Meghan Hodges
The clothing industry is a major contributor to environmental degradation, with its high pollution impacts often overlooked. From the production of raw materials to the disposal of garments, the clothing life cycle is fraught with polluting processes. The industry's water consumption is staggering, with 2,700 litres of water needed to make a single cotton t-shirt, contributing to the drying up of water sources. It is the second-largest consumer of water, with textile dyeing being the world's second-largest polluter of water, as untreated wastewater is released into natural sources. The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, with the production of polyester alone releasing 706 billion kg of greenhouse gases annually. Fast fashion has exacerbated the problem, with its rapid design-to-distribution model generating vast waste and promoting a disposable mindset. Microfibres released from synthetic clothing during washing further contribute to plastic pollution in our oceans. With the industry's pollution, water use, and carbon emissions increasing, a shift towards sustainable practices is imperative.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Water consumption | 2,700 litres of water for a single cotton t-shirt; 700 gallons for a cotton shirt; 2,000 gallons for a pair of jeans; 3,781 litres for a pair of jeans (from production to delivery); 20% of global industrial water pollution |
| Carbon emissions | 10% of global carbon emissions; 500,000 tons of microfibers released into the ocean each year from washing clothes |
| Textile waste | 92 million tons of textile waste per year; 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year |
| Fast fashion | Rapid design, production, distribution, and marketing of clothing; high sales volumes; short lifespan of clothing items |
| Microplastics | 35% of microplastics in the ocean come from laundering synthetic textiles; 60-70% of clothing and household textiles are made of synthetic fibres |
| Pesticides and insecticides | Cotton production uses 16% of global insecticides and 7% of pesticides |
| Greenhouse gases | Production of polyester releases 706 billion kg of greenhouse gases annually |
| Health impacts | Pollution impacts the health of local people, animals, and ecosystems near factories; use of chemicals in production raises health concerns for workers and consumers |
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What You'll Learn
Water usage: 2,700 litres for a t-shirt, 3,781 litres for jeans
The clothing industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. It is the second most water-intensive industry, consuming around 79 billion cubic meters of water per year. This is a startling statistic, considering that 2.7 billion people currently experience water scarcity.
The water-intensity of the clothing industry is largely driven by the production of cotton, which is the most commonly used natural fiber in the fashion industry. Cotton farming has a significant impact on the global water crisis. It requires a lot of water to produce cotton, with a single cotton shirt requiring about 700 gallons of water.
The impact of cotton production on water resources is particularly severe in areas already facing water stress, such as Central Asia, where the Aral Sea has nearly disappeared due to excessive cotton farming.
The production of a single t-shirt requires an estimated 2,700 liters of water, enough to meet one person's drinking needs for two and a half years or 900 days. This is a significant amount of water, especially considering that t-shirts are one of the most common garments in the world, with 2 billion sold and purchased annually.
In addition to the water used in the production of cotton, the processing of textiles also requires a significant amount of water. The conventional processing of textiles requires around 100-150 liters of water for every kilogram of fiber.
The production of jeans is also water-intensive, requiring 3,781 liters of water to produce a single pair, from the production of cotton to the delivery of the final product. This includes the water used in the growing of cotton, which is estimated to be 8,183 liters for the amount of cotton needed to produce one pair of jeans.
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Cotton farming: pesticides, insecticides, water depletion
Cotton is often referred to as the world's "dirtiest" crop. Cotton farming uses a significant amount of water, pesticides, and insecticides, which has a detrimental impact on the environment. Cotton production is responsible for 16% of global insecticide usage and 7% of pesticide usage. The heavy irrigation required to grow cotton quickly washes pesticides and fertilizers into surrounding rivers, groundwater, and other aspects of the ecosystem. Cotton pesticides contaminate land, air, food, and drinking water in many countries, including the USA, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Brazil, Australia, Greece, and West Africa.
Cotton is susceptible to a wide range of pests, from bollworms and plant bugs to aphids and spider mites. Cotton farmers often combat these pests by using large amounts of pesticides, some of which are highly toxic and hazardous to human health. The heavy use of pesticides raises concerns for the health of farm workers and nearby populations. Additionally, the application of pesticides and fertilizers degrades soil quality and destroys habitats.
The Better Cotton Initiative promotes a more sustainable Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to help farmers deal with pests. IPM provides farmers with various forms of crop protection, including non-chemical methods such as biopesticides or traps, with conventional pesticides being a last resort. In the 2018-19 season, Better Cotton farmers in China used 14% less pesticide, while those in Tajikistan used 38% less.
Cotton farming also contributes to water depletion. Cotton cultivation requires heavy irrigation, which can dry up water sources. For example, cotton farming is said to have depleted the Aral Sea over about 50 years. The fashion industry, which includes cotton farming, consumes 20% of the world's water and is responsible for 20% of industrial water pollution worldwide. It is estimated that approximately 2,700 liters of water are needed to make one cotton t-shirt, the amount of water a person would drink over 2.5 years.
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Synthetic fibres: microfibres, non-biodegradable, greenhouse gases
The clothing industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. Synthetic fabrics are a major contributor to this pollution. Fabrics such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic are made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. These synthetic materials are plastics that do not easily biodegrade and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. The use of synthetic fibres has led to the proliferation of microplastics in waterways and oceans.
Microfibres are tiny plastic threads that shed from synthetic clothing during washing. A single wash cycle can release hundreds of thousands of microfibres into the water supply, which eventually reach the ocean. These microfibres are a form of plastic pollution and have been detected in samples collected from beaches and estuarine and subtidal sediments worldwide. They are even found in seafood and drinking water. Studies have shown that the number of microfibres released during washing can range from 124 to 308 mg per kg of fabric, depending on the type of garment. Acrylic fabric sheds the most fibres, followed by polyester, and then a polyester-cotton blend.
The production of synthetic fabrics also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. For example, the production of polyester alone releases 706 billion kg of greenhouse gases every year, equivalent to the emissions of 185 coal-fired power stations. Synthetic fabrics are also non-biodegradable, which means they can persist in the environment for a long time and contribute to waste accumulation.
The environmental impact of the clothing industry is complex and far-reaching. In addition to the issues of microfibres and greenhouse gas emissions, the industry is also responsible for the depletion of non-renewable resources, massive water and energy consumption, and the creation of toxic waste through the dyeing and finishing processes. Fast fashion, in particular, has been criticised for its destructive environmental exploitation and contribution to pollution.
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Fast fashion: rapid production, high consumption, waste
Fast fashion is a term coined by the New York Times in the 1990s to describe the mission of clothing brands like Zara, Shein, UNIQLO, Forever 21, and H&M to rapidly design, produce, distribute, and market garments at very low prices. This model involves large quantities of product variety, allowing consumers to purchase a greater number of fashion items at a low cost.
The fast fashion model has had a detrimental impact on the environment. It is the second-biggest consumer of water, requiring about 700 gallons to produce one cotton shirt and 2,700 litres of freshwater (or 2,000 gallons) to produce a pair of jeans. This has led to water sources drying up, including the Aral Sea. The fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global clean water pollution, with textile dyeing being the second-largest polluter of water, as the leftover water from the dyeing process is often dumped into natural water sources.
The fast fashion model has also led to an increase in waste. On average, Europeans use nearly 26 kilos of textiles and discard about 11 kilos of them every year. The rise of fast fashion has been crucial in the increase in consumption, driven partly by social media and the industry bringing fashion trends to consumers at a faster pace. As a result, people perceive clothing as something that is not meant to last, and it becomes a disposable item rather than an investment. The fashion industry alone generates 92 million tons of textile waste per year, equivalent to one truckload of clothing being buried or burnt every second.
In addition to water pollution and waste, the fast fashion model has also contributed to carbon emissions. Fashion production comprises 10% of total global carbon emissions, and the industry is anticipated to increase its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030. The production of synthetic fibres, such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic, which are commonly used in fast fashion, has a significant impact on the environment due to the emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants. Washing these synthetic textiles also releases microfibres into the ocean, contributing to plastic pollution in our waters.
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Dyeing and finishing: water pollution, toxic chemicals
The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. It uses a lot of energy and water (approximately 93 billion cubic metres per year) and generates up to 10% of global CO2 emissions. Within the fashion and textile sector, the dyeing and finishing processes are the single worst contributors to climate change. These processes, by which colour and other chemicals are applied to fabrics, are some of the most polluting industrial processes in the world.
Dyeing and finishing are responsible for 3% of global CO2 emissions, which is predicted to increase to more than 10% by 2050. This is more than the CO2 produced by shipping and aviation combined. The processes also cause over 20% of global water pollution. The wastewater produced pollutes the water table, getting into rivers and oceans, and is also used to irrigate fields. This is a major problem in countries that still dominate the dyeing industry, such as China, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Indonesia.
The dyeing process releases colourants and harmful chemicals into the wastewater when untreated. The polluted water can make its way to nearby streams and groundwater, contaminating food sources with carcinogenic chemicals. The textile dyeing and finishing industry is one of the most chemically intensive industries, infusing many chemicals into the water, including oil, phenol, dyes, pesticides, and heavy metals like copper, mercury, cadmium, chromium, and lead.
The World Bank has identified 72 toxic chemicals stemming from textile dyeing, 30 of which cannot be removed. These chemicals accumulate in waterways, reducing light penetration and lowering oxygen levels, which kills aquatic plants and animals. The environmental impact of natural dyes is also significant, as they require large quantities of water and certain mordants (substances used to fix colour to fabric) that can be toxic and impact wastewater quality.
To reduce water pollution, there have been calls for systemic change across the fashion industry, with consumers, brands, and manufacturers working together to demand less harmful production methods. Government support and legislation are also necessary to transition from wet to dry dyeing, reduce energy use, and prevent polluted water from being dumped into rivers.
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Frequently asked questions
The clothing industry is the second-largest consumer of water. It is estimated that approximately 2700 liters of water are needed to make one cotton t-shirt, and 2000 gallons of water to produce a pair of jeans. The industry consumes about 20% of the world's water.
Textile dyeing facilities located in countries with weak environmental standards release untreated wastewater into water sources, polluting aquatic life and compromising the health of nearby communities. The clothing industry is responsible for about 20% of global clean water pollution from dyeing and finishing products.
The clothing industry produces 10% of all humanity's carbon emissions. The production of polyester releases 706 billion kg of greenhouse gases every year. The industry is anticipated to increase in greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030.
