Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
Around 85% of all textiles thrown away in the U.S.—approximately 11 million tons—are either dumped into landfills or burned
The average American throws away about 81 pounds of clothing each year
Globally, 92 million tons of textile waste are produced each year
Only 15% of textiles are recycled in the U.S.
Textiles account for 7.7% of landfill waste in the U.S.
Textile waste is projected to increase by 60% between 2015 and 2030
The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, in part due to landfill and incineration of waste
700,000 tons of used clothing are exported every year from the U.S., contributing to waste in other countries
Synthetic fabrics like polyester can take up to 200 years to decompose in a landfill
60% of clothing today contains synthetic fibers, which are not biodegradable
Textile waste increased by 811% in the U.S. between 1960 and 2018
On average, each U.K. citizen throws away 3.1 kg of textiles annually
35% of all materials in supply chains end up as waste before a garment reaches the consumer
Environmental Impact of Textile Industry
- The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, in part due to landfill and incineration of waste
- Synthetic fabrics like polyester can take up to 200 years to decompose in a landfill
- 60% of clothing today contains synthetic fibers, which are not biodegradable
- The fashion industry uses 98 million tons of non-renewable resources each year, a portion of which ends in landfills
- Textile production is estimated to be responsible for 20% of global clean water pollution, partly due to landfilling waste
- Cotton takes over 5 months to decompose in landfill conditions
- The resale market can extend the lifespan of a garment by 2.2 years, potentially diverting landfill
- Landfilled textiles release methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide, as they decompose
- Nearly 60% of all clothing produced ends up in incinerators or landfills within a year of being made
- Textile recycling saves up to 20,000 liters of water per kilogram of cotton recycled
- Fast fashion brands can release as many as 50–100 micro-collections per year, leading to excess and landfill overflow
- 35% of plastic microfibers polluting oceans come from washing synthetic textiles
- It takes 2,700 liters of water to produce one cotton shirt, a waste if discarded in landfill
- Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of clean water globally, linked with waste processing
- Reusing 1 kg of textiles can reduce C02 emissions by 3.6 kg
- The fashion industry emits more CO2 than international flights and maritime shipping combined, much of it linked to waste
- It can take 20–200 years for textiles to decompose in landfills depending on the material
- Clothing production doubled between 2000 and 2014, increasing textile landfill significantly
- Textile waste contributes to roughly 10% of landfill greenhouse gas emissions globally
- Developing countries often lack infrastructure to manage imported textile waste, leading to environmental hazards
- Recycled textiles save about 20 tons of CO2 per metric ton of reused cotton
- The global fashion industry is expected to consume 102 million tons of textiles annually by 2030
- 73% of the world’s clothing ends up in landfills or incinerated
- The textile industry produces more than 1 billion tons of CO2 annually, some of it from waste decay in landfills
- Clothing production emits 1.2 billion tons of CO2 per year, more than aviation and shipping combined
Interpretation
Fast fashion may promise style on a dime, but its real cost is a landfill legacy of synthetic threads, polluted waters, and greenhouse gases that will outlive us all by centuries.
Global Trade and Secondhand Markets
- 700,000 tons of used clothing are exported every year from the U.S., contributing to waste in other countries
- Used clothing exports from developed to developing countries account for 40% of global demand in second-hand clothes, often leading to landfill
- The African continent receives 70% of the world's used clothing exports, many of which end in open dumps
- 90% of the clothing donated to charity is sold to recyclers or exported, potentially ending in landfills abroad
- Ghana receives 15 million used garments each week, many ending up in landfills
- The global market for second-hand apparel is expected to reach $84 billion by 2030, potentially reducing landfill waste
- Some landfill-salvaged clothing in Africa is sold as new despite being dumped as waste
- Clothing imports to Kenya grew by 80% in five years, most of it ending in informal waste streams or landfills
Interpretation
In a global game of closet clean-out, wealthy nations ship their fashion castoffs to developing countries under the guise of reuse—only for mountains of these "charitable donations" to unravel into textile graveyards, burying both ecosystems and economies beneath fast fashion’s forgotten threads.
Recycling and Waste Management
- Around 85% of all textiles thrown away in the U.S.—approximately 11 million tons—are either dumped into landfills or burned
- Only 15% of textiles are recycled in the U.S.
- Only 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new garments
- Up to 95% of the clothes thrown away could be recycled or reused
- Globally, less than 13% of textile waste is recycled in any form
- Clothing recycling rate in the European Union stands at just over 25%
- Only 0.1% of fabric waste is recycled into high-quality textile fibers
- In the U.S., landfill costs for managing textile waste surpass $375 million annually
- Only 12% of the material used for clothing ends up being recycled
- Only 14% of collected clothing is recycled in the form of fibers or filling
- Less than 1% of all textiles are recycled back into clothing due to quality loss and cost
- In France, an Extended Producer Responsibility policy makes producers responsible for post-consumer waste, including textiles
- Sweden recycles or incinerates 99% of its waste, including textiles, minimizing landfill use
- Pyrolysis and chemical recycling of textiles are being developed as landfill alternatives
Interpretation
Despite fashion's obsession with recycling trends, the industry itself recycles textiles at a rate so dismal—less than 1% into new clothes—that it would be funny if it weren't fugly for the planet.
Retail and Consumer Behavior
- The average life cycle of clothing has declined by 36% in 15 years, increasing landfill waste
- Clothing consumption is expected to rise by 63% by 2030, worsening landfill challenges
- The average number of times a garment is worn has decreased by 36% in the last 15 years
- 30% of clothes in the average European wardrobe haven’t been worn in at least a year
- The average person buys 60% more clothing than 15 years ago and keeps it for half as long
Interpretation
We’re buying more clothes than ever, wearing them less than ever, and burying our fashion mistakes in landfills like tomorrow’s trends depend on it.
Textile Waste Generation
- The average American throws away about 81 pounds of clothing each year
- Globally, 92 million tons of textile waste are produced each year
- Textiles account for 7.7% of landfill waste in the U.S.
- Textile waste is projected to increase by 60% between 2015 and 2030
- Textile waste increased by 811% in the U.S. between 1960 and 2018
- On average, each U.K. citizen throws away 3.1 kg of textiles annually
- 35% of all materials in supply chains end up as waste before a garment reaches the consumer
- In Australia, over 500,000 tons of textiles are sent to landfill annually
- One truckload of textiles is landfilled or burned every second globally
- Europe generates 5.8 million tons of textile waste annually
- Americans generate roughly 17 million tons of textile waste per year
- Used textiles represent nearly 2.5% of total municipal solid waste in the U.S.
- India generates approximately 1 million tons of textile waste per year
- China discarded an estimated 26 million tons of textile waste in 2019
- 80 billion garments are produced globally every year, many destined for landfill
- Over 120 billion garments are produced globally each year, with many ending up in landfill
- In 2021, landfill components from used textiles rose by almost 2% in the U.S. year over year
- The average landfill receives 14 million tons of clothing per year in the U.S.
- Pre-consumer textile waste can amount to 10–20% of material used in production
- Canadians send about 500,000 tons of textiles to landfills annually
- Retailers discard 30–40% of clothing stock annually, leading directly to landfills
Interpretation
We’re drowning in fast fashion’s fallout, tossing clothes faster than we wear them, as mountains of unworn, unsold, and unwanted textiles pile up globally—one truckload, one landfill, one regrettable impulse buy at a time.