According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the fashion industry produces the equivalent of a rubbish truck full of clothes every second. This waste is caused by excessive production, overconsumption, and problematic end-of-life solutions. The clothing industry also contributes approximately 10% of the world’s carbon emissions and ranks as the second worst polluter of plastic and water. These statistics make waste from the fashion industry a major concern for many. Image Of Waste Or Fashion Related Pollution
The rapid development of fashion creates many problems for the environment. The fast-fashion industry produces more than 100 billion garments annually, contributing to a global problem of waste and pollution. According to the EPA, the fashion industry accounted for 15.1 million tonnes of textile waste in 2013. In addition, many fashion retailers burn their unsold clothing, which releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. France, for example, has recently banned the practice of burning unsold garments.
While the mass-incineration of waste in the fashion industry creates an image of significant emissions and waste, the true impact of fashion on the environment lies in the materials and energy used to make clothes. Whether these products are made from plastic or natural materials, they all contribute to pollution. For example, fashion industry waste contributes to over 35% of ocean microplastic pollution.
