Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The fashion industry produces over 92 million tons of textile waste annually
Approximately 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year
Globally, only 12% of material used for clothing ends up being recycled
500,000 tons of microfibers are released into the ocean annually from washing synthetic textiles
The average American throws away around 81 pounds of clothing each year
In 2018, 17 million tons of textile waste were generated in the USA alone
Of the 17 million tons of textiles generated in the U.S. in 2018, only 2.5 million tons were recycled
Approximately 60% of clothing is made from synthetic, fossil-fuel-based fibers
The average number of times a garment is worn before disposal has decreased by 36% globally in the last 15 years
Only 1% of clothing is currently recycled into new clothing
One truckload of textiles is landfilled or incinerated every second globally
Synthetic textiles account for 35% of the microplastics released into the environment
In the UK, over 300,000 tonnes of used clothing is sent to landfill every year
Consumer Behavior
- The average number of times a garment is worn before disposal has decreased by 36% globally in the last 15 years
- Consumers now keep clothing items for about half as long as they did 15 years ago
- The average garment is worn only 7 to 10 times before disposal
- The average European buys 26 kg of textile products per year and discards 11 kg
- The average US consumer buys 68 garments per year
Interpretation
Fast fashion has turned closets into revolving doors, where clothes barely have time to wrinkle before they're tossed, leaving the planet to wear the consequences.
Environmental Impact
- 500,000 tons of microfibers are released into the ocean annually from washing synthetic textiles
- Approximately 60% of clothing is made from synthetic, fossil-fuel-based fibers
- Synthetic textiles account for 35% of the microplastics released into the environment
- Fashion accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions, which is more than international flights and maritime shipping combined
- About 20% of global wastewater comes from textile dyeing and treatment
- The production of one cotton t-shirt results in 2,700 liters of water use
- Fashion is responsible for 4% of global waste annually
- Textile production emits 1.2 billion tons of CO2 annually, more than international aviation and shipping combined
- Recycling one ton of textiles saves about 20,000 liters of water
- Polyester takes over 200 years to decompose in a landfill
- Globally, fashion consumes 93 billion cubic meters of water annually
- Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of water globally
- Recycling textiles can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.2 tons per metric ton recycled
- Disposable fashion contributes to more carbon emissions than all international flights combined
- The fashion industry is responsible for 20-35% of microplastics found in oceans
- The fashion industry’s global supply chain accounts for 8% of worldwide carbon emissions
- The recycling of textiles could reduce landfill waste and water consumption by at least 50%
- Without intervention, fast fashion could account for 26% of global carbon emissions by 2050
Interpretation
Dressed to kill—quite literally—the fashion industry, cloaked in synthetic fibers and disposable trends, is silently stitching a legacy of carbon, microplastics, and water waste that pollutes more than planes and ships combined, proving the cost of style is far steeper than the price tag.
Industry Growth and Trends
- In 2023, it is estimated that over 100 billion garments were produced globally
- Global clothing production has doubled in the last 20 years
- Natural fibers like cotton and wool are being replaced by polyester, which made up 52% of global fiber production in 2020
- The resale market for used clothing could double in the next 5 years, helping reduce textile waste
- Used clothing imports to Kenya have doubled in the last 5 years, now totaling over 185,000 tonnes annually
- Worldwide clothing sales have more than doubled in the past two decades
- Globally, fashion is the third-largest manufacturing sector
- The informal textile market in Africa generates over $1 billion annually, largely from imported used clothes
- Clothing production doubled globally between 2000 and 2020
- As of 2023, the resale market grew 24 times faster than the retail sector
Interpretation
As fast fashion floods the world with over 100 billion garments a year—mostly polyester-packed and profit-driven—it's the booming resale markets and informal economies, from Nairobi to New York, that are quietly stitching together fashion’s most sustainable future.
Recycling and Circularity
- Globally, only 12% of material used for clothing ends up being recycled
- Of the 17 million tons of textiles generated in the U.S. in 2018, only 2.5 million tons were recycled
- Only 1% of clothing is currently recycled into new clothing
- Textile recycling has a global rate of less than 15%
- Less than 1% of textiles collected globally are truly closed-loop recycled
- The EU plans to make all textile products placed on the EU market durable, repairable and recyclable by 2030
- Only 16% of textile waste in the US was recycled in 2018
- Currently, there are only 25 industrial-scale textile recycling plants in Europe
- Approximately 40% of global used clothing is exported to developing countries
- Over 95% of used textiles could be recycled, yet only about 15% actually are
Interpretation
Despite fashion’s flashy exterior, the global textile industry is quietly unraveling at the seams—producing mountains of waste that we mostly bury, burn, or ship away, even though we could recycle nearly all of it if we only bothered to try.
Textile Waste
- The fashion industry produces over 92 million tons of textile waste annually
- Approximately 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year
- The average American throws away around 81 pounds of clothing each year
- In 2018, 17 million tons of textile waste were generated in the USA alone
- One truckload of textiles is landfilled or incinerated every second globally
- In the UK, over 300,000 tonnes of used clothing is sent to landfill every year
- Nearly 60% of all clothing ends up in incinerators or landfills within a year of being made
- The U.S. generates 14 million tons of textile waste annually
- Textile waste is estimated to grow to 148 million tons annually by 2030 if current trends continue
- China is the largest producer of textile waste, accounting for about 20 million tons annually
- The EU generates 5.6 million tonnes of textile waste per year, 4.3 million tonnes of which is clothing and footwear
- Textile waste makes up nearly 5% of all landfills worldwide
- More than 90% of donated clothes are exported or discarded, not sold in charity shops
- Indonesia receives over 18,000 tons of textile waste monthly from other countries
- Ghana receives 15 million items of used clothing each week, contributing to severe textile waste problems
- Globally, less than 25% of unwanted textiles are collected for reuse or recycling
- The global apparel market is projected to generate over 148 million tons of waste annually by 2030
- Landfilling is the most common way to dispose of textile waste globally
- Over 70% of textile waste is sent to landfills or incinerated
- 20% of global fashion production remains unsold and is often incinerated or landfilled
- Only about 19% of discarded textiles are recovered for recycling
- In the U.S., textile waste has increased by 811% since 1960
- Used textiles are among the top 5 exports of the US by volume
- 60% of post-consumer textile waste is made from non-biodegradable synthetic fibers
- The cost of sorting textile waste in the EU is estimated to be €1.4 billion annually
- 25% of global textile waste is created during production before products even reach consumers
- Only 10% of clothing donations are resold; the rest are downcycled, landfilled, or shipped abroad
- Over 90% of textiles are wasted when clothes are not reused or recycled
- Textile waste is the fastest growing waste stream in many countries, including Australia
- By 2030, the fashion industry is expected to produce 134 million tons of textile waste annually
Interpretation
In a world dressed to excess, the fashion industry spins out so much textile trash—over 92 million tons a year and counting—that what we wear today is rapidly becoming tomorrow’s landfill couture, one truckload per second.