In the last few decades, the textile industry has evolved towards a “fast fashion” approach: inexpensive clothes, made of cheap materials, to be worn only for one season or less and then discarded. The production and consumption of textiles cause significant pressures on the environment and climate change. These can range from the land and water used to produce the fibres and the energy and chemical dyes used in its manufacturing and production, to its retailing and disposal.
Our assessments show that, compared with other consumption categories, textiles consumption in the EU caused in 2020 the third highest pressures on water and land use, and the fifth highest use of raw materials and greenhouse gas emissions.
At the same time, worldwide, the textiles sector is the third largest employer, after food and housing, with almost 13 million full-time equivalent workers employed worldwide in the supply chain to produce the amount of clothing, textiles and footwear consumed only in the EU-27 in 2020. Most production takes place in Asia, where low production costs often come at the expense of workers’ health and safety.
Circular business models and design can reduce the negative impacts of textile production and consumption by retaining the value of textiles, extending their life cycles and increasing the usage of recycled materials. This requires technical, social and business innovation, supported by policy, education and changes in consumer behaviour.