GITNUXREPORT 2026

Fashion Industry Pollution Statistics

The fashion industry heavily pollutes both water and air while generating massive waste.

Alexander Schmidt

Research Analyst specializing in technology and digital transformation trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

Fashion industry uses 79 trillion liters of water yearly, 20% directly polluting waterways

Statistic 2

Textile production releases 3,000 chemicals into environment, many carcinogenic

Statistic 3

Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) from laundry detergents in fashion supply chains persist in water

Statistic 4

Azo dyes in 60% of clothing release aromatic amines, cancer-causing

Statistic 5

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in 70% of waterproof fashion items contaminate soil and water

Statistic 6

Formaldehyde in wrinkle-free shirts exceeds safe limits in 30% of tested garments

Statistic 7

Phthalates in PVC prints on T-shirts leach into skin and environment

Statistic 8

Heavy metals like cadmium and lead in fashion jewelry and dyes total 8,000 tons discharged yearly

Statistic 9

Flame retardants in synthetic fabrics release PBDEs, bioaccumulating toxins

Statistic 10

Bleaching agents in cotton processing emit chlorine compounds harming ozone

Statistic 11

500,000 tons of hazardous chemicals used annually in textile wet processing

Statistic 12

Pesticides from cotton account for 24% of global insecticide use, 16% world pesticide market

Statistic 13

Antimony in polyester production contaminates 10 million tons of sludge yearly

Statistic 14

Chromium VI from leather tanning affects 40 million people via contaminated water

Statistic 15

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from printing inks total 100,000 tons/year in fashion

Statistic 16

PFCs in sportswear persist forever, found in 99% Arctic animals

Statistic 17

Dye houses discharge 200 tons of unfixed dyes daily

Statistic 18

Ammonia from nylon production pollutes air and water at 50 kg per ton fiber

Statistic 19

Triclosan in antimicrobial fabrics enters waterways, promoting resistance

Statistic 20

Mercury in viscose rayon pulp processing contaminates rivers

Statistic 21

Plasticizers in faux leather release 1 ton phthalates per 10,000 m2 produced

Statistic 22

Sulphonated oils in wool processing discharge 20% untreated

Statistic 23

Disperse dyes for polyester release 30% into wastewater unbound

Statistic 24

Arsenic in some denim washes exceeds EU limits by 5x

Statistic 25

Nano-silver in antibacterial clothing sheds into sewage

Statistic 26

8 billion liters of chemical-laden wastewater from denim per year globally

Statistic 27

Fashion industry responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, more than international flights and maritime shipping combined

Statistic 28

Producing 1 kg of cotton emits 20 kg CO2e due to irrigation and pesticides

Statistic 29

Apparel and footwear GHG emissions reached 2.1 billion tons CO2e in 2018, 4% of global total

Statistic 30

Polyester production emits 9 tons CO2e per ton of fiber

Statistic 31

Fast fashion supply chains emit 1.2 billion tons CO2e annually from Scope 3

Statistic 32

Leather processing emits 110 kg CO2e per kg finished leather from methane

Statistic 33

Global fashion GHG footprint projected to rise 60% by 2030 without action

Statistic 34

Viscose production emits 90 kg CO2e per kg fiber from dissolving pulp

Statistic 35

Air freight for fashion contributes 500 million tons CO2e yearly

Statistic 36

Wool farming emits 25 kg CO2e per kg wool from enteric fermentation

Statistic 37

Synthetic fiber manufacturing uses 1% of global fossil fuels, emitting 700 million tons CO2e

Statistic 38

Retail stores' energy use emits 200 million tons CO2e per year

Statistic 39

Cotton ginning and spinning emit 5 kg CO2e per kg yarn

Statistic 40

Fast fashion returns generate 2.5 million tons CO2e from reverse logistics

Statistic 41

Nylon 6,6 production emits 120 kg CO2e per kg due to adipic acid

Statistic 42

Global textile wet processing emits 500 million tons CO2e annually

Statistic 43

Fashion's Scope 1 and 2 emissions are 10% of total, mostly from factories

Statistic 44

Acrylic fiber emits 8 tons CO2e per ton from acrylonitrile

Statistic 45

Consumer laundry of synthetics emits 460,000 tons CO2e yearly from energy

Statistic 46

Lyocell production emits 0.9 kg CO2e per kg, low but scaled to 1 million tons

Statistic 47

Fashion industry methane emissions from landfills and leather total 300 million tons CO2e

Statistic 48

Sea shipping for fashion emits 200 million tons CO2e, 3% of maritime total

Statistic 49

H&M's supply chain emitted 175 million tons CO2e in 2022

Statistic 50

Global fashion electricity use emits 1 billion tons CO2e from coal power

Statistic 51

Spandex production emits 50 kg CO2e per kg from petroleum

Statistic 52

Fashion e-commerce packaging emits extra 50 million tons CO2e yearly

Statistic 53

Global textile industry emits 1.2 Gt CO2e, 2.5% of anthropogenic total

Statistic 54

Fashion sheds 35% of primary microplastics to oceans via wastewater to landfill sludge

Statistic 55

Washing synthetic clothes releases 500,000 tons microfibers annually to marine environments

Statistic 56

Polyester garments shed 0.23g microfibers per wash, 496,030 tons/year global

Statistic 57

8 million tons plastic entering oceans yearly, 1 million from laundry lint

Statistic 58

One fleece jacket sheds 250g microplastics over life, polluting 500 washes

Statistic 59

Marine microplastics from textiles 35% of total primary

Statistic 60

Washing machine effluent carries 700,000 fibers per wash to sea

Statistic 61

Nylon fishing nets from fashion waste contribute 640,000 tons marine plastic yearly

Statistic 62

99% ocean microplastics from laundry, roads, tyres; textiles top source

Statistic 63

Microfibers ingested by 100,000 marine mammals yearly from fashion pollution

Statistic 64

Tire wear 28%, textiles 35% of ocean microplastics mass

Statistic 65

One 6kg wash releases 137,951 fibers, 40% polyester, to marine food chain

Statistic 66

Global microfiber emission 1.07 million tons/year from washing

Statistic 67

Seabirds have 14,000 plastic pieces, 90% microfibers from clothing

Statistic 68

Wastewater treatment removes only 99% microfibers, 3,000 particles/L effluent to sea

Statistic 69

Acrylic sweaters shed 720,000 fibers per wash, highest of synthetics

Statistic 70

Marine sediment microplastics 94% fibers from fashion textiles

Statistic 71

Fish consume 12,000-24,000 tons microplastics yearly, half textile fibers

Statistic 72

Polar fleece washing pollutes Arctic waters with 0.1% global microplastics

Statistic 73

Tyre, road, textiles microplastics enter sea via rivers, 80% from land

Statistic 74

Mussels contain 0.09 microplastics/g tissue, mostly polyester from laundry

Statistic 75

Beach sand microplastics 50% clothing fibers

Statistic 76

Global plastic production 400m tons, 0.5m from microfiber shedding to sea

Statistic 77

Washing 100 polyester items pollutes 27 pools with microfibers

Statistic 78

Deep sea sediments have 4 fibers per 10g sample from surface runoff

Statistic 79

Fashion microplastics bioaccumulate in plankton, up 10x in food chain

Statistic 80

93,000 tons microfibers from US washing alone enter oceans yearly

Statistic 81

Coral reefs ingest 15,000 microplastic pieces/km2, 60% textile

Statistic 82

Sea turtles have 50% diet microplastics from fibers

Statistic 83

Fashion produces 92 million tons of waste annually, filling 3.5 billion landfills equivalent

Statistic 84

Only 1% of clothing is recycled into new clothing, 75% landfilled or incinerated

Statistic 85

Americans discard 81 pounds of clothing per person yearly, 11.3 million tons total

Statistic 86

EU households throw away 12 kg textiles per person annually, 5.8 million tons

Statistic 87

Fast fashion generates 10% of global landfill waste by volume

Statistic 88

Polyester clothing shedding creates 0.5 million tons landfill microplastics yearly

Statistic 89

Global textile waste 92 million tons/year, projected 134 million by 2030

Statistic 90

Chile's Atacama desert hosts 39,000 tons used clothing dumped yearly

Statistic 91

India's landfills receive 1 million tons textile waste annually from imports

Statistic 92

UK sends 300,000 tons clothing to landfill yearly

Statistic 93

Garment factories produce 20% fabric waste in cutting rooms, 5 million tons global

Statistic 94

Second-hand clothing market discards 80% upon import in Africa

Statistic 95

Washing machines discard 500,000 tons microfibers to landfills via sewage sludge

Statistic 96

Luxury brands incinerate 30% unsold stock, 100,000 tons yearly

Statistic 97

Global footwear waste 700 million pairs landfilled yearly

Statistic 98

Synthetic textile waste decomposition takes 200+ years in landfills

Statistic 99

Bangladesh landfills 400,000 tons post-factory textile waste yearly

Statistic 100

Overproduction leads to 30% unsold fashion inventory landfilled

Statistic 101

US textile waste recycling rate only 15%, 85% to landfill/incineration

Statistic 102

Ghana receives 15 million used clothing items weekly, 40% discarded to landfill

Statistic 103

Carpet waste from fashion interiors 5 billion pounds to US landfills yearly

Statistic 104

Fast fashion T-shirts lifespan 10 washes, then landfill, 15 billion units/year

Statistic 105

Australia's textile waste 500,000 tons/year, 70% landfilled

Statistic 106

Leather scraps waste 150,000 tons/year globally from fashion

Statistic 107

E-commerce fashion packaging waste 800,000 tons plastic to landfills yearly

Statistic 108

Fashion industry discards 5,000 garments per minute globally to waste

Statistic 109

Washing one load releases 700,000 microplastic fibers to landfill-bound sludge

Statistic 110

Global fashion landfill methane emissions equivalent to 1.5 billion tons CO2e

Statistic 111

98 million tons clothing produced yearly, 92 million wasted

Statistic 112

The fashion industry accounts for 20% of global industrial wastewater pollution

Statistic 113

Textile dyeing is the world's second largest polluter of clean water after agriculture, consuming vast amounts and discharging untreated effluents

Statistic 114

Producing one cotton T-shirt requires 2,700 liters of water, equivalent to one person's drinking water for 2.5 years

Statistic 115

The apparel industry uses 93 billion cubic meters of water annually for irrigation of cotton alone

Statistic 116

Fast fashion wastewater contains dyes, heavy metals, and salts, contaminating rivers in producing countries like Bangladesh

Statistic 117

Leather tanning in the fashion supply chain pollutes water with chromium and other toxic chemicals, affecting 15% of global tannery pollution

Statistic 118

Denim production washes use 100 liters of water per pair of jeans on average, with 90% discharged as polluted effluent

Statistic 119

Polyester fabric production requires 30 million barrels of oil yearly, indirectly contributing to water pollution via petrochemical runoff

Statistic 120

In China, textile mills discharge 1.8 billion tons of wastewater annually, much from fashion-related production

Statistic 121

Viscose production, used in 100 million dresses yearly, generates 70 million tons of toxic wastewater

Statistic 122

Cotton farming for fashion uses 2.4% of world's arable land and 16% of global insecticides, leading to water contamination

Statistic 123

One pair of jeans production pollutes 17 teaspoons of water with indigo dye residues

Statistic 124

Bangladesh's 4,000 garment factories discharge 200 million liters of untreated wastewater daily into rivers

Statistic 125

Fashion industry water footprint is 116 billion cubic meters per year, 5% of global total

Statistic 126

Wet processing in textiles consumes 200 liters per kg of fabric, mostly discharged polluted

Statistic 127

A single fashion brand's supply chain in India polluted 20 rivers with dyes in 2022

Statistic 128

Global fashion water use equals 32 million Olympic-sized swimming pools annually

Statistic 129

85% of denim factories in Asia have no wastewater treatment

Statistic 130

Producing 1 kg of cotton fabric requires 10,000 liters of water

Statistic 131

Fashion effluents in Vietnam rivers exceed safe limits for COD by 300%

Statistic 132

Wool scouring pollutes water with lanolin and pesticides, 20 liters per kg wool

Statistic 133

Synthetic fiber rinsing discharges microfibers and chemicals, 500,000 tons yearly to water

Statistic 134

Garment washing plants in Turkey release 150 million m3 polluted water yearly

Statistic 135

One T-shirt's lifecycle water pollution impact equals 2,500 liters contaminated discharge

Statistic 136

Fast fashion brands discharge 5 billion liters of dye-laden water monthly worldwide

Statistic 137

Rayon production pollutes 50 times more water per kg than cotton

Statistic 138

Pakistan's textile sector contaminates 70% of Indus River water with salts and dyes

Statistic 139

A cotton shirt requires 3,000 liters water, 20% polluted discharge

Statistic 140

Global apparel water pollution causes $500 billion economic loss yearly from health impacts

Statistic 141

Silk reeling discharges 15 liters polluted water per kg silk

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While your new jeans might look crisp and clean, their production is part of a devastating cycle that pollutes over 32 million Olympic-sized swimming pools' worth of fresh water each year, contaminating rivers with toxic dyes and chemicals from a fashion industry responsible for 20% of the world's industrial wastewater.

Key Takeaways

The fashion industry accounts for 20% of global industrial wastewater pollution
Textile dyeing is the world's second largest polluter of clean water after agriculture, consuming vast amounts and discharging untreated effluents
Producing one cotton T-shirt requires 2,700 liters of water, equivalent to one person's drinking water for 2.5 years
Fashion industry uses 79 trillion liters of water yearly, 20% directly polluting waterways
Textile production releases 3,000 chemicals into environment, many carcinogenic
Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) from laundry detergents in fashion supply chains persist in water
Fashion industry responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, more than international flights and maritime shipping combined
Producing 1 kg of cotton emits 20 kg CO2e due to irrigation and pesticides
Apparel and footwear GHG emissions reached 2.1 billion tons CO2e in 2018, 4% of global total
Fashion produces 92 million tons of waste annually, filling 3.5 billion landfills equivalent
Only 1% of clothing is recycled into new clothing, 75% landfilled or incinerated
Americans discard 81 pounds of clothing per person yearly, 11.3 million tons total
Fashion sheds 35% of primary microplastics to oceans via wastewater to landfill sludge
Washing synthetic clothes releases 500,000 tons microfibers annually to marine environments
Polyester garments shed 0.23g microfibers per wash, 496,030 tons/year global

The fashion industry heavily pollutes both water and air while generating massive waste.

Chemical Use and Discharge

Fashion industry uses 79 trillion liters of water yearly, 20% directly polluting waterways
Textile production releases 3,000 chemicals into environment, many carcinogenic
Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) from laundry detergents in fashion supply chains persist in water
Azo dyes in 60% of clothing release aromatic amines, cancer-causing
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in 70% of waterproof fashion items contaminate soil and water
Formaldehyde in wrinkle-free shirts exceeds safe limits in 30% of tested garments
Phthalates in PVC prints on T-shirts leach into skin and environment
Heavy metals like cadmium and lead in fashion jewelry and dyes total 8,000 tons discharged yearly
Flame retardants in synthetic fabrics release PBDEs, bioaccumulating toxins
Bleaching agents in cotton processing emit chlorine compounds harming ozone
500,000 tons of hazardous chemicals used annually in textile wet processing
Pesticides from cotton account for 24% of global insecticide use, 16% world pesticide market
Antimony in polyester production contaminates 10 million tons of sludge yearly
Chromium VI from leather tanning affects 40 million people via contaminated water
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from printing inks total 100,000 tons/year in fashion
PFCs in sportswear persist forever, found in 99% Arctic animals
Dye houses discharge 200 tons of unfixed dyes daily
Ammonia from nylon production pollutes air and water at 50 kg per ton fiber
Triclosan in antimicrobial fabrics enters waterways, promoting resistance
Mercury in viscose rayon pulp processing contaminates rivers
Plasticizers in faux leather release 1 ton phthalates per 10,000 m2 produced
Sulphonated oils in wool processing discharge 20% untreated
Disperse dyes for polyester release 30% into wastewater unbound
Arsenic in some denim washes exceeds EU limits by 5x
Nano-silver in antibacterial clothing sheds into sewage
8 billion liters of chemical-laden wastewater from denim per year globally

Chemical Use and Discharge Interpretation

The fashion industry, in its relentless quest to make you look good, has perfected a far more sinister art: turning our planet into a toxic, chemical-soaked accessory.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Fashion industry responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, more than international flights and maritime shipping combined
Producing 1 kg of cotton emits 20 kg CO2e due to irrigation and pesticides
Apparel and footwear GHG emissions reached 2.1 billion tons CO2e in 2018, 4% of global total
Polyester production emits 9 tons CO2e per ton of fiber
Fast fashion supply chains emit 1.2 billion tons CO2e annually from Scope 3
Leather processing emits 110 kg CO2e per kg finished leather from methane
Global fashion GHG footprint projected to rise 60% by 2030 without action
Viscose production emits 90 kg CO2e per kg fiber from dissolving pulp
Air freight for fashion contributes 500 million tons CO2e yearly
Wool farming emits 25 kg CO2e per kg wool from enteric fermentation
Synthetic fiber manufacturing uses 1% of global fossil fuels, emitting 700 million tons CO2e
Retail stores' energy use emits 200 million tons CO2e per year
Cotton ginning and spinning emit 5 kg CO2e per kg yarn
Fast fashion returns generate 2.5 million tons CO2e from reverse logistics
Nylon 6,6 production emits 120 kg CO2e per kg due to adipic acid
Global textile wet processing emits 500 million tons CO2e annually
Fashion's Scope 1 and 2 emissions are 10% of total, mostly from factories
Acrylic fiber emits 8 tons CO2e per ton from acrylonitrile
Consumer laundry of synthetics emits 460,000 tons CO2e yearly from energy
Lyocell production emits 0.9 kg CO2e per kg, low but scaled to 1 million tons
Fashion industry methane emissions from landfills and leather total 300 million tons CO2e
Sea shipping for fashion emits 200 million tons CO2e, 3% of maritime total
H&M's supply chain emitted 175 million tons CO2e in 2022
Global fashion electricity use emits 1 billion tons CO2e from coal power
Spandex production emits 50 kg CO2e per kg from petroleum
Fashion e-commerce packaging emits extra 50 million tons CO2e yearly
Global textile industry emits 1.2 Gt CO2e, 2.5% of anthropogenic total

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Interpretation

If the fashion industry were a country, it would rank as the world's third-largest polluter, making our wardrobe's carbon footprint far heavier than any trend it could ever carry.

Microplastics and Marine Pollution

Fashion sheds 35% of primary microplastics to oceans via wastewater to landfill sludge
Washing synthetic clothes releases 500,000 tons microfibers annually to marine environments
Polyester garments shed 0.23g microfibers per wash, 496,030 tons/year global
8 million tons plastic entering oceans yearly, 1 million from laundry lint
One fleece jacket sheds 250g microplastics over life, polluting 500 washes
Marine microplastics from textiles 35% of total primary
Washing machine effluent carries 700,000 fibers per wash to sea
Nylon fishing nets from fashion waste contribute 640,000 tons marine plastic yearly
99% ocean microplastics from laundry, roads, tyres; textiles top source
Microfibers ingested by 100,000 marine mammals yearly from fashion pollution
Tire wear 28%, textiles 35% of ocean microplastics mass
One 6kg wash releases 137,951 fibers, 40% polyester, to marine food chain
Global microfiber emission 1.07 million tons/year from washing
Seabirds have 14,000 plastic pieces, 90% microfibers from clothing
Wastewater treatment removes only 99% microfibers, 3,000 particles/L effluent to sea
Acrylic sweaters shed 720,000 fibers per wash, highest of synthetics
Marine sediment microplastics 94% fibers from fashion textiles
Fish consume 12,000-24,000 tons microplastics yearly, half textile fibers
Polar fleece washing pollutes Arctic waters with 0.1% global microplastics
Tyre, road, textiles microplastics enter sea via rivers, 80% from land
Mussels contain 0.09 microplastics/g tissue, mostly polyester from laundry
Beach sand microplastics 50% clothing fibers
Global plastic production 400m tons, 0.5m from microfiber shedding to sea
Washing 100 polyester items pollutes 27 pools with microfibers
Deep sea sediments have 4 fibers per 10g sample from surface runoff
Fashion microplastics bioaccumulate in plankton, up 10x in food chain
93,000 tons microfibers from US washing alone enter oceans yearly
Coral reefs ingest 15,000 microplastic pieces/km2, 60% textile
Sea turtles have 50% diet microplastics from fibers

Microplastics and Marine Pollution Interpretation

Our closets are secretly laundering microplastics into the oceans, making our laundry rooms a primary source of the very pollution we're trying to clean up with each wash.

Waste and Landfills

Fashion produces 92 million tons of waste annually, filling 3.5 billion landfills equivalent
Only 1% of clothing is recycled into new clothing, 75% landfilled or incinerated
Americans discard 81 pounds of clothing per person yearly, 11.3 million tons total
EU households throw away 12 kg textiles per person annually, 5.8 million tons
Fast fashion generates 10% of global landfill waste by volume
Polyester clothing shedding creates 0.5 million tons landfill microplastics yearly
Global textile waste 92 million tons/year, projected 134 million by 2030
Chile's Atacama desert hosts 39,000 tons used clothing dumped yearly
India's landfills receive 1 million tons textile waste annually from imports
UK sends 300,000 tons clothing to landfill yearly
Garment factories produce 20% fabric waste in cutting rooms, 5 million tons global
Second-hand clothing market discards 80% upon import in Africa
Washing machines discard 500,000 tons microfibers to landfills via sewage sludge
Luxury brands incinerate 30% unsold stock, 100,000 tons yearly
Global footwear waste 700 million pairs landfilled yearly
Synthetic textile waste decomposition takes 200+ years in landfills
Bangladesh landfills 400,000 tons post-factory textile waste yearly
Overproduction leads to 30% unsold fashion inventory landfilled
US textile waste recycling rate only 15%, 85% to landfill/incineration
Ghana receives 15 million used clothing items weekly, 40% discarded to landfill
Carpet waste from fashion interiors 5 billion pounds to US landfills yearly
Fast fashion T-shirts lifespan 10 washes, then landfill, 15 billion units/year
Australia's textile waste 500,000 tons/year, 70% landfilled
Leather scraps waste 150,000 tons/year globally from fashion
E-commerce fashion packaging waste 800,000 tons plastic to landfills yearly
Fashion industry discards 5,000 garments per minute globally to waste
Washing one load releases 700,000 microplastic fibers to landfill-bound sludge
Global fashion landfill methane emissions equivalent to 1.5 billion tons CO2e
98 million tons clothing produced yearly, 92 million wasted

Waste and Landfills Interpretation

The fashion industry is a runaway train of excess, where we meticulously produce a mountain of clothes only to immediately designate it as trash, making our landfills the world’s most tragically overstocked closet.

Water Usage and Pollution

The fashion industry accounts for 20% of global industrial wastewater pollution
Textile dyeing is the world's second largest polluter of clean water after agriculture, consuming vast amounts and discharging untreated effluents
Producing one cotton T-shirt requires 2,700 liters of water, equivalent to one person's drinking water for 2.5 years
The apparel industry uses 93 billion cubic meters of water annually for irrigation of cotton alone
Fast fashion wastewater contains dyes, heavy metals, and salts, contaminating rivers in producing countries like Bangladesh
Leather tanning in the fashion supply chain pollutes water with chromium and other toxic chemicals, affecting 15% of global tannery pollution
Denim production washes use 100 liters of water per pair of jeans on average, with 90% discharged as polluted effluent
Polyester fabric production requires 30 million barrels of oil yearly, indirectly contributing to water pollution via petrochemical runoff
In China, textile mills discharge 1.8 billion tons of wastewater annually, much from fashion-related production
Viscose production, used in 100 million dresses yearly, generates 70 million tons of toxic wastewater
Cotton farming for fashion uses 2.4% of world's arable land and 16% of global insecticides, leading to water contamination
One pair of jeans production pollutes 17 teaspoons of water with indigo dye residues
Bangladesh's 4,000 garment factories discharge 200 million liters of untreated wastewater daily into rivers
Fashion industry water footprint is 116 billion cubic meters per year, 5% of global total
Wet processing in textiles consumes 200 liters per kg of fabric, mostly discharged polluted
A single fashion brand's supply chain in India polluted 20 rivers with dyes in 2022
Global fashion water use equals 32 million Olympic-sized swimming pools annually
85% of denim factories in Asia have no wastewater treatment
Producing 1 kg of cotton fabric requires 10,000 liters of water
Fashion effluents in Vietnam rivers exceed safe limits for COD by 300%
Wool scouring pollutes water with lanolin and pesticides, 20 liters per kg wool
Synthetic fiber rinsing discharges microfibers and chemicals, 500,000 tons yearly to water
Garment washing plants in Turkey release 150 million m3 polluted water yearly
One T-shirt's lifecycle water pollution impact equals 2,500 liters contaminated discharge
Fast fashion brands discharge 5 billion liters of dye-laden water monthly worldwide
Rayon production pollutes 50 times more water per kg than cotton
Pakistan's textile sector contaminates 70% of Indus River water with salts and dyes
A cotton shirt requires 3,000 liters water, 20% polluted discharge
Global apparel water pollution causes $500 billion economic loss yearly from health impacts
Silk reeling discharges 15 liters polluted water per kg silk

Water Usage and Pollution Interpretation

Our closets may hold the latest styles, but the fashion industry's staggering thirst and toxic runoff reveal a chilling truth: we are quite literally dressing the planet for its own funeral.

Sources & References

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