Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global wastewater
Textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of water globally
The fashion industry uses 93 billion cubic meters of water annually
Producing one pair of jeans uses about 7,500 liters of water
The dyeing and finishing process of textiles uses approximately 200 tons of water for every ton of fabric
Cotton farming is responsible for 24% of insecticides and 11% of pesticides globally, much of which ends up in waterways
20,000 liters of water are needed to produce 1 kilogram of cotton
Fast fashion contributes to around 35% of the 190,000 tons of microplastics released into the oceans each year
Washing synthetic garments releases an estimated 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean annually
Polyester, the most popular fabric, accounts for 60% of manufactured clothing and sheds microplastics when washed
Around 2,700 liters of water are used to make a single cotton shirt
The Aral Sea shrank by 85% due in part to cotton irrigation
Approximately 79 billion cubic meters of water are used annually by the textile and apparel industry
Chemical Usage
- Cotton farming is responsible for 24% of insecticides and 11% of pesticides globally, much of which ends up in waterways
Interpretation
Fast fashion may dress us in style, but behind the seams, it's cottoning the world's rivers with nearly a quarter of global insecticides—an environmental cost stitched into every trend.
Environmental Impact
- Fast fashion contributes to around 35% of the 190,000 tons of microplastics released into the oceans each year
- The Aral Sea shrank by 85% due in part to cotton irrigation
- The textile industry contributes to 10% of global CO2 emissions and significant water pollution
- Fiber production emits greenhouse gases and involves toxic chemical and wastewater release
- Microfibers comprise 85% of synthetic debris on shorelines around the world, mostly from apparel
- Garment laundering accounts for 35% of primary microplastics released into the environment
- 80% of fast fashion dyeing and finishing occurs in countries with poor environmental regulations
- Less than 1% of textiles are recycled into new clothing, prolonging dye and fiber contamination cycles
Interpretation
Fast fashion may dress us cheaply, but its true cost is sewn into poisoned rivers, shrinking seas, and a planet choking on synthetic threads we barely notice—until it's far too late.
Water Consumption
- The fashion industry uses 93 billion cubic meters of water annually
- Producing one pair of jeans uses about 7,500 liters of water
- The dyeing and finishing process of textiles uses approximately 200 tons of water for every ton of fabric
- 20,000 liters of water are needed to produce 1 kilogram of cotton
- Around 2,700 liters of water are used to make a single cotton shirt
- Approximately 79 billion cubic meters of water are used annually by the textile and apparel industry
- The fashion industry consumes more water than any other industry apart from agriculture
- It takes 265 liters of water to dye 1 kilogram of fabric with synthetic dye
- Fashion’s water footprint is over 5 trillion liters per year solely for consumer use post-purchase (laundering)
- Nearly 3,000 liters of water are used throughout the supply chain to produce a single t-shirt
- Global fresh water consumption from textile production could increase by 50% by 2030 if trends continue
Interpretation
In the race to stay trendy, fast fashion is guzzling so much water that your wardrobe might as well come with a drought warning label.
Water Pollution
- The fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global wastewater
- Textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of water globally
- Washing synthetic garments releases an estimated 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean annually
- Polyester, the most popular fabric, accounts for 60% of manufactured clothing and sheds microplastics when washed
- 17% to 20% of industrial water pollution comes from textile dyeing and treatment
- Water contaminated by textile dyes can take more than 200 years to decompose in rivers and oceans
- An estimated 40% of dye used globally is discharged as wastewater
- Over 190,000 tons of microplastic fibers from textiles enter marine ecosystems each year
- A single load of laundry can release up to 700,000 microfibers into wastewater
- 13 million tons of textile waste is produced annually in the U.S., polluting water sources through runoff and dye leakage
- 95% of textiles that are landfilled could be recycled, mitigating dye and chemical leaching into groundwater
- Textile wastewater often contains heavy metals like lead and mercury, which enter aquatic ecosystems
- In China, 70% of rivers and lakes are contaminated by textile industry discharge, including dye effluent
- In 2018, 95% of synthetic microfibers in Arctic seawater were traced back to textiles
- 60% of clothing is thrown away within the first year, adding to long-term water contamination in landfills
- One in six people globally work in apparel production, amplifying water pollution via widespread wastewater discharge
- Indonesia’s Citarum River, one of the most polluted rivers in the world, has over 400 textile factories along its banks
- 15–20% of fabric included in garments ends up as waste, contributing indirectly to water pollution
- A single synthetic garment can release over 1,700 microfibers per wash
- Microplastic pollution from textiles is now found in human blood, signaling widespread contamination
- 90% of wastewater in developing countries is discharged untreated into local water bodies, including textile waste
- In Bangladesh, 250 dyeing factories discharge untreated toxic wastewater directly into rivers daily
- Developing nations discharge around 70% of industrial waste directly into water sources, including from fashion
- Leather tanning uses 25–40 liters of water per hide and frequently contaminates water with chromium
- 84% of clothing ends up in landfills or incinerators, where dyes can leach into groundwater
- Cotton production contributes to 16% of global pesticide release, affecting water bodies
- Denim manufacturing uses large quantities of synthetic dyes and water, releasing runoff with chemical contaminants into water bodies
- Fast fashion factories in India discharge over 200 million liters of untreated water daily
- 20% of water pollution in Asia is linked directly to the textile industry
- In Cambodia, textile industry wastewater contains carcinogenic chemicals
- 66% of consumers are unaware that their clothes contribute to water pollution
- Textile wastewater often contains Azo dyes that are mutagenic or carcinogenic
- Synthetic textiles account for 35% of ocean microplastic pollution
- 500 billion plastic bottles worth of microfibers enter oceans yearly from washing synthetic clothing
- China’s Pearl River is heavily polluted by waste from nearby textile factories
- 60 billion square meters of fabric are wasted annually, contributing to dye runoff into water systems
- Wastewater from textile dyeing makes sunlight penetration difficult, reducing oxygen and harming marine life
- Approximately 15% of dyes used in production are lost in wastewater
- Clothing production has doubled since 2000 and contributes to increased water pollution levels
- More than 50% of fast fashion garments are composed of plastic-based fibers that pollute water
- Fashion dye effluents contain high levels of BOD and COD, threatening aquatic ecosystems
- Washing polyester releases up to 10 times more microplastics than washing cotton
- The textile industry discharges over 40 billion liters of dye-laden wastewater annually
- 90% of dyes used in clothing production are synthetic and petroleum-based, contributing to long-term water contamination
- Textile wastewater often exceeds permitted pH and temperature limits, damaging aquatic biodiversity
- Chronic exposure to textile-polluted water has been linked to illness in local communities in Southeast Asia
- Low-wage garment-producing nations bear the brunt of untreated wastewater pollution
- Up to 20% of global industrial water pollution is due to textile manufacturing
- Consumers wash garments 50 times a year on average, releasing microfibers each cycle
- Textile effluent includes surfactants and bleach, which are toxic to many aquatic organisms
- Textile wastewater often requires advanced treatment technologies not available in low-income countries
- Untreated dye effluent can reduce dissolved oxygen levels in rivers up to 50%
- Fewer than 10% of fashion companies track water pollution across their supply chains
- Wastewater discharge from fashion dye processes has been shown to disrupt hormone functions in fish
- Most textile dyes are non-biodegradable, contributing to persistent water toxicity
Interpretation
Fast fashion may keep your closet trendy, but it's leaving our oceans dressed in poison, as the industry quietly spins vibrant clothes from a cocktail of microplastics, toxic dyes, and untreated wastewater that’s dyeing the planet in environmental ruin.