How Much Waste Does The Fashion Industry Actually Produce?

Did you know that one garbage truck full of textiles are landfilled or burned every single second? Waste is a huge problem in today's fashion industry and the scope of the problem can feel overwhelming.  The problem may seem too big to tackle but there are many small things you can do today to take action. 

A  Quick Overview on Textile Waste in the Fashion Industry
(All statistics below were sourced from A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning Fashions Future Report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and McKinsey)

• Clothing production doubled from 2000 - 2015 and consumers are buying, on average, 60% more clothing than in 2000. If this trend continues it will almost triple by 2050 (62 million to 160 million tons).
• Shoppers are wearing clothing on average 36% less and keeping clothing about half as long as 15 years ago. 
• Globally, the fashion industry is responsible for around 40 million tons of textile waste each year, most of which is either sent to landfill or incinerated. 
  

With an increase in pre and post consumer textile waste, we need better solutions adopted at a mass scale faster.

• Recycling rescues on average 15% of textiles from landfill
  
• Only 1% of recycled textiles is upcycled into new clothing (the rest is downcycled into rags, insulation, car seat stuffing, etc). In other words, 3 of every 5 garment produced end up in landfill.
  

Don’t forget this doesn't even count all the waste generated from trimmings, hangers, packaging, microfiber shedding, chemical and water waste.

Technologies Reducing Textile Waste in the Fashion Industry
While we have a long road ahead of us to reduce textile waste in fashion, there are many positive signs that change is coming:

• Recycling technology is improving
  
• New biodegradable and recycled/abled yarns and fabrics are being developed
  
• Legislation curbing waste is being introduced (France introduced legislation in 2000 which bans brands from destroying/burning their unsold clothing)
  
• Organizations (such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation) are pushing for circularity within the industry and bigger brands like H&M and Patagonia are investing heavily in circularity solutions for poly blend materials (currently not recyclable).

What Can You Do to Reduce Textile Waste in the Fashion Industry
There are also many small things that brands can do from a practical perspective to minimize waste. As you establish your sustainability goals, here are a few ideas that you might like to consider for reducing your textile waste:   

• Choose sustainable fabrics and trimmings where possible.  A great example is apparel brand The Essentials Story, who source biodegradable leather and upcycled trimmings for their bags.
• Upcycle cutting floor scraps into accessories, downsize them into packaging or donate them to local organizations needing textile supplies. 
• Consider offering made-to-order to reduce overproduction and commit to making quality products that last the test of time.
• Utilize textile recycling organizations in your area such as Fabscrap, and Material Return. 
• Source and sell deadstock fabric through marketplaces like Queen of Raw or THR3EFOLD's Deadstock District. 
• Source sustainable hangers from companies such as Arch and Hook 

• Consider using sustainable packaging from companies such as Noissue, Sendle or Better Packaging Co  

• Offer repair services for your products (a great example is RM Williams Repair and Care service) 

• Offer a resale platform for gently used garments (such as  REI or Eileen Fisher's Renew label)

Waste is a big problem but don’t let it weigh you down. There are many practical things that you can start doing. Small acts add up so set goals, start small, track your impact, share your progress and help build momentum to shift the industry toward a better, less wasteful future. 

Emerging Brands

If you are an emerging brand focused on sustainability, using deadstock fabric is a great way to get started. Join our Deadstock Fabric District to find fabrics from other designers who are looking to make a difference. 

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Established Brands

If you are an established brand looking to improve the social and environmental impact of your supply chain, we can connect you to our global database of ethically certified factories. Schedule a demo call to speak with our team today. 

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