Clothing's Pollution Trail: An Unseen Environmental Disaster

The fashion industry is the second-largest polluter in the world, just after the oil industry. The environmental damage caused by the industry is increasing as the industry grows. The mass production of cheap, disposable clothing, also known as fast fashion, has led to a major shift in consumer behaviour, with people buying 60% more clothing in 2014 than in 2000, but wearing those clothes for only half as long. The fashion industry is a large contributor to water pollution and water consumption, carbon emissions, and ocean pollution.

The fashion industry is the second-largest water consumer and polluter

The fashion industry is the second-largest consumer of water, requiring about 700 gallons of water to produce a single cotton shirt and 2,000 gallons to produce a pair of jeans. The industry is also responsible for 20% of industrial water pollution worldwide.

Textile dyeing is the world's second-largest polluter of water, as the water leftover from the dyeing process is often dumped into ditches, streams, or rivers. The dyeing process uses enough water to fill 2 million Olympic-sized swimming pools each year. The fashion industry also dries up water sources, with cotton requiring a lot of water to grow and often being cultivated in warm and dry areas. Around 9,700 liters of water are needed to produce just 1kg of cotton, causing tremendous pressure on this precious resource. This has led to the dramatic ecological consequences of the desertification of the Aral Sea, where cotton production has entirely drained the water.

The fashion industry is also a major contributor to water pollution through the use of fertilizers and pesticides in cotton production, which heavily pollutes runoff waters and evaporation waters. The overgrazing of pastures for cashmere goats and sheep raised for their wool also degrades the soil, as does the massive use of chemicals to grow cotton.

The fast fashion system, which allows retailers to capitalize on changing consumer shopping behaviors and trends, has led to the mass production of cheap, disposable clothing. This has resulted in the outsourcing of about 90% of the world's clothing production to low- to middle-income countries, where articles of clothing are produced cheaply, at low quality, and sold at low prices for faster production and consumption.

However, there is a growing awareness of the environmental impact of the fashion industry, and an increasing number of companies are choosing to produce clothing that adheres to high ethical standards. Initiatives such as the Sustainable Fashion Academy's Global Leadership Award in Sustainable Apparel (GLASA) and the UN's Alliance for Sustainable Fashion aim to recognize and coordinate the work of clothing companies that are committed to sustainability and reducing their environmental impact.

Textile dyeing is the world's second-largest polluter of water

The fashion industry is the second-largest polluter of water worldwide, with clothing production making up 10% of humanity's carbon emissions. The industry is responsible for 20% of global water pollution, with textile dyeing being the single worst contributor to climate change within the fashion and textile sector.

Textile dyeing is a highly polluting industrial process, responsible for 3% of global CO2 emissions, which is predicted to increase to over 10% by 2050. The dyeing process uses enough water to fill 2 million Olympic-sized swimming pools each year, and the resulting wastewater is often dumped untreated into ditches, streams, or rivers. This wastewater contains toxic chemicals and dyes that pollute the environment and harm aquatic life and human health.

The social and economic development in China, a country that dominates the dyeing industry, has led to a significant deterioration in its water environment. Similarly, the Buriganga River in Dhaka, Bangladesh, has been polluted by the fashion industry, impacting the health of those living on its banks. The fashion industry's impact on water pollution is not limited to developing countries, as seen in the case of the dried-up lake in Chennai, India, where taps ran dry city-wide in June 2019.

The problem of water pollution from textile dyeing is not limited to the dyeing process itself but also extends to the use of fertilizers for cotton production, which heavily pollutes runoff waters and evaporation waters. Cotton requires a significant amount of water to grow, with around 9,700 liters needed to produce just 1kg of cotton. This has led to dramatic ecological consequences, such as the desertification of the Aral Sea, where cotton production has entirely drained the water.

While the fashion industry, particularly the textile dyeing process, has significantly contributed to water pollution, there are ongoing efforts to address this issue. Researchers at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, have developed a nanomaterial inspired by shellfish that can effectively clean up dyes and other pollutants from industrial wastewater. Additionally, the UN launched the Alliance for Sustainable Fashion to coordinate efforts across agencies and make the industry less harmful.

Washing clothes releases plastic microfibres into the ocean

The fashion industry is the second-largest consumer of water and the second-largest polluter of water. It is responsible for 20% of all industrial water pollution worldwide. The industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined.

A 2017 report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimated that 35% of all microplastics in the ocean—which, unlike other plastics, never biodegrade—came from the laundering of synthetic textiles. Microplastics are estimated to compose up to 31% of plastic pollution in the ocean.

The release of microplastics from synthetic clothes is caused by the mechanical and chemical stresses that fabrics undergo during a washing process in a laundry machine, which leads to the detachment of microfibres from the yarns that constitute the textile. Due to their small size, the released microfibres can pass through wastewater treatment plants and reach the oceans directly.

There are no standardized methods for comparing devices designed to reduce microfiber shedding into wastewater. However, some devices, such as the Cora Ball and the Guppyfriend, have been shown to reduce microfiber shedding.

Fossil fuels used in the industry generate carbon dioxide

The fashion industry has become synonymous with overconsumption, a snowballing waste crisis, and widespread pollution. The industry is the second-largest consumer of water and the second-largest polluter of water. It is also a major contributor to global warming, emitting more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined.

Fossil fuels are linked to every part of the fashion industry's supply chain. From the fertilizer used to grow cotton crops to the gas used to power vehicles shipping online orders, fossil fuels are integral to the industry's operations. The production of synthetic fibres for the textile industry currently accounts for 1.35% of global oil consumption, exceeding the annual oil consumption of Spain.

The fashion industry's reliance on fossil fuels is evident in its 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. In 2015, polyester production for textiles was responsible for emissions of over 700 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent. This is projected to nearly double by 2030, reaching twice the GHG emissions of Australia.

The oil and gas industry is betting on the burgeoning production of plastic, including synthetic fibres, as a key future revenue stream. BP's energy scenario predicts that plastic production will account for 95% of future growth in oil demand, while the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that petrochemicals will represent up to 50% of the growth in oil demand by 2050 and 4% in the projected growth of gas demand.

The fashion industry's use of fossil fuels contributes significantly to its carbon emissions, which are estimated to range from 2% to 10% of the world's annual output. To address this issue, fashion companies should invest in renewable energy sources and incentivize suppliers to transition away from powering their factories with fossil fuels. By improving energy efficiency and transitioning to renewable energy, the industry could achieve significant emission reductions.

The drive for cheap clothing leads to labour rights issues

The drive for cheap clothing has resulted in labour rights issues, with the fast-fashion industry employing approximately 75 million factory workers worldwide. However, it is estimated that less than 2% of these workers earn a living wage, forcing them to live below the poverty line. In many garment-producing countries, the national minimum wage is insufficient to cover basic needs such as food and housing. For instance, in Bangladesh, the monthly minimum wage for garment workers is $94, while the living wage is estimated to be $569.

To cut costs, companies often relocate their production to developing nations with cheaper labour and fewer regulations. Countries like Vietnam, India, and Bangladesh are attractive to fashion brands due to the lack of oversight during textile production. This has led to dangerous exploitation of the labour force, with workers facing issues such as low wages, job loss, unsafe conditions, and harassment.

The European Parliament has described the conditions of factory workers in Asia as "slave labour". Many garment workers toil for up to 16 hours a day, seven days a week, with some earning as little as £2-3 per hour in the UK. In addition to low wages, workers in garment-producing countries also face other abuses, including forced labour, denial of maternity leave, and retaliation for union participation.

The pandemic has exacerbated these issues, with workers facing an "unrelenting combination" of challenges, according to Khalid Mahmood from the Labour Education Foundation in Pakistan. The push for cheaper clothing has led to a rapid increase in trends and micro-seasons, creating a massive demand for apparel and contributing to the exploitation of the labour force.

To address these issues, organisations like Transform Trade are advocating for a new Fashion Watchdog in the UK to ensure that retail brands treat their suppliers fairly. Consumers can also play a role by supporting campaigns, shopping ethically, and avoiding brands that engage in unethical practices.

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