Global textile waste totals 92 million tons. The industry generates 20 percent of worldwide wastewater through dyeing and finishing. These figures set the context for data on market size, consumer behavior, and regulatory shifts in sustainable fashion.
Key Takeaways
- 92 million tons of textile waste were generated globally in 2019, indicating the scale of discard.
- 5.4 million tons of clothing were disposed of in the U.S. in 2019 (excluding home-generated textiles), reflecting discard levels.
- 20% of wastewater worldwide is produced by the textile industry, particularly from dyeing and finishing.
- $74.5 billion is the estimated global sustainable fashion market size in 2023, reflecting revenue potential.
- $2.1 billion in revenues are reported for the global recycled polyester market in 2023, indicating circular-material growth.
- 36% of apparel consumers consider “eco-friendly” an important factor when buying clothing, supporting demand for sustainable products.
- 27% of the EU apparel market is subject to mandatory sustainability-related disclosures under the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) for covered entities.
- Regulation (EU) 2023/2055 sets digital product passport requirements for certain sectors, supporting traceability in the supply chain.
- The EU has targeted a 55% municipal waste recycling rate by 2025 (and 60% by 2030), guiding policy for textile end-of-life improvements.
- 3.3% of global apparel consumers reported buying clothing with sustainability labels in 2022 (survey-based), showing adoption of eco-marketing.
- 30% of consumers in the U.S. purchased second-hand clothing at least once in 2020, reflecting reuse demand.
- 42% of surveyed consumers report that sustainability is a factor in where they shop for apparel.
- 10–20% dyeing process chemical reductions are reported from adopting low-impact dyeing and wastewater treatment measures (study range).
- 30% of textile-related water pollution can be avoided by adopting best-available treatment technologies for dyehouses (IEA/UNIDO-aligned best practices).
- 49% reduction in CO2e is reported for some recycled-polyester production pathways versus virgin polyester (depending on system boundaries) in peer-reviewed LCA literature.
Fashion waste and pollution are rising fast, but sustainability demand and circular materials are growing globally.
Related reading
01 · Category
Environmental Impact3 stats
01
92 million tons of textile waste were generated globally in 2019, indicating the scale of discard.
02
5.4 million tons of clothing were disposed of in the U.S. in 2019 (excluding home-generated textiles), reflecting discard levels.
03
20% of wastewater worldwide is produced by the textile industry, particularly from dyeing and finishing.
Interpretation
Environmental Impact Interpretation
The environmental impact of sustainable fashion is stark, with 92 million tons of textile waste generated globally in 2019 and the textile industry responsible for about 20% of wastewater worldwide, while the U.S. alone disposed of 5.4 million tons of clothing that year.
02 · Category
Market Size5 stats
01
$74.5 billion is the estimated global sustainable fashion market size in 2023, reflecting revenue potential.
02
$2.1 billion in revenues are reported for the global recycled polyester market in 2023, indicating circular-material growth.
03
36% of apparel consumers consider “eco-friendly” an important factor when buying clothing, supporting demand for sustainable products.
04
$1.9 billion is the estimated global market size for textile recycling in 2023, reflecting end-of-life sector growth.
05
33% of surveyed shoppers say they have bought at least one sustainable product in the past year (2022 survey), supporting ongoing demand signals for sustainable fashion.
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In 2023 the global sustainable fashion market is estimated at $74.5 billion, and when paired with strong signals like 36% of consumers valuing eco friendly clothing and 33% buying at least one sustainable product in the past year, the numbers point to a market that is expanding not just in revenue potential but also in consumer demand.
03 · Category
Policy And Compliance10 stats
01
27% of the EU apparel market is subject to mandatory sustainability-related disclosures under the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) for covered entities.
02
Regulation (EU) 2023/2055 sets digital product passport requirements for certain sectors, supporting traceability in the supply chain.
03
The EU has targeted a 55% municipal waste recycling rate by 2025 (and 60% by 2030), guiding policy for textile end-of-life improvements.
04
The EU’s EcoDesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) entered into force in July 2024, setting a framework for performance and information requirements.
05
The U.S. FTC issued Green Guides updates in 2012; they remain in effect and govern “green” marketing claims, including for sustainable fashion.
06
The EU Battery Regulation requires carbon footprint declarations for batteries (a proxy for broader product carbon reporting moves), affecting supply chains used by apparel brands with wearable tech.
07
France’s repairability index requires certain products to display a repairability score; apparel items are affected through broader durability/reparability policy mechanisms.
08
California SB 38 (2021) expanded restrictions on single-use textile items in certain contexts, influencing sustainable product design and waste reduction.
09
The UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 applies to entities with a threshold of annual turnover of £36 million or more, covering many apparel firms under supply chain due diligence.
10
The OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct (2018) is used by companies to implement supply chain due diligence, including for textiles and apparel.
Interpretation
Policy And Compliance Interpretation
Policy and compliance in sustainable fashion are tightening quickly, with 27% of the EU apparel market already facing mandatory sustainability disclosures and the EU further expanding traceability and product-impact requirements through digital product passports and the July 2024 EcoDesign for Sustainable Products Regulation.
04 · Category
Consumer Behavior4 stats
01
3.3% of global apparel consumers reported buying clothing with sustainability labels in 2022 (survey-based), showing adoption of eco-marketing.
02
30% of consumers in the U.S. purchased second-hand clothing at least once in 2020, reflecting reuse demand.
03
42% of surveyed consumers report that sustainability is a factor in where they shop for apparel.
04
61% of consumers globally say they expect companies to publicly disclose sustainability progress (2021 survey).
Interpretation
Consumer Behavior Interpretation
Consumer behavior in sustainable fashion is clearly shifting as sustainability influences shopping decisions, with 42% of consumers saying it affects where they buy apparel and 61% expecting companies to publicly disclose progress, alongside growing second hand uptake where 30% of U.S. consumers purchased used clothing at least once in 2020.
More related reading
05 · Category
Technology And Supply Chain5 stats
01
10–20% dyeing process chemical reductions are reported from adopting low-impact dyeing and wastewater treatment measures (study range).
02
30% of textile-related water pollution can be avoided by adopting best-available treatment technologies for dyehouses (IEA/UNIDO-aligned best practices).
03
49% reduction in CO2e is reported for some recycled-polyester production pathways versus virgin polyester (depending on system boundaries) in peer-reviewed LCA literature.
04
90% of environmental impacts in apparel can be linked to the choice of materials and design decisions, making LCA-based design critical.
05
A 2019 Life Cycle Assessment found that switching to organic cotton can reduce water use by 91% and fertilizer use by 95% compared with conventional cotton (system-dependent).
Interpretation
Technology And Supply Chain Interpretation
Within the Technology And Supply Chain category, adopting cleaner dyeing and wastewater treatment technologies can prevent roughly 30% of textile water pollution and cut dyeing process chemicals by 10 to 20%, while design and material choices such as recycled polyester that can reduce CO2e by about 49% further amplify the impact.
06 · Category
Industry Trends2 stats
01
25% of global textile waste is estimated to be plastic from synthetic fibers (microfibers and other textile plastic waste), highlighting polymer-related end-of-life challenges.
02
2.6x growth in the number of “sustainability” claims in apparel product listings on Google Shopping from 2019 to 2021 (indexed growth), showing increased marketing of sustainability attributes.
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry Trends in sustainable fashion are being shaped by the fact that 25% of global textile waste is estimated to be plastic from synthetic fibers, alongside the 2.6x rise in “sustainability” claims on apparel listings from 2019 to 2021, suggesting growing pressure to reduce plastic impact and substantiate sustainability marketing at the same time.
07 · Category
Supply Chain2 stats
01
74% of brands reported using audits to monitor supplier compliance, showing widespread but potentially uneven effectiveness of monitoring mechanisms.
02
90% of apparel companies surveyed in 2022 indicated they collect environmental or climate-related data from suppliers at least to some extent.
Interpretation
Supply Chain Interpretation
From a supply chain perspective, the fact that 74% of brands use audits to track supplier compliance alongside 90% of apparel companies collecting environmental or climate data shows a strong push toward monitoring across both compliance and sustainability information, though it also suggests the need to ensure those checks translate into consistent outcomes across suppliers.
08 · Category
Performance Metrics1 stats
01
8.9 million tonnes of CO2e were associated with the apparel and footwear sector in the EU in 2018 (sector footprint estimate), quantifying climate relevance.
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
In performance metrics terms, the apparel and footwear sector in the EU was responsible for 8.9 million tonnes of CO2e in 2018, showing that climate impact remains a key measurable outcome for sustainable fashion progress.
report visual · Key figures
Demand, adoption, and accountability in sustainable fashion
Consumer interest and corporate disclosure are widespread, while waste generation remains massive—showing strong demand-side momentum alongside ongoing environmental pressure.
36%
36% of apparel consumers consider “eco-friendly” an important factor when buying clothing, supporting demand for sustain
33%
33% of surveyed shoppers say they have bought at least one sustainable product in the past year (2022 survey), supportin
42%
42% of surveyed consumers report that sustainability is a factor in where they shop for apparel.
61%
61% of consumers globally say they expect companies to publicly disclose sustainability progress (2021 survey).
27%
27% of the EU apparel market is subject to mandatory sustainability-related disclosures under the EU Corporate Sustainab
92
92 million tons of textile waste were generated globally in 2019, indicating the scale of discard.
source-verifiedstatista.com · thinkwithgoogle.com · ibm.com · edelman.com · eur-lex.europa.eu · oecd.org2022
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Sustainable Fashion Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainable-fashion-statistics
MLA
Lars Eriksen. "Sustainable Fashion Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/sustainable-fashion-statistics.
Chicago
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Sustainable Fashion Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainable-fashion-statistics.
Sources & references
32 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+11 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)