Globalization In The Garment Industry Statistics

In 2018, the global clothing industry was responsible for 2.1 billion tonnes of CO2e across the lifecycle of textiles [1]

In 2018, garments were produced using 93 billion cubic meters of water (about 4% of global water use) [2]

In 2015, the textile sector used 79 billion cubic meters of water [3]

In 2018, textile production used about 1.2 billion tonnes of materials globally [1]

In 2018, textile production used 1.2 billion tonnes of materials, with man-made fibers rising [1]

In 2015, the global production of textiles reached 107 million tonnes [4]

In 2019, the textile industry emitted about 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2e [5]

In 2020, apparel and footwear were responsible for about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions [6]

In 2019, only about 1% of textiles were recycled into new textiles globally [7]

In 2021, global textile waste reached about 92 million tonnes [8]

In 2019, EU citizens generated around 5.8 million tonnes of textile waste [9]

In 2019, EU textile waste per capita was about 5.6 kg [9]

In 2021, the EU recycled about 0.5 million tonnes of textiles [10]

In 2019, global microfiber pollution from textiles was estimated at 500,000 tonnes per year [11]

In 2017, more than 60% of river pollution came from wastewater from textile dyeing [12]

In 2017, textile dyeing and finishing were responsible for about 20% of industrial wastewater globally [12]

In 2020, only 14% of apparel was recycled globally [13]

In 2022, global clothing utilization is declining (higher discard rates) [2]

In 2023, around 2.1 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions were linked to textiles lifecycle [1]

In 2018, apparel and footwear combined were linked to 8–10% of global GHG emissions [1]

In 2019, microfiber shedding from washing was estimated between 0.1 and 0.5 million tonnes globally [14]

In 2017, textile dyeing used about 0.7 million tonnes of dyes annually [12]

In 2018, the apparel sector used around 11% of the world’s pesticides [10]

In 2019, cotton farming used about 16% of global pesticides and 2.5% of global farmland [15]

In 2019, cotton is produced on about 2.5% of global agricultural land [15]

In 2019, cotton cultivation uses about 10% of global water [15]

In 2021, global textile dyeing and finishing uses a large share of industrial water pollution, estimated 20% of industrial wastewater [16]

In 2016, global textile recycling rate into new textiles was about 1% [7]

In 2017, recycling into new clothing accounted for 12% in the EU [17]

In 2018, textile and clothing production accounts for 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions [18]

In 2020, fashion is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions (often cited within UNEP lifecycle) [19]

In 2020, fast fashion contributes disproportionately to microplastic pollution via synthetic fibers, estimated in UNEP reports [20]

In 2019, global consumption of textiles was estimated at about 80 million tonnes [1]

In 2023, global apparel exports totaled $576.6 billion [21]

In 2023, global apparel imports totaled $576.6 billion [21]

Global apparel exports were $721.4 billion in 2019 [22]

Apparel exports increased from $475.9 billion in 2000 to $721.4 billion in 2019 [22]

In 2022, EU imports of textiles and clothing were €112.2 billion [23]

In 2022, EU exports of textiles and clothing were €73.5 billion [23]

In 2022, the EU had a trade deficit of €38.7 billion for textiles and clothing [23]

In 2023, the share of global garment exports from Asia was about 76% [24]

In 2023, China accounted for about 30% of global apparel exports [24]

In 2023, Bangladesh accounted for about 6% of global apparel exports [24]

In 2023, Vietnam accounted for about 5% of global apparel exports [24]

In 2023, India accounted for about 3% of global apparel exports [24]

In 2022, US apparel imports were about $106.0 billion [25]

In 2022, the US was the largest importer of apparel globally [26]

In 2023, the top apparel supplier to the US was China with about 20% share [27]

In 2022, EU was the largest importer of textiles and clothing with imports of about €112.2 billion [23]

In 2022, the EU’s leading partner for imports of textiles and clothing was China (largest share) [23]

In 2022, Turkey’s exports of textiles and clothing were €37.0 billion [28]

In 2019, global textile and apparel trade was about $1.3 trillion [29]

In 2019, global apparel trade (exports) was about $721 billion [30]

In 2022, Vietnam’s textile and garment export turnover reached about $39 billion [31]

In 2022, Bangladesh’s apparel exports were about $42.0 billion [32]

In 2022, Cambodia’s garment exports were about $7.0 billion [33]

In 2022, Pakistan’s textile and clothing exports were about $24.0 billion [33]

In 2022, Turkey’s textile and apparel exports were about $31.7 billion [33]

In 2022, India’s apparel exports were about $16.7 billion [33]

In 2020, international shipping costs declined in some routes but container throughput fluctuated; global container port throughput in 2021 was about 815 million TEUs [34]

In 2021, port throughput was 815 million TEUs worldwide [34]

In 2022, global container freight rates (SCFI) averaged about 1,000 index points during some periods [35]

In 2021, the share of global apparel manufactured in Asia was about 70%+ [36]

In 2018, apparel manufacturing accounted for 83% of garment production in Asia [36]

In 2020, global top-10 apparel exporting countries accounted for about 60% of exports [24]

In 2023, top garment buyers in the EU and US sourced from a wide range of countries with concentration in China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and India [23]

In 2021, the global apparel market was valued at about $1.8 trillion [37]

The apparel market value is expected to reach about $2.3 trillion by 2026 [38]

In 2023, fast fashion brands faced an estimated global market value of $93.9 billion [39]

In 2023, online apparel sales globally were about $522 billion [40]

In 2022, global clothing consumption reached about 62 million tonnes (equivalent) [13]

In 2019, EU clothing consumption was about 26 kg per person per year [10]

In 2019, the average consumer in the EU bought about 26 kg of clothing per year [10]

In 2022, global FDI flows fell 12% to $1.3 trillion, affecting investment in garment manufacturing in many economies [41]

In 2022, FDI inflows to South, Central and Southeast Asia increased to $226 billion [41]

In 2023, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entered transitional period, affecting textile supply chains from EU perspective [42]

In 2024, the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) final adoption period began, affecting due diligence expectations for garment buyers [43]

In 2023, the EU’s Regulation on waste shipments entered into application phases impacting textile waste trade [44]

In 2019, the US-China trade war raised tariffs on apparel, with Section 301A tariff rates up to 25% [45]

In 2020, the US imposed additional tariffs on some apparel categories under 301 [45]

In 2021, preferential tariffs under AGOA supported apparel exports from eligible African countries [46]

In 2022, AGOA beneficiaries included apparel production exports worth about $1.6 billion [47]

In 2021, the EU’s Everything But Arms (EBA) covered 48 least developed countries, supporting textile and apparel market access [48]

In 2023, rules of origin and cumulation under the Regional Convention on Pan-Euro-Med cumulation affected textile input sourcing [49]

In 2021, global apparel sourcing shifted to diversification after COVID, with 70% of brands reporting supply chain changes [50]

In 2022, 60% of fashion companies reported adding nearshoring or in-region sourcing [51]

In 2023, 63% of surveyed fashion brands reported they had sustainability targets for their supply chains [52]

In 2022, 33% of apparel brands said they had difficulty accessing reliable supply chain data [53]

In 2022, the average time from production to retail in apparel (order fulfillment) was about 4–12 weeks [54]

In 2022, lead times shortened due to faster replenishment models, but varied by product category [54]

In 2021, EU batteries regulation (not garment-specific) spurred compliance; garment due diligence mainly influenced by supply chain reporting [55]

In 2021, the EU’s Sustainable Products Initiative began drafts affecting textile eco-design requirements [56]

In 2023, the EU’s “Textile Strategy for Sustainability and Circularity” set targets including making textiles more durable/recyclable by 2030 [57]

In 2030, EU textile strategy aims to ensure textiles placed on the market are recyclable [57]

In 2024, EU regulation requirements for digital product passports (planned for textiles) include traceability of material content [58]

In 2021, the G7 committed to traceability for supply chains, including textiles through broader due diligence frameworks [59]

In 2023, the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains covers textiles and apparel in practice [60]

In 2019, due diligence for responsible minerals has a reference, but textiles are covered under OECD sector guidance for garments and textiles [61]

In 2020, the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety covered more than 1,600 factories [62]

In 2018, the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety covered 1,600+ factories [63]

In 2021, the Bangladesh Transition Accord covered 3,000+ inspections and remediation plans [64]

In 2019, global apparel sector had major supplier auditing and compliance spending exceeding $2 billion [65]

In 2016, the global apparel supply chain employed around 60 million people [66]

In 2020, garment workers were estimated at around 60 million globally [66]

In 2014, 1.7 billion people were dependent on agriculture (related to cotton value chain) [67]

In 2022, forced labor risk in garment supply chains affected 18.6 million workers globally [68]

In 2021, the ILO estimated 40.3 million people were in forced labor worldwide [69]

In 2022, ILO estimated that 27.6 million people were in forced labor in the private economy [69]

In 2017, 152 countries had adopted a national minimum wage [70]

The Rana Plaza collapse in 2013 killed 1,134 garment workers [71]

The Rana Plaza collapse injured about 2,500 workers [71]

The ILO estimated that 2.7 million workers died in workplace-related incidents annually (global) [72]

In 2019, an estimated 7,000 workers died each day worldwide due to work-related causes [73]

In 2018, 61% of garment workers reported workplace harassment [74]

In 2020, garment workers’ wages often failed to cover basic needs; in one survey Bangladesh workers faced wage shortfalls of 54% [75]

In 2022, the ILO estimated that 21.3 million people were unemployed worldwide [76]

In 2023, the global gender employment gap was about 26% [77]

In 2020, women made up 73% of workers in the garment industry [78]

In 2021, women were estimated to account for 80% of sewing and tailoring jobs in the garment sector [79]

In 2019, the global clothing industry created 3% of global GDP [80]

In 2020, textile and clothing exports accounted for about 2.5% of world trade [81]

In 2020, garment workers faced an estimated 100 million jobs at risk during COVID impacts (sector-wide) [82]

In 2020, ILO reported 1.6 million workers were at risk in the garment sector [82]

In 2020, brands reduced order volumes by 30% on average during peak disruption [83]

In 2021, the UN reported that 2020 garment workers lost an estimated $2–3 billion in wages [84]

In 2022, ILO estimated about 121 million workers in apparel-related supply chains were at risk of labor exploitation [85]

In 2021, 75% of surveyed garment factories had at least one ILO violation related to working hours [86]

In 2019, Bangladesh minimum wage for garment workers was 8,000 BDT per month [87]

In 2022, Bangladesh minimum wage for garment workers was 12,500 BDT per month after wage board [88]

In 2022, Vietnam’s minimum wage ranged from 3.25 to 4.68 million VND/month [89]

In 2023, Cambodia set minimum wage for garment workers at 200 USD/month [90]

In 2020, the Better Work program reported that around 40% of audited factories had at least one issue in wages/benefits [91]

In 2019, Better Work reported that average compliance improved by 6 percentage points across core labor standards [92]

In 2021, ILO estimated that child labor affected 160 million children worldwide [93]

In 2020, the ILO estimated 10 million children were in forced labor [94]

In 2022, the ILO estimated that 3.3 million children were in hazardous work in agriculture, relevant to cotton value chains [95]

In 2016, polyester dominated global fiber use at ~52% [96]

In 2016, cotton share of global fiber use was ~25% [96]

In 2016, wool share of global fiber use was ~2% [96]

In 2020, global polyester production exceeded 50 million tonnes [97]

In 2021, cotton production was about 26 million tonnes [98]

In 2021, global cotton area was about 33 million hectares [98]

In 2020/21, average cotton yield was about 760 kg per hectare [98]

In 2019, globally 80% of fiber is polyester or cotton (dominant fibers) [99]

In 2022, 73% of all textiles were made of polyester [100]

In 2022, cotton accounted for 24% of global textile fiber consumption [100]

In 2020, man-made fibers accounted for about 79% of global fiber consumption [97]

In 2020, natural fibers accounted for about 21% of global fiber consumption [97]

In 2019, global production of man-made fibers was about 104 million tonnes [97]

In 2019, global production of cotton was about 25 million tonnes [97]

In 2021, organic cotton share was about 2.0% of global cotton production [101]

In 2021, Fairtrade cotton accounted for about 2% of global cotton sales [102]

In 2022, recycled polyester used in apparel was about 25% of total polyester used in garments in leading markets [97]

In 2021, global natural rubber consumption was 13 million tonnes, affecting latex supply chains for garments [103]

In 2020, global synthetic rubber consumption was 14 million tonnes [103]

In 2020, global cotton yield was 769 kg/ha [104]

In 2021, global cotton production (lint) was 24.9 million tonnes [104]

In 2021, global cotton harvested area was 33.7 million hectares [104]

In 2019, synthetic fibers were the majority by weight and increasing [105]

In 2018, cotton accounted for about 24% of global fiber consumption [97]

In 2018, polyester accounted for about 52% of global fiber consumption [97]

In 2018, viscose accounted for about 6% of global fiber consumption [97]

In 2018, nylon accounted for about 5% of global fiber consumption [97]

In 2022, the share of recycled polyester in new polyester was about 10% globally [97]

In 2021, the share of certified recycled polyester in total polyester used by large brands increased by 8 percentage points [97]

In 2019, global cotton prices averaged around 86 cents per pound [106]

In 2020, global cotton prices averaged around 62 cents per pound [106]

In 2021, global cotton prices averaged around 98 cents per pound [106]

In 2019, global chemical market for textiles included dyestuffs and pigments around $6.0 billion [107]

In 2021, global dyestuffs and pigments market size was about $6.8 billion [107]

In 2020, the share of sustainable cotton (organic+BCI+Better) combined was about 10% of global cotton [97]

In 2020, BCI (Better Cotton) farmers accounted for 2.3 million [108]

In 2021, Better Cotton working with farmers covered 23 million hectares [108]

In 2021, Better Cotton farmers were about 2.7 million [108]

In 2022, Better Cotton Farmers were about 2.9 million [108]

In 2022, Better Cotton coverage was about 3.0 million farmers [108]

In 2022, Better Cotton impact area was about 30 million hectares [108]