The Fashion Industry is One of The Leading Contributors of Global Pollution
The fashion industry produces 10% of all global carbon emissions and is the second-largest consumer of the world’s water supply. Washing clothes made from fibers such as polyester, and other synthetic fibers releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean each year — the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles. The leading pollutant is due to the use of polyester, a plastic found in an estimated 60% of garments. Producing polyester releases two to three times more carbon emissions than cotton, and polyester does not break down in the ocean.
Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of water, since the water leftover from the dyeing process is often dumped into ditches, streams, or rivers.
Our Landfills Are Full of Textile Waste
According to a recent EPA Report, it is estimated that the generation of textiles in 2018 was 17 million tons. Of this total, 11.3 million tons ended up in landfills instead of being recycled or reused. While food trash takes only a few hours or days to decompose, clothing can sit in landfills for years. Synthetic fabrics like polyester, lycra, and nylon can take 30 to 40 years to break down fully.
In less than 20 years, the volume of clothing Americans threw away each year doubled and is likely to triple if we don't make a change. The reason for such a drastic increase? FAST FASHION. To meet the high demands of the latest fashion trends, many retailers produce inexpensive, non-durable clothing.