Environmental impact of fashion

The fashion industry, particularly the manufacturing and use of apparel and footwear, is a significant driver of greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, water use, and textile waste. During the 19th century, industrialization meant a move towards the manufacture of textiles on a large-scale, which only accelerated the environmental degradation. The rapid growth of fast fashion has led to around 100 billion items of clothing being consumed annually , with about 85% of clothes consumed in United States being sent to landfill. Recent research suggests that despite constituting a small fraction of total apparel volume, methane emissions from animal-based fibres (such as wool and leather) comprise a disproportionately large share of the fashion industry’s greenhouse gas footprint. Indeed, one study estimates that, although wool and leather account for just 3–5% of global fashion production, they could be responsible for 70–80% of its methane emissions over 20 years.

Less than one percent of clothing is recycled to make new clothes. In the late 2010s it emitted 2% of world total greenhouse gases, and contributed to climate change through energy-intensive production. The production and distribution of the crops, fibers, and garments used in fashion all contribute to differing forms of environmental pollution, including water, air, and soil degradation. The textile industry is the second greatest polluter of local freshwater in the world, and is culpable for roughly one-fifth of all industrial water pollution. Some of the main factors that contribute to this industrial caused pollution are the vast overproduction of fashion items, the use of synthetic fibers, the agriculture pollution of fashion crops, and the proliferation of microfibers across global water sources.

Efforts have been made by some retailers and consumers to promote sustainable fashion practices, such as reducing waste, improving energy and water efficiency, and using primarily eco-friendly materials. Counter movements, such as slow fashion, have also developed as a response to the growth of fast fashion.