Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
The textile industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions
Around 20% of global wastewater is produced by the fashion industry
The fashion industry uses 93 billion cubic meters of water annually, about 4% of all freshwater extraction globally
Producing one cotton shirt requires 2,700 liters of water
Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of water globally
The fashion industry produces about 92 million tons of textile waste annually
Only 1% of clothing is recycled into new garments
The synthetic textiles industry emits approximately 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year
Washing synthetic textiles releases 500,000 tons of microplastics into the ocean annually
Polyester, used in about 60% of garments, is made from fossil fuels, making clothing production more energy-intensive
Fashion production contributes 2-8% of global greenhouse gas emissions
Textile production uses 98 million tons of non-renewable resources each year, including oil, chemicals, and fertilizers
The average consumer bought 60% more clothes in 2014 than in 2000 but kept them for half as long
Air and Carbon Emissions
- The textile industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions
- The synthetic textiles industry emits approximately 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year
- Polyester, used in about 60% of garments, is made from fossil fuels, making clothing production more energy-intensive
- Fashion production contributes 2-8% of global greenhouse gas emissions
- China is the largest textile producer and also one of the largest emitters of clothing-related carbon emissions
- Producing recycled polyester uses 59% less energy than virgin polyester
- Carbon emissions from textile production are greater than those of international flights and maritime shipping combined
- Global apparel industry GHG emissions are expected to rise by over 60% by 2030
- Fossil fuels used in textile production add significant GHG emissions mostly through polyester manufacture
- A T-shirt’s lifecycle contributes about 15 kg of CO2 emissions
- Virgin polyester production in 2015 resulted in emissions equivalent to 282 billion tons of CO2
- The fashion industry consumes more energy than the aviation and shipping industries combined
- Clothing manufacturing produces 1.7 million tons of CO2 annually in the UK alone
- A single pair of jeans emits around 33.4 kg of CO2 equivalents throughout its lifecycle
- Clothes degrade to release methane, a potent greenhouse gas, when landfilled
- Burning unsold clothes emits CO2 and other harmful pollutants
Interpretation
Dressed to impress but emitting in excess, the fashion industry’s carbon footprint is so oversized it outpaces planes, ships, and logic—proof that our wardrobe choices are quietly unraveling the climate.
Deforestation and Resource Extraction
- Textile production uses 98 million tons of non-renewable resources each year, including oil, chemicals, and fertilizers
- Nearly 70 million barrels of oil are used each year to make polyester fiber, used in much of our clothing
- Viscose production leads to deforestation and chemical runoff
- Non-renewable resource extraction for textiles may exceed 300 million tons annually by 2050
- Up to 120 million trees are logged annually for viscose fabric production
Interpretation
Behind the seams of fashion’s glamour lies a threadbare truth: the textile industry spins style from a cocktail of oil, chemicals, and felled forests, weaving a future of unsustainable excess at the cost of our planet’s reserves.
Labor and Health Impacts
- Cotton farming is responsible for 24% of insecticides and 11% of pesticides despite covering only 2.4% of the world’s cropland
- Garment workers are exposed to hazardous chemicals used in dyeing and finishing processes
- More than 8,000 different synthetic chemicals are used in the textile manufacturing process
- The majority of clothing is produced in countries where environmental regulations are lax or poorly enforced
- Over 25% of the chemicals produced worldwide are used in textiles
- Humans ingest at least 5 grams of microplastics weekly, partly from synthetic fabrics
- Each garment’s lifecycle involves over 40 separate chemical processes
- Some dyes used in textile production are carcinogenic and can remain in the environment for years
- Workers dyeing fabrics without proper protection face increased risks of cancers and respiratory diseases
Interpretation
Behind fashion’s flashy facades lies a toxic truth: a chemically-soaked industry that’s poisoning people, polluting the planet, and dressing up disaster in designer labels.
Waste and Overproduction
- The fashion industry produces about 92 million tons of textile waste annually
- Only 1% of clothing is recycled into new garments
- The average consumer bought 60% more clothes in 2014 than in 2000 but kept them for half as long
- Clothing production doubled between 2000 and 2014
- Textile waste in landfills can take over 200 years to decompose, releasing methane gas in the process
- Consumers discard clothing so quickly that 85% of textiles end up in landfills annually
- The average European throws away 11 kg of textiles per person per year
- Over 90% of clothing is shipped in plastic packaging contributing to plastic waste issues
- 15% of fabric is wasted during the cutting process in garment production
- 70% of textile waste is sent to landfill or incinerated
- 12% of textile waste is downcycled into industrial cleaning cloths or insulation
- An estimated $500 billion is lost annually from underutilized clothing and lack of recycling
- Textiles account for approximately 7% of landfill waste in the U.S.
- Globally, less than 15% of used clothes are recycled or reused
- Every second, the equivalent of a truckload of textiles is landfilled or incinerated
- The average person consumes 400% more clothing than 20 years ago
- Up to 95% of textiles that are landfilled each year could be recycled
- 35 million garments are unsold in the UK each year and often end up incinerated
- Pre-consumer textile waste accounts for an estimated 15% of all fabric produced
Interpretation
Fast fashion may dress us up quickly, but it's stripping the planet bare—churning out mountains of waste, choking landfills, and torching resources at a rate that makes yesterday’s outfit a long-term environmental liability.
Water Usage and Pollution
- Around 20% of global wastewater is produced by the fashion industry
- The fashion industry uses 93 billion cubic meters of water annually, about 4% of all freshwater extraction globally
- Producing one cotton shirt requires 2,700 liters of water
- Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of water globally
- Washing synthetic textiles releases 500,000 tons of microplastics into the ocean annually
- The apparel industry is projected to increase its water consumption by 50% by 2030
- Tanning leather requires heavy metals and toxic chemicals which often leach into waterways untreated
- Fabric dyeing consumes enough water to fill over 2 million Olympic-size swimming pools every year
- About 35% of all microplastics in the ocean come from washing synthetic textiles
- Up to 200 tons of water are used per ton of dyed fabric
- Textile mills generate one-fifth of the world’s industrial water pollution
- The textile sector is the third-largest industrial sector in terms of water use
- Textile dyeing and treatment contribute to 20% of global water pollution
- A single load of laundry can release over 700,000 microfibers into the water system
- The water used to produce a single pair of jeans is equivalent to 285 showers
- Textile manufacturing accounts for up to 20% of industrial water pollution globally
- Over 8,000 liters of water are needed to produce a pair of jeans
- Cotton uses approximately 3% of the world’s arable land and is one of the most water-intensive crops
- Each year, the global textile industry discharges over 40,000 – 50,000 tons of dye into water bodies
- Textile production contributes to biodiversity loss through fertilizer runoff, land exploitation, and pollution
- Apparel industry water usage is enough to meet the needs of 5 million people annually
- Toxic textile chemicals include arsenic, lead, and mercury, impacting aquatic life and human health
- Textile sector discharged around 70 million tons of wastewater in China alone (as of 2015 data)
- Synthetic fibers make up about 62% of all fibers used, accelerating plastic pollution
- Fabric bleach and detergent residues affect the pH of water bodies and damage ecosystems
- Textile industry wastewater includes heavy metals that are poisonous to aquatic life and humans
- Cotton uses 91% more water per product than flax or hemp
Interpretation
In a world where fashion is fleeting but environmental damage endures, the textile industry proves that looking good can cost the planet dearly—so much so that your jeans might just be drowning the Earth in style.