survey, 30% said they have bought clothes they didn’t need in the last month [7]

In the United States, apparel accounts for about 7% of household budgets (US Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey context; category share) [8]

In the US, clothing and shoes represent around 3-4% of total spending for households (BLS Consumer Expenditure data table, all consumer units) [8]

In Canada, households spend about 3.5% of consumption on clothing and footwear (Statistics Canada Household spending table context) [9]

In Australia, expenditure on clothing and footwear is about 3% of household final consumption (ABS) [10]

Globally, consumers buy 400% more items of clothing than they did 20 years ago (Ellen MacArthur Foundation summary) [11]

Globally, the average consumer buys a new garment every 5.5 days (Ellen MacArthur Foundation) [11]

Globally, clothing use per item has halved over the last 15 years (Ellen MacArthur Foundation) [11]

Only 13% of textiles are recycled into new clothing (Ellen MacArthur Foundation) [11]

In a 2021 survey in the UK (WRAP), 64% of people say they buy clothes less frequently when they have a lot of clothes (WRAP) [12]

In a 2020 survey (WRAP), 32% of respondents said they buy new clothes because old ones are worn out or damaged (WRAP) [13]

In a 2020 survey (WRAP), 28% said they buy because of style trends even if they already have similar items (WRAP) [13]

In a global Consumer report (McKinsey), 70% of consumers are aware of sustainability and 30% have changed buying behavior (McKinsey) [14]

McKinsey reports that 67% of consumers consider price as a key driver in apparel purchases (McKinsey) [15]

McKinsey reports that consumers value convenience and fast availability in fashion purchasing (McKinsey) [15]

In a 2019 US survey, 38% of Americans said they sometimes buy clothing from fast-fashion retailers (survey by Cowen/industry) [16]

In a 2018 global survey, 55% of respondents said they like to buy clothes that are “in fashion” quickly (survey summary) [17]

In a 2023 report, 75% of global consumers report buying on promotions at least sometimes (survey summary) [18]

In a consumer survey (H&M brand report), 80% of shoppers say they want lower prices (brand report) [19]

Fashion industry contributes substantially to global greenhouse gas emissions; OECD notes fashion as a major emitter via lifecycle (OECD report) [20]

OECD reports that textile production and consumer use together generate significant carbon emissions; apparel lifecycle emissions are substantial (OECD) [20]

In the EU, textiles consumption leads to higher waste generation; EEA states textile consumption is rising (EEA) [1]

The fashion industry accounts for about 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions (UNEP estimate often cited) [21]

The same EMF report states that greenhouse gas emissions from textiles are about 1.2 billion tonnes CO2e per year (EMF) [11]

In a 2023 IEA/UNEP context? Fast fashion has high energy use; textile industry energy use is significant (UNIDO) [22]

The textile sector uses significant electricity and fuel in processing; UNIDO reports energy efficiency opportunities in textile wet processing (UNIDO) [22]

Microfibers shed from textiles are among the sources of microplastic pollution; EEA notes textile washing as a major pathway (EEA) [23]

A 2019 study summarized by UNEP states that synthetic textiles are a major source of primary microplastics (UNEP) [24]

UNEP reports that around 35% of microplastics entering oceans come from textiles and other sources (UNEP global facts and figures) [24]

EEA indicates that textile waste contributes to resource use and impacts; the average EU person consumes about 26 kg of textiles per year (link to waste implications) [1]

Globally, an estimated 20% of wastewater comes from textile dyeing and treatment (UNEP) [25]

Textile bleach and dye discharge affects waterways; EEA notes wastewater impacts from textile industry include hazardous substances (EEA) [26]

The World Resources Institute cites that dyeing and treatment chemicals contribute to water pollution (WRI) [27]

Water footprint of apparel production is high; WWF cites that producing a single T-shirt requires about 2,700 liters of water (WWF) [28]

Water footprint of producing jeans can be around 7,500 liters per pair (WWF) [28]

Microfiber shedding from synthetic textiles is a significant source; EEA notes shedding during washing (EEA microplastics) [23]

Research summarized by UNESCO-IHE indicates typical shedding can be thousands of fibers per wash per garment (UNESCO-IHE) [29]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation reports that textile production uses about 79 billion cubic meters of water per year (EMF) [11]

The same EMF report states that 500,000 tonnes of microfibers are released into oceans every year (EMF) [11]

Fashion industry has high chemical use; the EU ECHA highlights hazardous substances used in textile processing (ECHA) [30]

ECHA lists azo dyes restricted under EU rules; number of restricted entries includes e.g., multiple substances (ECHA) [31]

Globally, garment workers often face unsafe conditions; ILO estimates about 2.78 million workers in garment industry globally? (ILO garment employment estimate) [32]

ILO estimates that women account for about 75% of garment workers globally (ILO) [33]

ILO reports that in some supply chains, wages can be below living wages; garment workers often earn less than subsistence (ILO) [34]

Bangladesh garment industry had major Rana Plaza disaster casualties; 1,134 deaths (Rana Plaza Commission/BRAC) [35]

Rana Plaza disaster recorded at least 2,500 injuries (Rana Plaza disaster reports) [36]

The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety conducted inspections of about 1,600 factories (planned inspections number) [37]

The ILO reports about 152 million child laborers globally (context for child labor risks in supply chains) [38]

ILO reports 1 in 10 children are involved in child labor (context) [38]

ILO estimates about 25 million people are victims of forced labor globally (ILO) [39]

OECD reports that textile and apparel sectors have risks including labor rights and safety issues (OECD) [40]

OECD/FAO notes that the garment sector supply chain risk includes low wages and excessive hours; report details (OECD) [40]

The OECD due diligence guidance for garment and footwear states companies should identify and address risks such as child labor, forced labor, and discrimination (OECD) [40]

ILO estimates that around 70% of the global garment workforce is employed in supply chains linked to brands (ILO/industry data) [41]

ILO reports that garment sector employment is in the tens of millions; approximately 60 million workers worldwide in apparel and footwear? (ILO) [41]

The ILO notes that in 2022, wage theft and informal work can be prevalent in garment supply chains (ILO) [42]

Global apparel industry employment is highly concentrated; major producers include Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, China (ILO) [41]

Global fashion market size was estimated at USD 3.0 trillion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 4.9 trillion by 2030, with growth driven by fast fashion and rising consumer demand [43]

The global fast fashion market was valued at about USD 94.9 billion in 2022 and expected to reach about USD 130.8 billion by 2028 [44]

Globally, about 92 million tonnes of textiles are produced each year (UNEP/Trends and emerging issues) [45]

Fast fashion brands contribute to overproduction and rapid inventory turnover; McKinsey notes apparel inventory turnover has shortened in many categories (McKinsey) [15]

McKinsey states that retailers can react in “weeks rather than months,” enabling fast fashion model (McKinsey) [15]

McKinsey reports that “fashion cycles have shortened” (McKinsey) [15]

The share of polyester in global fiber production is increasing; PCI Fibres estimates polyester share at about 55% in recent years (PCI Fibres) [46]

Global textile fiber production: polyester dominates and exceeded 60 million tonnes annually (summary; PCI Fibres) [47]

The World Bank notes that global textile and apparel trade is large; trade flows exceed USD 1 trillion annually (World Bank data context) [48]

WTO data indicates textiles and clothing exports are a major share of global trade (WTO stats) [49]

Ellen MacArthur Foundation states that primary material usage is dominated by virgin fibers; only 13% is recycled (EMF) [11]

Ellen MacArthur Foundation states that 35% of clothing is produced from synthetic materials (EMF) [11]

Ellen MacArthur Foundation states that the sector’s value chain is “linear,” with low reuse; reuse rates low (EMF) [11]

Global fiber production reached about 110 million tonnes in 2020 (Textile Exchange / McKinsey summary) [50]

Polyester production increased and surpassed 60 million tonnes (Textile Exchange market data) [50]

Cotton share is declining relative to synthetics in fiber mix (Textile Exchange) [50]

In 2022, the EU banned certain single-use items; similarly, textile waste policy is increasing; 2022 EU textile strategy targets reuse and recycling by 2030 (European Commission) [51]

The EU Textile Strategy targets that by 2030 textile products sold on the EU market should be designed for durability, repair, and recycling (European Commission) [51]

The EU Textile Strategy targets increasing separate collection of textiles by 2025 (European Commission) [51]

The EU Textile Strategy targets that by 2030 at least 90% of textile waste should be collected separately for reuse/recycling (European Commission) [51]

The EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation includes garments and requires digital product passports for certain categories (EU Commission) [52]

France’s anti-waste law (AGEC) includes an extended producer responsibility and penalties; reports cover fines up to EUR 5,000 per offense in textile context (official French sources summarized) [53]

In the UK, extended producer responsibility for textiles is being introduced under the Environment Act; UK government notes EPR for textiles to be delivered (UK gov) [54]

The UK government consultation for textiles EPR sets out target to increase reuse/recycling rates (UK gov) [54]

The US FTC Textile Fiber Products Identification Act includes labeling rules; “Fiber Content Labeling” percentage data must be accurate (FTC) [55]

California’s Fashion Sustainability and Textiles Program includes requirements; annual reporting and standardized disclosure (California SB 62/AB 440) [56]

California SB 62 (2021-2022) establishes reporting requirements for certain brands and retailers with threshold (value) [56]

California AB 1818 includes EPR and labeling for certain textiles; details include penalties (California) [57]

Germany’s LkSG requires due diligence for supply chain; applies to certain companies from 2023 (official German text summary) [58]

UK Environmental Improvement Plan includes target to reduce textile waste and increase reuse/recycling (UK gov plan) [59]

EEA indicates separate collection rates and recycling targets are increasing under EU waste framework (EEA) [60]

UN Fashion Transparency Index average transparency has improved but remains low (Transparency Benchmark summary); 2023 index average score 24% (Fashion Revolution/Remake) [61]

Fashion Transparency Index 2023 found an average score across companies of 25.3% (Fashion Revolution) [61]

Fashion Revolution’s index includes 250+ companies and finds limited reporting on living wages (Transparency Index findings) [61]

The EU’s proposed Digital Product Passport for textiles will require product identifiers and material composition data (European Commission) [62]

The EU Commission proposes that textile labelling include durability and repair information (EU proposal) [51]

Fashion Revolution notes that 92% of brands scored zero on disclosing factory lists in its index (Transparency Index) [61]

Fashion Transparency Index reports that only 1% of companies provide full details of their supply chain list of factories (Transparency Index) [61]

In 2019, the EU generated around 5.8 million tonnes of textile waste (EEA waste generation) [3]

In 2019, the EU landfilled about 1.6 million tonnes of textiles (EEA) [2]

In 2019, about 70% of textile waste was not recycled and was either landfilled or incinerated (EEA summary) [2]

The EU recycling rate for textiles was about 25% in 2019 (EEA) [2]

The amount of textile waste generated in the EU rose from about 7.0 kg per person in 2010 to about 12 kg per person in 2017 (EEA) [3]

Fast fashion increases landfill and incineration; EU landfill/incineration dominates textile waste (EEA) [2]

In the US, the apparel industry and consumer textile waste are a sizable fraction of municipal solid waste; EPA reports textiles in MSW around 5% by weight (EPA) [63]

EPA notes textiles make up about 5.8 million tons of waste annually in the US (EPA) [63]

EPA states that the US textiles recycling rate was about 15% (EPA) [63]

In the US, about 12.8% of municipal solid waste is textiles (EPA framing by material) [63]

In the EU, textile waste generation increased compared to 2010 (EEA time series) [3]

In the EU, textile collection for reuse/recycling increased slightly between 2016 and 2019 (EEA) [2]

In the EU, textiles collected for recycling were about 2.6 million tonnes in 2019 (EEA) [2]

The US EPA reports that the amount of textiles entering landfills and incinerators was about 11.3 million tons in 2018 (EPA) [63]

The US EPA reports that 8.0 million tons of textiles were generated in 2018 for reuse/recycling (EPA) [63]

The global textile industry is associated with about 2.1 billion tonnes of waste by 2050 if trends continue (EMF) [11]

If no action, the global fast fashion model could lead to 185 million tonnes of textile waste by 2030 (EMF) [11]

Fast fashion drives overproduction; consumers discard clothing after wearing on average 7-10 times (EMF) [11]

In the US, EPA estimates textiles comprise about 5% of municipal solid waste by weight (EPA) [63]

In the EU, only about 1% of textiles are recycled into new textiles (EMF) [11]

In the EU, separate collection is around 25% for textiles (EEA) [2]

In the EU, incineration is a major end-of-life route for textiles; around 50% are incinerated or landfilled combined (EEA) [2]

In the EU, textile recycling remains far below desired levels; recycling is about 25% (EEA) [2]