Textile Waste: A Pollution Crisis In The Making

The fashion industry is valued at over $1.5 trillion, but it is as destructive as it is lucrative. Textile production is the world's second-most polluting industry, and textile waste is a significant contributor to this. In 2018, 17 million tons of textile waste ended up in landfills, and only 14.7% of all textile waste was recycled in the United States. The average US consumer throws away approximately 81.5 pounds of clothing per year, and the situation is worsening. The shift towards fast fashion has led to an increase in textile waste, with items being worn only seven to ten times before being discarded. The production and consumption of clothing have significant environmental impacts, including increased greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and waste generation. The pollution generated by garment production also impacts the health of local people, animals, and ecosystems where the factories are located.

The fast fashion industry's rapid production and consumption of clothing

The industry's environmental impact is twofold. Firstly, the production of textiles requires significant resources, including water, energy, and other natural resources. It takes an estimated 2,700 litres of water to produce a single cotton shirt, and the fashion industry is the second-largest consumer of water. Cotton, a common material in fast fashion, is not environmentally friendly to manufacture due to the use of pesticides, which also present health risks to farmers. The dyeing and finishing processes are responsible for 20% of global water pollution, as the leftover water is often dumped into local water sources, and the release of untreated dyes can contaminate groundwater and soil.

Secondly, the high consumption and rapid disposal of fast fashion create large amounts of waste. The average US consumer throws away approximately 81.5 pounds of clothing annually, contributing to the millions of tons of textile waste in landfills globally. In 2018, 17 million tons of textile waste ended up in US landfills, and it is estimated that 92 million tons of the 100 billion garments produced annually end up in landfills worldwide. The waste generated by the fast fashion industry is expected to increase, with global apparel consumption projected to rise by 63% by 2030.

The shift towards fast fashion has changed the way people consume and dispose of clothing, with consumers purchasing more clothing more frequently and treating low-priced garments as nearly disposable. This has resulted in a dramatic increase in pre- and post-production textile waste, with most returned items ending up in landfills as it is cheaper for companies to discard them than to put them back into circulation. The pollution generated by garment production also impacts the health of local people, animals, and ecosystems near factories.

To address the environmental impact of the fast fashion industry, there have been calls for tougher measures to reduce textile waste, increase recycling, and promote sustainable production and consumption. Some companies have implemented sustainability strategies, such as using recycled materials or designing business models that reuse clothes and maximise their useful life.

Textile waste in landfills

Textile waste is a significant contributor to pollution, with the fashion industry being infamous for wasting resources and producing trash. In America alone, an estimated 11.3 million tons of textile waste end up in landfills each year, according to the EPA. This amounts to 85% of all textiles and translates to approximately 81.5 pounds per person annually, or around 2,150 pieces per second nationwide. The situation is exacerbated by the rise of "throwaway culture", with items being worn only seven to ten times before being discarded, a decline of over 35% in just 15 years.

The primary source of textiles in municipal solid waste (MSW) is discarded clothing, but other sources include furniture, carpets, tires, footwear, and nondurable goods like sheets and towels. In 2018, the EPA estimated that 17 million tons of textile waste was generated, accounting for 5.8% of total MSW generation. Of this, 11 million tons ended up in landfills, or nearly 8% of all MSW landfilled that year. The recycling rate for all textiles was only 14.7% in 2018, with 2.5 million tons recycled.

The issue of textile waste is not limited to the United States. In the EU, the textile sector was the third largest source of water degradation and land use in 2020. Textile production requires significant amounts of chemicals, water, energy, and other natural resources. It takes an estimated 2,700 liters of water to produce a single cotton shirt. The pollution generated by garment production severely impacts the health of local people, animals, and ecosystems surrounding factories.

The life cycle of textiles in landfills further exacerbates the environmental impact. Textiles can take up to 200 years or more to decompose in landfills. During this slow decomposition process, textiles release greenhouse methane gas and leach toxic chemicals and dyes into the groundwater and soil.

Some companies are taking initiatives to address the issue of textile waste. For example, Ecoalf creates textiles from recycled materials like used fishing nets, coffee grounds, and plastic bottles. Madewell, a popular clothing company, has a unique recycling program that turns donated jeans into housing insulation, preventing them from ending up in landfills.

Textile waste and water pollution

The textile industry is a major contributor to water pollution, with the sector estimated to be responsible for about 20% of global clean water pollution. This includes pollution from the dyeing and finishing of textiles, which accounts for about 20% of the world's wastewater. The production of synthetic fabrics, for instance, releases lead, arsenic, benzene, and other pollutants into water sources. The dyeing process also releases colourants and harmful chemicals into wastewater when untreated.

The fashion industry, in particular, has been identified as a significant source of water pollution, especially fast fashion, which involves the production of large quantities of cheap, trendy clothing often made from synthetic materials such as polyester. The manufacturing of these materials requires a significant amount of water, energy, and chemicals, which can result in the discharge of toxic substances into waterways. The dyeing and finishing processes used in the fashion industry can also introduce harmful chemicals and heavy metals into water sources, posing a severe threat to aquatic life and ecosystems.

The issue of water pollution in the textile and fashion industries is not limited to the production phase. The washing of synthetic textiles, for instance, is a primary source of microplastics in aquatic environments, which can have detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems and even accumulate in human body tissue. Additionally, the culture of fast fashion encourages the early discardment of clothing, leading to an increase in clothing waste. This waste often ends up in landfills, further contributing to environmental degradation.

The impact of water pollution from the textile and fashion industries extends beyond the environmental consequences. In regions with high concentrations of garment manufacturing, such as Bangladesh, local residents report water that lacks biodiversity and is pitch black in colour. The health of nearby residents, particularly children and older individuals, is negatively affected, forcing them to choose between employment in the factories and the health of their families.

To address these issues, governments and non-profit organizations are taking steps to mitigate water pollution and promote more sustainable practices in the textile and fashion industries. The EU, for example, has proposed tougher measures to reduce excessive textile production and consumption, with a focus on respecting human, social, and labour rights, as well as environmental considerations. The Waste Directive of the EU Circular Economy Package aims to implement the collection, sorting, and recycling of textiles by 2025, encouraging the development and utilisation of new production technologies and recycled materials.

Textile waste and carbon emissions

The textile industry is a major contributor to global warming and climate change. It is the second most polluting industry in the world, responsible for between 8% and 10% of total carbon emissions, or 4 billion tons of CO2 annually. This figure exceeds the combined emissions of aviation and shipping. The industry is also responsible for 20% of global wastewater production.

Textile production requires significant amounts of chemicals, water, energy, and other natural resources. It takes 2,700 litres of water to make a single cotton shirt, and the textile sector was the third largest source of water degradation and land use in 2020. The processes of dyeing and finishing, yarn preparation, and fibre production have the highest impact on resource depletion due to their energy-intensive nature.

The proliferation of the fast fashion business model has resulted in a consistent throughput of natural resources being needed to meet the growing demand for clothing. The fast fashion industry is based on mass production, low prices, and high sales volumes, which promotes frequent washing of synthetic products. This leads to the accumulation of more than half a million tonnes of microplastics on the ocean floor each year.

The environmental impact of the textile industry is exacerbated by the growth of fast fashion, which results in a waste of resources and greater textile waste as clothing is more quickly discarded. Clothing production has doubled since 2000 and is projected to account for approximately 25% of the world's carbon budget by 2050. The shortening of fashion cycles creates a constant need to dispose of "old" items to make room for new ones, resulting in an increase in textile waste.

To tackle the impact of the textile industry on the environment, the EU has proposed measures to reduce textile waste and increase the life cycle and recycling of textiles. This includes extended producer responsibility schemes, where producers of textiles will have to cover the costs for the separate collection, sorting, and recycling of their products. The EU has also introduced the EU Ecolabel, which gives more visibility to products that include fewer harmful substances and cause less water and air pollution.

Innovative production methods to reduce waste

Textile waste is a significant contributor to environmental pollution. In 2018, an estimated 11.3 million tons of textile waste ended up in American landfills, with only 14.7% of all textile waste being recycled in the United States. Globally, the textile sector was the third-largest source of water degradation and land use in 2020, requiring an average of nine cubic meters of water, 400 square meters of land, and 391 kilograms of raw materials to provide clothes and shoes for each EU citizen. The production and consumption of textiles also contribute to global carbon emissions, with the industry being responsible for nearly 10% of global emissions.

To address this issue, innovative production methods and recycling technologies are being developed to reduce waste and increase the life cycle of textiles. Here are some examples of innovative production methods that can help reduce textile waste:

• Mechanical Recycling: Mechanical recycling involves crushing or grinding the material to obtain fibers that can be spun again. While this process shortens and weakens the fiber, technological advancements have allowed factories to create natural fibers of similar quality to virgin materials without mixing virgin content. This results in higher-quality recycled fibers that can be used repeatedly.
• Chemical and Biological Processes: In addition to mechanical processes, chemical and biological recycling methods are being explored. Pyrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis, biological recycling, and microbial engineering are some of the techniques used to transform textile waste into value-added products like biofuels, bioplastics, and other sustainable materials.
• Use of Recycled Materials: Some companies are creating textiles from recycled products such as used fishing nets, coffee grounds, plastic bottles, and other waste materials. For example, Ecoalf has recycled over 120 million plastic bottles and turned them into top-quality garments, proving that recycled products can match the quality and design of non-recycled items.
• Extended Producer Responsibility: The EU is introducing extended producer responsibility schemes, which will require producers of textiles to cover the costs of separate collection, sorting, and recycling. This will encourage companies to take responsibility for their products throughout their life cycle and promote more sustainable production methods.
• Eco-Design Principles: Implementing eco-design principles can help reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry. This includes using fewer harmful substances, reducing water and energy consumption, and adopting more sustainable production techniques.
• Sustainable Disposal and Recycling Programs: Companies can partner with recycling programs to ensure that their products don't end up in landfills. For example, Madewell's recycling program with Cotton's Blue Jeans Go Green and Habitat for Humanity recycles donated jeans into housing insulation.
• Material Circularity Indicator (MCI): This tool, developed by BCOME, helps businesses identify the potential of their textile resources and encourages them to adopt more sustainable practices by keeping their textile waste out of landfills.

Frequently asked questions