We rarely think about the journey our clothes take before they arrive in our wardrobes. But behind many cotton shirts or polyester dresses lies a complex web of emissions-intensive activity – cultivating raw materials, spinning fibres, weaving fabric, dyeing, finishing, cutting, sewing, packaging, shipping, marketing, selling, and finally, wearing.
However, with the right combination of government policies, changes to consumer habits, and – vitally – new technologies, it’s possible to dramatically slash the carbon footprint associated with clothing.
A fashionable footprint
According to the European Environment Agency[1], textile purchases in the EU alone generated 121 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. This works out to the equivalent to about 270 kg of CO2 per person. And that’s just one region.
Globally, the fashion industry is estimated to account for 8 to 10 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions[2], and currently this is only growing. If nothing changes, it could be responsible for more than a quarter of all of emissions by 2050[3].
Wrapping your head around this number can be tricky, especially if you only think of the sewing, stitching, and cutting that transforms cloth into clothes. In truth, this impressive figure comes from multiple, interconnected sources of emissions and environmental harm. Despite the name, even natural fibres have an associated environmental cost – with some, such as wool, often having a greater carbon impact than synthetic[4].
At the same time, cotton farming requires vast amounts of water, fertiliser and land. Polyester production is tied directly to fossil fuel extraction. Dyeing and finishing processes are often energy- and chemical-intensive[5].
Add in the carbon footprint of transporting garments between continents, the energy used in retail and e-commerce, and the emissions associated with frequent washing, drying, and ironing, and the full picture becomes clear: the carbon in your closet is embedded at every stage.
Carbon-costly consumption
Of course, while it’s easy to point the finger squarely at the fashion industry, the reality is that our shopping habits play a role too. In the UK, for example, new clothes are bought at such a rate that they produce more carbon emissions per minute than driving a car around the world six times[6]. Despite this, the average adult in the UK spends around £27 a month on fashion and owns at least two unworn garments.
Fast fashion’s model of high turnover and low cost encourages overconsumption. But even outside the high street, the system still leans heavily on linear models of take, make, and dispose. Clothing is underutilised, and less than 1% of textiles are currently recycled back into textiles. That means 99% of clothes end up incinerated or in landfill – wasting both materials and the energy used to create them.
This underutilisation doesn’t just represent a missed opportunity – it adds up to a global material loss of $500 billion every year[7].
Complex problems need smarter solutions
As daunting as the task of tackling fashion’s carbon footprint may be, there are still several things that induvial consumers can do to help. Switching to high-quality brands with a proven environmental record and clothing that will last for several years is a great start if you can afford it, as is buying more of your outfits second-hand.
While consumer behaviour matters, however, the system itself needs structural change. That includes new business models, better recycling infrastructure, and technology that allows materials to retain their value over multiple lifecycles.
One of the major challenges is the complexity of our garments. Blended fabrics, such as polycotton, are popular for their comfort and durability but have traditionally been notoriously difficult to recycle. Mechanical recycling methods struggle to separate the fibres without degrading them. This limits the possibility of reuse and keeps brands dependent on virgin material.
Worn Again Technologies is working to change that.
By developing a chemical recycling process capable of separating and purifying both polyester and cellulose from polycotton blends, the company is helping to create a future where end-of-life clothing can become the raw material for new products. The result is fewer emissions from raw material extraction, lower waste volumes, and greater circularity across the value chain.
From emissions to opportunity
Fashion’s carbon footprint is big, but it’s not immovable. By rethinking how we produce, use, and dispose of clothing, we can start to reduce emissions at every point in the supply chain.
That includes designing garments for longevity, using data to improve supply chain efficiency, creating commercial models that reward reuse and recovery instead of waste, and investing in smarter recycling systems like Worn Again’s.
[1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20201208STO93327/the-impact-of-textile-production-and-waste-on-the-environment-infographics
[2] https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/08/actnow-for-zero-waste-fashion/
[3] https://carbonliteracy.com/fast-fashions-carbon-footprint/
[4] https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tobymoss_polyester-activity-7193239972651429888-CmmH
[5] https://lnkd.in/p/ebxDHiss
[6] https://www.oxfam.org.uk/media/press-releases/fast-fashion-produces-more-carbon-emissions-per-minute-than-driving-a-car-around-the-world-six-times-oxfam
[7] https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2019/08/actnow-for-zero-waste-fashion/
