Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The global apparel market was valued at approximately $1.5 trillion in 2022
The worldwide apparel market is projected to reach $2.25 trillion by 2025
An estimated 100 billion garments are produced globally each year
Global clothing production doubled between 2000 and 2014
The average consumer today buys 60% more clothing than in 2000
20% of global wastewater is caused by textile dyeing and treatment
The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions
Over 92 million tons of textile waste is generated globally each year
By 2030, global annual textile waste is expected to hit 134 million tons
87% of the total fiber input used for clothing is either landfilled or incinerated
It takes about 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton shirt
Polyester makes up around 52% of global fiber production
Cotton accounts for about 24% of the global fiber production
Consumption Trends
- The average consumer today buys 60% more clothing than in 2000
- Roughly 70 million barrels of oil are used each year to make polyester
- The average lifetime of a garment is only 3.3 years
- The average fast fashion item is worn only 7 times
- 20% of clothing in developed countries is never worn
- Linen accounts for just 1% of textile fibers globally
- 1 in 3 young women consider a garment ‘old’ after wearing it once or twice
- Clothing consumption is expected to rise by 63% by 2030
- Average garment utilization decreased by 36% between 2000 and 2015
- 61% of fashion executives cite sustainability as top agenda item
- Global average of per-person textile consumption is 14.5 kg annually
- Europe consumes 27 kg of textiles per person each year
- Japan’s fast fashion consumption tripled between 2000 and 2020
Interpretation
In a world where we buy more, wear less, and toss faster, fashion is sprinting toward a future of environmental overdraft—with polyester-fueled closets and barely-worn outfits piling up faster than sustainability promises can catch them.
Market Size & Growth
- The global apparel market was valued at approximately $1.5 trillion in 2022
- The worldwide apparel market is projected to reach $2.25 trillion by 2025
- The fast fashion industry is valued at around $106 billion as of 2022
- The global demand for garments is expected to increase by 63% by 2030
- The synthetic fiber market was valued at $96.2 billion in 2020
- Secondhand apparel market is expected to reach $218 billion by 2026
- The resale clothing market grew 24% in 2022
- The global sportswear market is projected to reach $483 billion by 2025
- By 2025, fast fashion is expected to grow by 20%
- The luxury apparel market was worth $71 billion in 2022
- The African garment market was valued at $31 billion in 2020
- The Middle Eastern clothing market is forecasted to exceed $79 billion by 2026
- Latin America’s textile market is projected to grow at 5.2% CAGR
Interpretation
As the global clothing industry races toward a projected $2.25 trillion wardrobe by 2025—driven by everything from fast fashion frenzies to secondhand savvy—it’s clear that what we wear is no longer just a statement of style, but a complex economic tapestry stitched with urgency, opportunity, and environmental stakes.
Production & Manufacturing
- An estimated 100 billion garments are produced globally each year
- Global clothing production doubled between 2000 and 2014
- Polyester makes up around 52% of global fiber production
- Cotton accounts for about 24% of the global fiber production
- Nearly 75% of garment workers globally are women
- Less than 2% of garment workers worldwide earn a living wage
- The fashion industry uses 93 billion cubic meters of water annually
- Wool represents about 1% of global fiber production
- The textile industry employs over 300 million people globally
- The fashion industry uses approximately 1.5 trillion liters of water each year
- 60 million people are employed globally in the fashion industry
- Garment workers in Bangladesh earn on average $95 per month
- 25% of fashion companies plan to use AI for supply chain forecasting by 2025
- Transparent sourcing is a top 3 priority for 43% of fashion executives
- 70% of India’s textile output is cotton
Interpretation
In a stylish paradox where fast fashion floods the world with 100 billion garments a year and employs millions—mostly underpaid women—the true cost isn't just measured in dollars, but in trillions of liters of water, tons of polyester, and a global system stitched together by inequity and urgent calls for transparency.
Trade & Exports
- China is the largest producer and exporter of textiles globally
- China accounted for 39.2% of global textile exports in 2022
- Bangladesh is the second largest garment exporter in the world
- The readymade garments sector accounts for 84% of Bangladesh's total exports
- The EU imported apparel worth €69 billion in 2022
- The U.S. imported textiles and apparel worth about $130 billion in 2022
- Indonesia exported $13 billion worth of textiles and garments in 2022
- Vietnam’s apparel exports reached $44 billion in 2022
- Apparel represents 6.7% of all global exports
- India’s textile and apparel exports totaled $44 billion in 2022
Interpretation
While the world gets dressed, China stitches the biggest share of the global fashion pie, Bangladesh threads its economy through garments, and nations from Vietnam to the U.S. wear the cost—proving that behind every outfit is a global supply chain hemming the world together.
Waste & Environmental Impact
- 20% of global wastewater is caused by textile dyeing and treatment
- The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions
- Over 92 million tons of textile waste is generated globally each year
- By 2030, global annual textile waste is expected to hit 134 million tons
- 87% of the total fiber input used for clothing is either landfilled or incinerated
- It takes about 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton shirt
- Up to 35% of microplastics in the ocean come from synthetic textiles
- The average American throws away about 81 pounds of clothing per year
- Clothing production contributes more to climate change than international flights and maritime shipping combined
- Producing one kilogram of cotton uses up to 10,000 liters of water
- 60% of garments are discarded within year of purchase
- Cotton is responsible for 16% of global insecticide use
- One truckload of textile waste is landfilled or burned every second
- 95% of textiles that are landfilled could be recycled
- Europe’s circular economy strategy targets textile waste reduction by 2030
- Only 1% of used clothing is recycled to make new clothes
- Around 85% of textiles go to landfills annually
- 84% of discarded clothes in the United States end up in landfills
- The fashion sector generates 92 million tons of waste annually
- Textile production generates 1.2 billion tons of CO₂ equivalent annually
- Synthetic fibers can take up to 200 years to decompose
- Digital fashion could cut CO₂ emissions by up to 97%
- Extended producer responsibility for textiles is mandatory in France and Sweden
- Australia produces over 800,000 tons of textile waste each year
Interpretation
Fast fashion may clothe us cheaply, but its true cost is an environmental epic—spinning pollution, water waste, and landfill mountains faster than you can say "new arrival."