The Environmental Footprint of Fast Fashion

• The equivalent of one garbage truck full of clothes is burned or dumped in a landfill every second

• Approximately 60% of all materials used by the fashion industry are made from plastic

• 500,000 tons of microfibres are released into the ocean each year from washing clothes — the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles

• The fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of humanity’s carbon emissions – more than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. If the fashion sector continues on its current trajectory, that share of the carbon budget could jump to 26% by 2050

• Some 93 billion cubic metres of water – enough to meet the needs of five million people – is used by the fashion industry annually, contributing significantly to water scarcity in some regions.

• Around 20% of industrial wastewater pollution worldwide originates from the fashion industry

• In Europe, fashion companies went from an average offering of two collections per year in 2000 to five in 2011.

• Some brands offer even more. Zara puts out 24 collections per year, while H&M offers between 12 and 16.

• While people bought 60% more garments in 2014 than in 2000, they only kept the clothes for half as long.

• In total, up to 85% of textiles go into landfills each year. That's enough to fill the Sydney harbour annually.

• Overall, micro-plastics are estimated to compose up to 31% of plastic pollution in the ocean.

• Producing polyester releases two to three times more carbon emissions than cotton, and polyester does not break down in the ocean.

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