Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The global ethical fashion market was valued at $6.35 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $8.25 billion by 2023
The sustainable fashion market is expected to grow to $9.81 billion by 2025 with a CAGR of 9.1%
The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions
About 20% of global wastewater comes from textile dyeing
Nearly 60% of all clothing produced ends up in landfills or incinerated within a year
The average consumer today buys 60% more clothing than 15 years ago but keeps them for half as long
Every year, the fashion industry uses 93 billion cubic meters of water—enough to meet the needs of five million people
87% of the total fiber input used in clothing is ultimately incinerated or sent to landfill
Washing clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year—the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles
Polyester, derived from fossil fuels, makes up 52% of all fiber production
Organic cotton uses 91% less water than conventional cotton
The sustainable fashion market in the U.S. is expected to reach $9.81 billion by 2025
The average American throws away approximately 81 pounds of clothing per year
Emissions & Energy Consumption
- The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions
- Fashion accounts for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions—equivalent to the entire economies of France, Germany and the UK combined
- By shifting to sustainable practices, the fashion industry could reduce emissions by 1.1 billion tons per year by 2030
- The lifecycle of a garment contributes 20-30% of its carbon footprint just from laundering
- If the industry continues on its current path, its carbon emissions could increase by 50% by 2030
- Denim production emits 13kg of CO2 per pair of jeans
- Garment recycling could reduce fashion CO2 emissions by 3.5 billion tons over the next 30 years
- Wool garments emit 27% less CO2 than polyester over their lifetime
Interpretation
The fashion industry may be dressed to impress, but unless it swaps fast trends for sustainable threads, it’s on track to outpoll entire nations—when a pair of jeans costs 13kg of CO₂ and clean laundry adds 30% more, it's time we reconsider what's truly in style.
Environmental Impact
- About 20% of global wastewater comes from textile dyeing
- Washing clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year—the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles
- 90% of the water used in textile dyeing in developing countries is discharged untreated
- Fashion supply chains are responsible for 20% of industrial water pollution
- 35% of the microplastics released into the ocean come from synthetic textiles
- Biodegradable fabrics can decompose in as little as 3–6 months, compared to hundreds of years for synthetic ones
- 8 million tons of plastic enter our oceans every year, much from the fashion industry
- Extending clothing life by 9 months can reduce carbon, water and waste footprints by 20–30%
- Only 32% of fashion brands disclose data on environmental impact
- The dyeing process for textiles contributes up to 20% of global industrial water pollution
- Cotton grown conventionally causes soil erosion and biodiversity loss due to pesticide use
Interpretation
Behind the glamour of the runway lies a dirty truth: the fashion industry is a water-guzzling, plastic-shedding polluter that dyes our rivers, fills our oceans with microfibers, and spins sustainability into silence—with only a third of brands brave enough to admit it.
Market Growth & Consumer Trends
- The global ethical fashion market was valued at $6.35 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $8.25 billion by 2023
- The sustainable fashion market is expected to grow to $9.81 billion by 2025 with a CAGR of 9.1%
- The average consumer today buys 60% more clothing than 15 years ago but keeps them for half as long
- The sustainable fashion market in the U.S. is expected to reach $9.81 billion by 2025
- Gen Z is willing to spend 10% more on sustainable fashion
- Interest in sustainable fashion on Google grew by over 300% between 2016 and 2021
- 60% of Millennials are interested in sustainable fashion brands when making purchasing decisions
- Clothing production has doubled between 2000 and 2014
- 33% of fashion consumers are willing to switch to brands that are more environmentally and socially responsible
- Clothing rental is expected to reach $2.5 billion in value by 2023
- Secondhand market is expected to double to $77 billion by 2025
- Resale is projected to grow 11 times faster than the broader retail clothing sector
- 70% of consumers would pay more for products from brands committed to sustainability
- The sustainable footwear market is expected to reach $11.8 billion by 2027
- Global searches for “sustainable fashion” increased by 37% in 2022
- 60% of companies in fashion are investing in circular economy models
- 81% of global consumers want brands to be environmentally friendly
- More than 40% of fashion executives plan to increase investment in sustainability initiatives
- 21% of consumers say they always shop from sustainable brands
- Nearly 50% of fashion companies don’t have sustainability goals
- Transition to sustainable fashion could generate $192 billion for the global economy by 2030
- Secondhand garment purchases displaced nearly 1.9 billion new clothing purchases in 2021
- By 2030, sustainable fashion could be worth $15 billion globally
- 1 in 3 young women consider garments worn once or twice as old
- 60% of fashion companies plan to adopt digital passports to track sustainability
- Nearly 90% of fashion executives see sustainability as a priority
- 39% of sustainable fashion users cite “environmental impact” as their main motivation
Interpretation
As fast fashion burns hot and fast, conscious consumers and savvy brands are threading a new narrative—where doing good is just as fashionable as looking good, and sustainability isn’t a trend, but the runway to the future.
Resource Use & Production Practices
- Every year, the fashion industry uses 93 billion cubic meters of water—enough to meet the needs of five million people
- Polyester, derived from fossil fuels, makes up 52% of all fiber production
- Organic cotton uses 91% less water than conventional cotton
- The clothing industry is the second-largest consumer of the world's water supply
- A single pair of jeans can take up to 7,000 liters of water to produce
- About 60% of materials made into clothing are plastic-based
- A T-shirt can take over 2,700 liters of water to make
- Wool and cotton are among the most sustainable natural fibers when managed responsibly
- The fashion industry could use 20% less water by switching to more sustainable materials
- Fashion workers are among the lowest paid in any global industry
- Over one-third of the global fashion workforce earns less than a living wage
- Transparency Index shows 47% of major brands disclose their suppliers
- Use of sustainable cotton has grown to 19% of global cotton supply
- Cotton farming accounts for 24% of global insecticide use
- It takes approximately 1,500 liters of water to produce one cotton shirt
Interpretation
In a world where it takes more water to make a T-shirt than to keep a person hydrated for two years, and half our clothes are spun from fossil fuels, the fashion industry seems more dressed to kill the planet than to clothe it sustainably.
Waste & Recycling
- Nearly 60% of all clothing produced ends up in landfills or incinerated within a year
- 87% of the total fiber input used in clothing is ultimately incinerated or sent to landfill
- The average American throws away approximately 81 pounds of clothing per year
- Only 1% of clothes are recycled into new garments
- Overproduction in fashion accounts for 30% of clothing never being sold
- 85% of used textiles in the U.S. go to landfills
- 64% of sustainability improvements in fashion can be achieved through increased reuse and recycling
- 92 million tons of textile waste is created by the fashion industry each year
- The average garment is worn only 7–10 times
- The EU Strategy for Sustainable Textiles aims to ensure all textiles sold are durable, repairable and recyclable by 2030
- 95% of discarded textiles can be recycled or reused
- Banning incineration and landfill of unsold goods could cut fashion waste by 13 million tons annually
- Just 12% of material used for clothing ends up being recycled
- Up to 95% of commercial textile waste could be reused or recycled
Interpretation
Fast fashion may be trendy, but it's really just a landfill in disguise—where 95% of what we throw out could have had a second life, if only we dressed smarter.