Textile Industry Statistics

The fashion industry is responsible for around 10% of global carbon emissions [1]

The fashion industry consumes around 93 billion cubic metres of water annually [1]

The fashion industry produces 20% of global wastewater [1]

87% of the total fiber input used for clothing is ultimately incinerated or sent to landfill [2]

Less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing [2]

More than USD 100 billion worth of materials are lost each year due to clothing underutilisation and lack of recycling [2]

Washing clothes releases about half a million tonnes of microfibres into the ocean every year [2]

Textiles production generated 5 to 10% of total life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions in the EU in 2020 [3]

Textiles consumption in the EU in 2020 required on average 9 cubic metres of water per person [3]

Textiles consumption in the EU in 2020 required 400 square metres of land per person [3]

Textiles consumption in the EU in 2020 required 391 kilograms of raw materials per person [3]

Textiles consumption in the EU in 2020 caused a carbon footprint of about 270 kilograms of CO2 equivalent per person [3]

The EU generated about 6.95 million tonnes of textile waste in 2020 [3]

The average EU citizen consumed 16 kilograms of textiles in 2020 [3]

Only 4.4 kilograms per person of textiles were separately collected for reuse and recycling in the EU in 2020 [3]

The U.S. generated 17 million tons of textile municipal solid waste in 2018 [4]

Textiles accounted for 5.8% of total municipal solid waste generation in the U.S. in 2018 [4]

The recycling rate for textiles in the U.S. was 14.7% in 2018 [4]

The U.S. landfilled 11.3 million tons of textiles in 2018 [4]

Textile dyeing and treatment contribute about 3% of global CO2 emissions [5]

Textile dyeing and treatment use up to 20% of global clean water pollution [5]

Producing one cotton shirt can require around 2,700 litres of water [6]

Producing a pair of jeans can require around 7,500 litres of water [7]

It takes more than 20,000 litres of water to produce 1 kilogram of cotton [8]

35% of all primary microplastic pollution in the oceans comes from washing synthetic textiles [9]

Clothing utilisation has declined by 36% compared with 15 years ago [2]

The equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is landfilled or burned every second [2]

Global apparel consumption is expected to rise by 63% by 2030 from 62 million tonnes to 102 million tonnes [10]

The fashion industry uses 1.5 trillion litres of water every year [11]

The equivalent of one rubbish truck full of clothes is burned or buried in landfill every second [11]

Global fibre production reached 116 million tonnes in 2022 [12]

Polyester accounted for 54% of global fibre production in 2022 [12]

Cotton represented 20% of global fibre production in 2022 [12]

Cellulosic fibres accounted for 6% of global fibre production in 2022 [12]

Recycled fibres made up only 7.9% of global fibre production in 2022 [12]

Recycled polyester represented 13.6% of total polyester production in 2022 [12]

Virgin fossil-based synthetic fibres still accounted for 67% of all fibre production in 2022 [12]

Global cotton production for 2024/25 is estimated at 25.78 million metric tons [13]

World cotton mill use for 2024/25 is forecast at 25.37 million metric tons [14]

Global silk production was about 187 thousand metric tons in 2023/24 [15]

China produced about 122 thousand metric tons of silk in 2023/24 [16]

India produced around 38 thousand metric tons of silk in 2023/24 [16]

Global wool production amounted to around 1.09 million metric tons in 2023/24 [17]

China produced approximately 300 thousand metric tons of wool in 2023/24 [18]

Australia produced approximately 260 thousand metric tons of wool in 2023/24 [18]

Global flax fiber production reached about 1.06 million metric tons in 2022 [19]

Global jute production totaled about 3.37 million metric tons in 2022 [19]

Global hemp tow waste production was about 292 thousand metric tons in 2022 [19]

U.S. cotton production totaled 12.07 million 480-pound bales in 2023 [20]

U.S. upland cotton yield averaged 899 pounds per harvested acre in 2023 [20]

India’s raw cotton production reached 32.52 million bales in 2023/24 [21]

India is the world’s largest producer of cotton with 23% of global production [22]

India has 4,900 textile factories and 6,500 garment manufacturing units [22]

India has 2,500 textile weaving factories and 4,300 textile finishing factories [22]

The U.S. textile supply chain from raw materials to finished products employs more than 471,000 workers [23]

The U.S. textile industry invested USD 22.3 billion in new plants and equipment from 2013 to 2022 [23]

The textile and clothing sector in the EU employed 1.3 million people in 2023 [24]

The EU textile and clothing industry comprised 197,000 companies in 2023 [24]

The global textile market was valued at USD 1,837.27 billion in 2023 [25]

The global textile market is projected to grow from USD 1,837.27 billion in 2023 to USD 3,767.94 billion by 2032 [25]

The global textile market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 8.3% during 2024–2032 [25]

The global technical textile market size was valued at USD 213.95 billion in 2023 [26]

The global technical textile market is expected to reach USD 356.7 billion by 2034 [26]

The global technical textile market is poised to grow at a CAGR of 4.75% from 2024 to 2034 [26]

The global smart textiles market size was estimated at USD 5.69 billion in 2024 [27]

The global smart textiles market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 31.3% from 2025 to 2030 [27]

The global smart textiles market is expected to reach USD 29.84 billion by 2030 [27]

The global home textile market size was valued at USD 133.09 billion in 2023 [28]

The global home textile market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2024 to 2030 [28]

The global home textile market is expected to reach USD 194.61 billion by 2030 [28]

The global nonwoven fabrics market size was estimated at USD 50.84 billion in 2024 [29]

The global nonwoven fabrics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2025 to 2030 [29]

The global nonwoven fabrics market is expected to reach USD 72.42 billion by 2030 [29]

The global geotextile market size was estimated at USD 7.83 billion in 2023 [30]

The global geotextile market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.6% from 2024 to 2030 [30]

The global geotextile market is expected to reach USD 12.14 billion by 2030 [30]

The global textile dyes market size was valued at USD 10.48 billion in 2023 [31]

The global textile dyes market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.9% from 2024 to 2030 [31]

The global textile dyes market is expected to reach USD 15.66 billion by 2030 [31]

The global antimicrobial textiles market size was estimated at USD 10.67 billion in 2024 [32]

The global antimicrobial textiles market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2025 to 2030 [32]

The global antimicrobial textiles market is expected to reach USD 15.49 billion by 2030 [32]

India’s textiles and apparel market size is expected to reach USD 350 billion by 2030 [22]

India’s domestic textiles and apparel market was estimated at USD 165 billion in 2022 [22]

India’s textile and apparel exports stood at USD 35.87 billion in FY24 [22]

The U.S. man-made fiber, textile, and apparel shipments totaled an estimated USD 65.8 billion in 2022 [23]

U.S. exports of fiber, textiles, and apparel were USD 34 billion in 2022 [23]

The EU textile and clothing industry generated a turnover of EUR 170 billion in 2023 [24]

Textile Exchange had over 900 member organizations in 2023 [33]

52% of global recycled polyester came from post-consumer recycled feedstock in 2022 [12]

99% of recycled polyester in 2022 was made from PET bottles rather than textiles [12]

Recycled cotton represented less than 1% of the global cotton market in 2022 [12]

Organic cotton represented 1.4% of total cotton production in 2022/23 [12]

Preferred cotton accounted for 27% of global cotton production in 2022/23 [12]

Recycled wool represented 6% of the global wool market in 2022 [12]

Responsible Wool Standard wool grew by 8% in 2022 [12]

Recycled nylon accounted for 2.9% of the global nylon market in 2022 [12]

Recycled polyurethane represented 0.1% of the global polyurethane market in 2022 [12]

More than 250 global brands and retailers have committed to the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action [34]

The Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action targets net-zero emissions by 2050 [34]

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Make Fashion Circular initiative was launched with support from more than 60 leading fashion brands [35]

The global recycled textile market size was valued at USD 5.44 billion in 2023 [36]

The global recycled textile market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.6% from 2024 to 2030 [36]

The global recycled textile market is expected to reach USD 8.50 billion by 2030 [36]

The global textile recycling market size was estimated at USD 5.73 billion in 2024 [37]

The global textile recycling market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.7% from 2025 to 2030 [37]

The global textile recycling market is expected to reach USD 7.10 billion by 2030 [37]

The global digital textile printing market size was valued at USD 2.71 billion in 2023 [38]

The global digital textile printing market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.3% from 2024 to 2030 [38]

The global digital textile printing market is expected to reach USD 6.09 billion by 2030 [38]

The global conductive textiles market size was valued at USD 2.41 billion in 2023 [39]

The global conductive textiles market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.8% from 2024 to 2030 [39]

The global conductive textiles market is expected to reach USD 6.72 billion by 2030 [39]

The global e-textiles market size was estimated at USD 4.24 billion in 2023 [40]

The global e-textiles market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 28.5% from 2024 to 2030 [40]

The global e-textiles market is expected to reach USD 24.33 billion by 2030 [40]

The global textile chemicals market size was valued at USD 27.10 billion in 2023 [41]

The global textile chemicals market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.4% from 2024 to 2030 [41]

The global textile chemicals market is expected to reach USD 36.73 billion by 2030 [41]

The textile sector in Bangladesh employed about 4.4 million workers in 2023 [42]

About 80% of Bangladesh’s export earnings come from the textile and apparel sector [42]

Bangladesh is the second-largest exporter of garments in the world after China [42]

Vietnam’s textile and garment exports reached USD 40.3 billion in 2023 [43]

Vietnam’s textile and garment industry employed more than 2.5 million workers in 2023 [43]

Vietnam has over 7,000 textile and garment companies [43]

Türkiye’s textile and raw materials exports reached USD 12.9 billion in 2023 [44]

Türkiye’s apparel exports totaled USD 19.2 billion in 2023 [44]

Türkiye’s textile and apparel sector employs around 1 million people [44]

Pakistan’s textile sector accounts for about 60% of total exports [45]

Pakistan’s textile sector contributes nearly 8.5% to GDP [45]

Pakistan’s textile and apparel sector employs around 40% of the industrial labor force [45]

India’s textile and apparel sector contributed 2.3% to GDP in FY24 [22]

India’s textile and apparel sector contributed 13% to industrial production in FY24 [22]

India’s textile and apparel sector contributed 12% to export earnings in FY24 [22]

India’s textile industry employs over 45 million people directly [22]

India’s textile industry supports 100 million people indirectly [22]

China’s exports of textiles including yarn and fabric amounted to USD 141.96 billion in 2023 [46]

China’s apparel exports amounted to USD 159.14 billion in 2023 [47]

The EU exported textiles worth EUR 27 billion in 2023 [24]

The EU exported clothing worth EUR 50 billion in 2023 [24]

The EU imported textiles worth EUR 33 billion in 2023 [24]

The EU imported clothing worth EUR 98 billion in 2023 [24]

The U.S. textile complex exported USD 28.4 billion in 2021 [23]

The U.S. textile industry employed 538,500 workers in 2022 [23]

U.S. textile and apparel imports totaled USD 127.7 billion in 2022 [23]

Cambodia’s garment, footwear and travel goods sector employed around 800,000 workers in 2023 [48]

Cambodia’s garment, footwear and travel goods exports accounted for about 57% of total exports in 2023 [48]

Egypt’s ready-made garments exports reached USD 2.8 billion in 2023 [49]

Egypt aims to increase textile and apparel exports to USD 11.5 billion by 2026 [49]

Mexico’s textile and apparel sector employed more than 640,000 people in 2023 [50]