The fashion industry produces a staggering amount of waste. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an equivalent of a garbage truck worth of clothing is burned or dumped every second. It is a major contributor to global carbon emissions and ranks second in water and plastic pollution. This waste is a concern for many people. image of waste or fashion related pollution
The rapid production of fashion products contributes to this huge problem. In 2013 alone, 15.1 million tonnes of textiles were thrown away. Another major problem is the burning of unwanted clothing, which releases carbon dioxide into the environment. The World Resources Institute estimates that the fast fashion industry releases 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 annually. As a result, France has decided to ban the burning of unsold fashion products by 2019.
Although mass incineration and other methods can create an image of huge amounts of waste and emissions, the biggest environmental impact is the energy, materials, and chemicals used in the manufacturing of garments. This is why environmental groups call for people to purchase higher-quality clothes instead of cheaply made disposable ones.
