GITNUXREPORT 2026

Sustainability In The Clothing Industry Statistics

The clothing industry devastates the planet and exploits workers to fuel wasteful consumption.

Sarah Mitchell

Senior Researcher specializing in consumer behavior and market trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

The global apparel and footwear industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.

Statistic 2

The industry emitted 1.2 billion tons of GHG in 2018, expected to rise 60% by 2030 without action.

Statistic 3

Scope 3 emissions account for 70-80% of fashion companies' total GHG footprint.

Statistic 4

Energy use in textile production is 10% of global industrial energy consumption.

Statistic 5

Fashion's GHG emissions per capita are 3 times higher than aviation's.

Statistic 6

Fast fashion brand Zara produces 450 million items per year.

Statistic 7

Fashion industry uses energy equivalent to 41 coal-fired power plants daily.

Statistic 8

Viscose production emits 70 million tons CO2e annually.

Statistic 9

Fashion's total emissions reached 2.1 billion tons CO2e in 2018.

Statistic 10

Fashion accounts for 8-10% of global GHG emissions.

Statistic 11

Scope 1 and 2 emissions 15-25% of fashion total footprint.

Statistic 12

Global fashion market $2.5 trillion, sustainability lag.

Statistic 13

Renewables could cut fashion energy emissions 45% by 2050.

Statistic 14

Fashion transport emissions 10% of total sector.

Statistic 15

Methane from landfills 8% of fashion emissions.

Statistic 16

Fashion digitalization cuts emissions 10-30%.

Statistic 17

Supply chain emissions 75% of fashion total.

Statistic 18

Kering 85% renewable energy goal by 2025.

Statistic 19

Fashion AI reduces overproduction 20%.

Statistic 20

Net-zero pledges by 50% fashion brands.

Statistic 21

Garment workers in Bangladesh earn on average $113 per month, below a living wage of $196-218.

Statistic 22

Child labor affects 170 million children globally, with significant prevalence in garment factories.

Statistic 23

Workers in garment factories face 12-hour shifts with no overtime pay in many cases.

Statistic 24

Rana Plaza collapse killed 1,134 workers, highlighting factory safety issues.

Statistic 25

80% of garment factories in Cambodia fail to pay living wage.

Statistic 26

Garment workers exposed to 2,000+ hazardous chemicals in production.

Statistic 27

India has 4 million child laborers in garment sector.

Statistic 28

Vietnam garment workers average 48-hour weeks unpaid overtime.

Statistic 29

116 people died in Ali Enterprises fire Pakistan 2012.

Statistic 30

Bangladesh exports $40 billion garments, workers earn $95/month.

Statistic 31

Factory collapses common, 500+ worker deaths since Rana Plaza.

Statistic 32

Ethiopia garment workers paid $26/month.

Statistic 33

Myanmar factory fires killed 400+ workers 2021.

Statistic 34

1 in 6 garments made in India uses child labor.

Statistic 35

Cambodia wages $182/month, living wage $270.

Statistic 36

Indonesia garment workers strike for $100 wage.

Statistic 37

Xinjiang cotton 20% global supply, forced labor issues.

Statistic 38

Haiti garment workers $4.31/day.

Statistic 39

Lesotho workers $0.93/hour.

Statistic 40

Pakistan 2 million child laborers in football stitch.

Statistic 41

Over 60% of clothes produced are made from polyester, derived from fossil fuels.

Statistic 42

Only 1% of clothing is recycled into new clothing.

Statistic 43

75 billion garments produced annually worldwide.

Statistic 44

Only 12% of materials used in apparel are recycled post-consumer.

Statistic 45

Regenerative cotton covers only 1.4% of global cotton production.

Statistic 46

H&M has recycled 20 billion plastic bottles into clothing since 2016.

Statistic 47

99% of clothing trashed within a year of purchase in the US.

Statistic 48

Patagonia recycles 91% of waste from its facilities.

Statistic 49

Global Initiative recycled 1.2 million tons of textiles in 2022.

Statistic 50

Adidas aims for 100% recycled polyester by 2024.

Statistic 51

Polyester production requires 342 million barrels of oil yearly.

Statistic 52

Nike uses 75% sustainable materials in products.

Statistic 53

87% of consumers want brands to reduce plastic use.

Statistic 54

Global fiber production 109 million tons in 2022.

Statistic 55

Uniqlo recycled 2.6 billion PET bottles into fleece.

Statistic 56

Primark uses 100% sustainable cotton goal by 2025.

Statistic 57

80% fibers from fossil fuels or land use.

Statistic 58

Circular economy could save $100 billion in materials.

Statistic 59

Stella McCartney 100% vegan materials.

Statistic 60

Recycled polyester 14% of total polyester 2022.

Statistic 61

Global used clothing trade $4 billion.

Statistic 62

VF Corp 97% sustainable cotton.

Statistic 63

Organic cotton 1% global production.

Statistic 64

Hanes recycled 25% polyester 2022.

Statistic 65

62 cities ban plastic bags impacting fashion packaging.

Statistic 66

Recycled nylon growing 22% yearly.

Statistic 67

85% of textiles end up in landfills or incinerated each year, totaling 92 million tons of waste.

Statistic 68

Fast fashion contributes to 11% of annual global fiber production being discarded post-consumer.

Statistic 69

Fashion production doubled between 2000 and 2014, while prices dropped 12% in the same period.

Statistic 70

In the US, 15.8 million tons of textile waste generated annually, with 11.3 million tons landfilled.

Statistic 71

Global textile waste could reach 148 million tons by 2030 if trends continue.

Statistic 72

EU discards 5.8 million tons of textile waste yearly.

Statistic 73

Americans throw away 81 pounds of clothing per person annually.

Statistic 74

Global clothing consumption expected to increase 63% by 2030.

Statistic 75

UK landfills 1 million tons of clothing yearly.

Statistic 76

Global textile waste generation is 92 million tonnes per year.

Statistic 77

Shein produces 6,000 new styles daily, accelerating waste.

Statistic 78

EU textile consumption 26 kg per person annually, 12 kg discarded.

Statistic 79

57% of clothing in US landfills could be reused or recycled.

Statistic 80

10.8 million tons clothing incinerated in EU yearly.

Statistic 81

US textile recycling rate only 15%.

Statistic 82

50 billion USD lost to textile waste yearly.

Statistic 83

France bans destruction of unsold clothes.

Statistic 84

92% clothes not recycled into new clothes.

Statistic 85

Sweden recycles 50% textiles.

Statistic 86

EU strategy aims zero textile waste 2050.

Statistic 87

Burberry stopped burning unsold goods, $28M value.

Statistic 88

168 hours average garment life before discard.

Statistic 89

11.8 kg textile waste per EU person/year.

Statistic 90

US consumers buy 60% more clothes, wear 40% less.

Statistic 91

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

Statistic 92

The fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global industrial wastewater pollution.

Statistic 93

Dyeing and finishing processes consume 93 billion cubic meters of water annually.

Statistic 94

Cotton farming uses 16% of the world's insecticides despite covering only 2.4% of cultivated land.

Statistic 95

Microplastics from synthetic textiles contribute 35% of ocean microplastic pollution.

Statistic 96

Leather tanning pollutes waterways with chromium, affecting 24 million tons processed yearly.

Statistic 97

Washing synthetic clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into oceans yearly.

Statistic 98

Textile manufacturing releases 20% of global industrial water pollution.

Statistic 99

Aral Sea shrunk 90% due to cotton irrigation in Uzbekistan.

Statistic 100

700 gallons of water per pair of jeans production.

Statistic 101

Levi's water use reduced by 96% per jean since 2007.

Statistic 102

21% of global wastewater from textile dyeing.

Statistic 103

30% of microplastics in ocean from laundry of synthetics.

Statistic 104

Cotton uses 2.6% of world's arable land but 22% of pesticides.

Statistic 105

79 billion liters of water used for cotton in India alone yearly.

Statistic 106

Chemical discharge from dyes causes 17-20% ocean pollution.

Statistic 107

Leather production uses 17,000 liters water per kg.

Statistic 108

25% of global insecticides used on cotton.

Statistic 109

Azo dyes in textiles banned in EU but used elsewhere, polluting rivers.

Statistic 110

Denim washing uses 100 liters water per pair.

Statistic 111

Pakistan cotton farmers use 15% global pesticides.

Statistic 112

3.3 billion cubic meters water for global cotton.

Statistic 113

Tencel lyocell uses 50% less water than cotton.

Statistic 114

40% dyes contain heavy metals polluting soil.

Statistic 115

Fast fashion washes release 496,000 tonnes microfibers/year.

Statistic 116

Levi Strauss water<less finish saves 96% water.

Statistic 117

Hemp uses 50% less water than cotton.

Statistic 118

Turkey dyes pollute 65 rivers.

1/118

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While the clothes in your closet may seem harmless, the fashion industry silently produces 10% of the world's carbon emissions—more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined—and uses enough water annually to fill 37 million Olympic swimming pools, illustrating a hidden environmental and human cost that demands our immediate attention.

Key Takeaways

The global apparel and footwear industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.
The industry emitted 1.2 billion tons of GHG in 2018, expected to rise 60% by 2030 without action.
Scope 3 emissions account for 70-80% of fashion companies' total GHG footprint.
Producing one cotton T-shirt requires 2,700 liters of water, enough to meet one person's drinking needs for 2.5 years.
The fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global industrial wastewater pollution.
Dyeing and finishing processes consume 93 billion cubic meters of water annually.
85% of textiles end up in landfills or incinerated each year, totaling 92 million tons of waste.
Fast fashion contributes to 11% of annual global fiber production being discarded post-consumer.
Fashion production doubled between 2000 and 2014, while prices dropped 12% in the same period.
Garment workers in Bangladesh earn on average $113 per month, below a living wage of $196-218.
Child labor affects 170 million children globally, with significant prevalence in garment factories.
Workers in garment factories face 12-hour shifts with no overtime pay in many cases.
Over 60% of clothes produced are made from polyester, derived from fossil fuels.
Only 1% of clothing is recycled into new clothing.
75 billion garments produced annually worldwide.

The clothing industry devastates the planet and exploits workers to fuel wasteful consumption.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The global apparel and footwear industry accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions, more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined.
The industry emitted 1.2 billion tons of GHG in 2018, expected to rise 60% by 2030 without action.
Scope 3 emissions account for 70-80% of fashion companies' total GHG footprint.
Energy use in textile production is 10% of global industrial energy consumption.
Fashion's GHG emissions per capita are 3 times higher than aviation's.
Fast fashion brand Zara produces 450 million items per year.
Fashion industry uses energy equivalent to 41 coal-fired power plants daily.
Viscose production emits 70 million tons CO2e annually.
Fashion's total emissions reached 2.1 billion tons CO2e in 2018.
Fashion accounts for 8-10% of global GHG emissions.
Scope 1 and 2 emissions 15-25% of fashion total footprint.
Global fashion market $2.5 trillion, sustainability lag.
Renewables could cut fashion energy emissions 45% by 2050.
Fashion transport emissions 10% of total sector.
Methane from landfills 8% of fashion emissions.
Fashion digitalization cuts emissions 10-30%.
Supply chain emissions 75% of fashion total.
Kering 85% renewable energy goal by 2025.
Fashion AI reduces overproduction 20%.
Net-zero pledges by 50% fashion brands.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Interpretation

The fashion industry drapes itself in an emissions shroud so vast that if every new garment came with a carbon receipt, we’d all be dressed in a climate emergency.

Labor Practices

Garment workers in Bangladesh earn on average $113 per month, below a living wage of $196-218.
Child labor affects 170 million children globally, with significant prevalence in garment factories.
Workers in garment factories face 12-hour shifts with no overtime pay in many cases.
Rana Plaza collapse killed 1,134 workers, highlighting factory safety issues.
80% of garment factories in Cambodia fail to pay living wage.
Garment workers exposed to 2,000+ hazardous chemicals in production.
India has 4 million child laborers in garment sector.
Vietnam garment workers average 48-hour weeks unpaid overtime.
116 people died in Ali Enterprises fire Pakistan 2012.
Bangladesh exports $40 billion garments, workers earn $95/month.
Factory collapses common, 500+ worker deaths since Rana Plaza.
Ethiopia garment workers paid $26/month.
Myanmar factory fires killed 400+ workers 2021.
1 in 6 garments made in India uses child labor.
Cambodia wages $182/month, living wage $270.
Indonesia garment workers strike for $100 wage.
Xinjiang cotton 20% global supply, forced labor issues.
Haiti garment workers $4.31/day.
Lesotho workers $0.93/hour.
Pakistan 2 million child laborers in football stitch.

Labor Practices Interpretation

The global fashion industry is built on a grim arithmetic where astronomical profits are balanced on the backs of underpaid adults and trapped children, stitching a tapestry of tragedy into every cheap garment.

Materials and Recycling

Over 60% of clothes produced are made from polyester, derived from fossil fuels.
Only 1% of clothing is recycled into new clothing.
75 billion garments produced annually worldwide.
Only 12% of materials used in apparel are recycled post-consumer.
Regenerative cotton covers only 1.4% of global cotton production.
H&M has recycled 20 billion plastic bottles into clothing since 2016.
99% of clothing trashed within a year of purchase in the US.
Patagonia recycles 91% of waste from its facilities.
Global Initiative recycled 1.2 million tons of textiles in 2022.
Adidas aims for 100% recycled polyester by 2024.
Polyester production requires 342 million barrels of oil yearly.
Nike uses 75% sustainable materials in products.
87% of consumers want brands to reduce plastic use.
Global fiber production 109 million tons in 2022.
Uniqlo recycled 2.6 billion PET bottles into fleece.
Primark uses 100% sustainable cotton goal by 2025.
80% fibers from fossil fuels or land use.
Circular economy could save $100 billion in materials.
Stella McCartney 100% vegan materials.
Recycled polyester 14% of total polyester 2022.
Global used clothing trade $4 billion.
VF Corp 97% sustainable cotton.
Organic cotton 1% global production.
Hanes recycled 25% polyester 2022.
62 cities ban plastic bags impacting fashion packaging.
Recycled nylon growing 22% yearly.

Materials and Recycling Interpretation

Our wardrobes are drowning in a petro-chemical sea of fast fashion, where a minuscule 1% of clothing is reborn, proving that the industry's addiction to newness is utterly shredding our planet's fabric.

Waste and Landfills

85% of textiles end up in landfills or incinerated each year, totaling 92 million tons of waste.
Fast fashion contributes to 11% of annual global fiber production being discarded post-consumer.
Fashion production doubled between 2000 and 2014, while prices dropped 12% in the same period.
In the US, 15.8 million tons of textile waste generated annually, with 11.3 million tons landfilled.
Global textile waste could reach 148 million tons by 2030 if trends continue.
EU discards 5.8 million tons of textile waste yearly.
Americans throw away 81 pounds of clothing per person annually.
Global clothing consumption expected to increase 63% by 2030.
UK landfills 1 million tons of clothing yearly.
Global textile waste generation is 92 million tonnes per year.
Shein produces 6,000 new styles daily, accelerating waste.
EU textile consumption 26 kg per person annually, 12 kg discarded.
57% of clothing in US landfills could be reused or recycled.
10.8 million tons clothing incinerated in EU yearly.
US textile recycling rate only 15%.
50 billion USD lost to textile waste yearly.
France bans destruction of unsold clothes.
92% clothes not recycled into new clothes.
Sweden recycles 50% textiles.
EU strategy aims zero textile waste 2050.
Burberry stopped burning unsold goods, $28M value.
168 hours average garment life before discard.
11.8 kg textile waste per EU person/year.
US consumers buy 60% more clothes, wear 40% less.

Waste and Landfills Interpretation

We are flooding our planet with the ghosts of cheap, unworn shirts, building mountains of forgotten fashion while the price tags keep shrinking and the landfills keep swelling.

Water Usage and Pollution

Producing one cotton T-shirt requires 2,700 liters of water, enough to meet one person's drinking needs for 2.5 years.
The fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global industrial wastewater pollution.
Dyeing and finishing processes consume 93 billion cubic meters of water annually.
Cotton farming uses 16% of the world's insecticides despite covering only 2.4% of cultivated land.
Microplastics from synthetic textiles contribute 35% of ocean microplastic pollution.
Leather tanning pollutes waterways with chromium, affecting 24 million tons processed yearly.
Washing synthetic clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into oceans yearly.
Textile manufacturing releases 20% of global industrial water pollution.
Aral Sea shrunk 90% due to cotton irrigation in Uzbekistan.
700 gallons of water per pair of jeans production.
Levi's water use reduced by 96% per jean since 2007.
21% of global wastewater from textile dyeing.
30% of microplastics in ocean from laundry of synthetics.
Cotton uses 2.6% of world's arable land but 22% of pesticides.
79 billion liters of water used for cotton in India alone yearly.
Chemical discharge from dyes causes 17-20% ocean pollution.
Leather production uses 17,000 liters water per kg.
25% of global insecticides used on cotton.
Azo dyes in textiles banned in EU but used elsewhere, polluting rivers.
Denim washing uses 100 liters water per pair.
Pakistan cotton farmers use 15% global pesticides.
3.3 billion cubic meters water for global cotton.
Tencel lyocell uses 50% less water than cotton.
40% dyes contain heavy metals polluting soil.
Fast fashion washes release 496,000 tonnes microfibers/year.
Levi Strauss water<less finish saves 96% water.
Hemp uses 50% less water than cotton.
Turkey dyes pollute 65 rivers.

Water Usage and Pollution Interpretation

From cotton's thirst to dye's toxic runoff and the synthetic snowstorm of microplastics, the fashion industry’s supply chain is a masterclass in turning vital resources into global pollution, proving that what you wear is far from a simple choice.