Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The global textile market size was valued at USD 1.7 trillion in 2023
The textile industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.6% from 2024 to 2030
Asia-Pacific accounted for more than 60% of the global textile market share in 2022
China is the largest textile producer in the world, accounting for over 50% of global textile exports
The textile industry employs over 300 million people globally
The fashion industry consumes about 93 billion cubic meters of water annually
The textile sector contributes around 10% of global carbon emissions
Over 80 billion garments are produced globally each year
Cotton accounts for roughly 33% of global textile fiber consumption
Polyester is the most used fiber worldwide, making up over 52% of total fiber production
India is the second-largest textile and apparel exporter globally
The U.S. textile and apparel industry employs nearly 530,000 workers
Bangladesh is the second-largest clothing exporter in the world after China
Consumer Trends and Recycling
- The average American throws away 81 pounds of clothing per year
- The average lifespan of a piece of clothing is around 3 years
- Fast fashion brands release up to 24 collections annually
- In the EU, each person consumes nearly 26 kg of textiles annually and discards 11 kg
- The average consumer buys 60% more clothes now than 15 years ago
- The average U.S. household spends over USD 1,700 annually on clothing
Interpretation
In a world where wardrobes turn over faster than news cycles, the textile industry’s stats reveal a culture hooked on fast fashion—with closets bursting, lifespans shrinking, and waste piling up like last season’s trends.
Employment and Labor Conditions
- The textile industry employs over 300 million people globally
- The U.S. textile and apparel industry employs nearly 530,000 workers
- Laos and Cambodia have some of the highest proportions of textile employment in their national labor force
- Garment workers in global supply chains earn as little as $2 per day
- Women make up around 80% of garment workers globally
- In Egypt, the textile and garment industry employs around 1.5 million workers
- Over 90% of fashion brands don’t pay garment workers living wages
Interpretation
Behind the seams of fashion’s global empire—built by over 300 million workers, mostly underpaid women—lies a stark truth: style thrives on a system that stitches inequality into every garment.
Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- The fashion industry consumes about 93 billion cubic meters of water annually
- The textile sector contributes around 10% of global carbon emissions
- Textile waste occupies nearly 5% of all landfill space
- Approximately 20% of global industrial water pollution is linked to textile dyeing and treatment
- Over 16 million tons of textile waste are generated annually in the United States
- The carbon footprint of fashion is estimated at 1.2 billion tons of CO2 per year
- Textile dyeing ranks as the second-largest polluter of clean water globally
- Only 1% of clothing is recycled into new garments
- EU textile consumption is the fourth-highest pressure category for environmental and climate impact, after food, housing, and transport
- Organic cotton uses 91% less water than conventional cotton
- Globally, fashion accounts for 20% of wastewater from dyeing and finishing fabrics
- Textile microfibres make up 35% of microplastics in the ocean
- Roughly 79 billion cubic meters of water are used annually for fiber production and dyeing
- About 700,000 microfibres are released in a single domestic wash of synthetic clothes
- Cotton production uses 16% of global insecticides
- Organic cotton comprises less than 1% of global cotton production
- Over 70 million trees are logged each year for textile production
- Nearly 80% of discarded textiles end up in landfills or incinerated
- Roughly 10,000 liters of water are needed to produce 1 kg of cotton fabric
- Over 60 billion square meters of fabric are wasted annually in fashion production
- Around 30% of clothes produced are never sold
- Carbon footprint of producing a single T-shirt is estimated at 2.1 kg CO2
- Textile industry generates 20% of global clean water pollution from dyeing and finish
- Textile wet processing consumes 79 billion cubic meters of water each year
- Textile-related emissions must fall by 50% by 2030 to align with Paris Agreement
Interpretation
The fashion industry may dress us to impress, but behind the seams it’s guzzling oceans, choking skies, shredding forests, and drowning landfills—proving that style without sustainability is just pollution in disguise.
Market Size and Growth
- The global textile market size was valued at USD 1.7 trillion in 2023
- The textile industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.6% from 2024 to 2030
- Over 80 billion garments are produced globally each year
- Cotton accounts for roughly 33% of global textile fiber consumption
- Polyester is the most used fiber worldwide, making up over 52% of total fiber production
- The global secondhand apparel market is expected to grow to USD 350 billion by 2028
- The global eco-fiber market is projected to reach USD 113 billion by 2027
- The textile industry’s global trade is valued at over USD 900 billion
- Around 60% of all textiles produced are used in clothing
- Clothes manufacturing produces about 100 billion garments every year
- The global nonwoven fabrics market is projected to reach USD 75 billion by 2030
- Global per capita textile consumption has increased by 60% since 2000
- The knitwear market is expected to reach USD 1.3 trillion by 2027
- The sportswear market globally was valued at USD 319 billion in 2022
- The technical textile market is predicted to reach USD 272 billion by 2030
- The Indian textile industry contributes 2.3% to the country’s GDP
- Pakistan's textile sector makes up about 8.5% of its GDP
- Vietnam's textile exports reached USD 37.5 billion in 2022
- The circular fashion market is projected to reach USD 35 billion by 2030
- The wool market is valued at USD 34 billion globally
- The bamboo textile market is projected to grow to over USD 2 billion by 2029
- The antimicrobial textiles market is expected to reach USD 17.6 billion by 2029
- Denim fabric market will reach around USD 30 billion by 2026
- Vegan leather market projected to reach USD 66.3 billion by 2030
- Flame retardant textile market expected to grow to USD 7.5 billion by 2027
- Workwear textile market projected at USD 45 billion by 2029
- Smart textile market projected to reach USD 13.6 billion by 2029
- Apparel resale is growing 11 times faster than traditional retail
Interpretation
As fashion spins a trillion-dollar tale stitched with polyester, powered by smart textiles, and recycled into booming resale markets, the global industry is proving that what we wear isn’t just style—it’s a high-speed, high-stakes economy threading innovation, sustainability, and unstoppable growth.
Regional Production and Trade
- Asia-Pacific accounted for more than 60% of the global textile market share in 2022
- China is the largest textile producer in the world, accounting for over 50% of global textile exports
- India is the second-largest textile and apparel exporter globally
- Bangladesh is the second-largest clothing exporter in the world after China
- Europe’s textile exports were valued at USD 73 billion in 2022
- The U.S. exported USD 21.5 billion in textiles and apparel in 2022
- Textile and apparel imports to the EU were valued at €69 billion in 2022
Interpretation
While the West stitches style into the label, it’s the East—led by textile titans China, India, and Bangladesh—that spins the global fabric of fashion, exporting far more threads than Europe and the U.S. combined.