WHY IS THE FASHION INDUSTRY A BIG ENVIRONMENTAL THREAT?

The fashion industry isn’t just designers' collections, fashion weeks, magazines and retail stores. Textile production, product logistics and even recycling are also a big part of the industry. According to the World Bank Open Data [1], 3.45 billion people were working in the fashion industry in 2021. This makes the fashion industry one of the biggest in the world. So it's not a surprise that the environmental impact caused by it is tremendous. And it affects everyone, not just the people employed by the fashion industry.

The interest in environmental problems caused by the fashion industry started to grow in the last few decades when fast fashion became more popular. Fast fashion is a fashion business model, when new collections are released more often, garment quality decreases and the product prices are lower than usual [2]. Because of it, users buy affordable clothes more often, but wear them for a much shorter period of time than before. This means that more and more clothes are thrown away everyday. The amount of clothing waste in the United States doubled – from 7 million to 14 million tons per year – in the last 20 years. In total, over 2.1 billion tons of clothing and textile waste is emitted worldwide. Most of this waste is unwanted clothes from the Western countries. Unfortunately, textile waste isn’t easily recyclable and a big part of it is exported to African countries. In Kenya alone, the import of used clothes reached 100 000 tons per year [2].

Until now, the environmental problems, caused by the fashion industry, have been the most prominent in the third world countries, where clothing production is the most intensive. However, clothing production and the amount of textile waste is growing so rapidly that ecological problems are no longer limited to national borders and environmental protection has become another important part of the fashion industry.

Ecological problems caused by the fashion industry

Due to the size of the fashion industry and the fact that it covers many different areas, it is not always possible to immediately determine which ecological problems it caused. Often its consequences do not even seem directly related. However, over the last few years, there have been increasing discussions that the environmental problems caused by the fashion industry are the ones affecting global warming the most.

Air pollution

Shenzhen, a city located in southern China, is often called China's Silicon Valley. It has become a home to a big number of world famous IT companies. It is a lesser-known fact that the largest textile and clothing factories in China are also located in Shenzhen. This is the place where the largest number of clothes with the label "Made in China" are produced. Another important fact, for which Shenzhen is often mentioned, is that the city is distinguished by very high air pollution and is one of the most polluted cities in the world [3]. 

According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization [4], the air pollution level index (OUI) should not exceed 50, while in Shenzhen it usually reaches 60. At high temperatures or with increased air humidity, it can be even higher. The pictures below show air quality index (AQI) results in Vilnius and Shenzhen (Figure 1) during the same week.

Figure 1. OUI in Vilnius (left) and Shenzhen (right) [4]

Air pollution in Shenzhen is increasing due to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide gas (SO2) emitted by cars and factories [6]. The released nitrogen and sulfur oxides react with water molecules (H2O) in humid air to form sulfuric and nitric acids which causes acid rain. Acid rain threatens all biodiversity. Once it reaches the soil, it removes nutrients which are beneficial for plants and animals, such as calcium (Ca) or magnesium (Mg), and provides a breeding ground for pests. Forests at higher altitudes are the most vulnerable because they are constantly surrounded by clouds and fog, which are often even more acidic than the rain itself due to the higher concentration of water molecules in it. Acid rain in water bodies lowers the pH of the water thus endangering aquatic animals and plants [7].

The released gas from factories also has a direct impact on human health. A 2018 study researched the impact of Shenzhen air pollution on pregnant women. The obtained results showed that increased levels of sulfur dioxide (SO2) can cause pregnancy complications at any period of pregnancy [8].

Gas that can cause a threat to the environment are released not only during clothing production. Manufactured products are transported to customers and then to consumers. Cars and aircraft used in transportation emit large amounts of carbon dioxide gas (CO2). Carbon dioxide gas causes the greenhouse effect and promotes climate warming. With the popularity of online shopping, when consumers are no longer shopping at local stores, and goods are delivered in record time, freight transportation around the world is only growing. According to a report on the textile economy prepared by the Ellen Macarthur Organization [9], in 2015 the textile industry was responsible for 2 % of all carbon dioxide emissions in the world. It amounted to as much as 1.2 billion tons. If production and purchasing figures continue to grow like this, in 2050 the textile industry will be responsible for 26 % of the world's carbon dioxide emissions [9].

With the rapid growth of clothing production, the volumes of released gas also increase. It would be naïve to expect airborne pollutants to stay within China's borders. Once in the water or exposed to the wind, they can easily reach other countries.

Soil pollution

Acid rain is only one factor that destroys fertile soil. Cotton is one of the most popular fibers in clothing production, but 90 % of it is genetically modified. Such cotton grows quickly and produces much larger quantities of cotton suitable for production. However, its cultivation requires large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides, as well as enormous amounts of water. The pesticides penetrate deep into the soil and, like the previously mentioned sulfuric and nitric acids, pose a threat to the biodiversity of the soil and to the people working in the cotton fields. Over time, the quality of the soil in cultivated fields deteriorates significantly. Although the vast majority of cotton is grown on well-equipped farms, degraded soil will quickly become unsuitable not only for cotton, but also for other crops. The establishment of new farmlands also endangers the natural habitats of wild plants [10].

Water pollution

The lack of clean drinking water is still a major problem in some parts of the world. What is even more concerning, is the fact that large amounts of drinking water is used in clothing production. According to the World Wildlife Fund, even 2,700 liters of water are used to grow the amount of cotton needed for one T-shirt [10].

Pesticides and fertilizers used in cotton fields are not only harmful to the soil. Over time, when it dissolves in the water, they can penetrate into deeper rock layers and reach the groundwater. Traveling through hydrological systems, groundwater can enter various water bodies and reach atmospheric waters. In addition, groundwater is used as drinking water in many countries, e.g. In the United States, 50% of the population uses groundwater as a source of drinking water [11], while in Lithuania 100% of all drinking water is obtained from groundwater sources.

The threat to water quality does not decrease during the production stage either. Various dyes are often used to treat textiles and leather. One of the most popular and most debated are indigo dyes. Natural indigo dye is extracted from plants and was widely used 6000 years ago [12]. However, extracting indigo dye naturally is a time-consuming process. This is the reason why synthetic (and often toxic) indigo dyes were created in 1897 [12]. The dyeing process also uses water, which later becomes unusable. Unfortunately, due to irresponsible production, such water also enters water hydrological systems. According to Mathias A Chia et al. [13] studies, dye-contaminated toxic water poses a risk to microalgae, which are an important part of aquatic biota.

In the last ten years, special attention has been paid to synthetic microfibers, which are found everywhere in nature: in rivers, oceans, their coasts and even in living organisms [2]. Synthetic microfibers are particles (smaller than 5 millimeters) which are released from the synthetic fibers during washing. A simple household wash can release as many as 700,000 synthetic microfiber particles into the water when washing synthetic fibers such as polyester [2]. Because the particles of synthetic microfibers are extremely small, they are difficult to get rid of even when using special water filters. Synthetic microfibers can be ingested by fish and other aquatic animals when they enter open water bodies. Synthetic microfibers were already found in the human body [2].

Landfills

As already mentioned at the beginning, after the popularization of fast fashion, the amount of discarded textile waste increased incredibly rapidly and significantly [3]. The cheap price of clothes has greatly changed the consumption habits of buyers. Because clothes are cheap and easy to replace, consumers have become accustomed to buying a lot and often. In the twenty-first century, shopping has become a hobby and a great pastime. Pre-owned clothing is no longer valued and often not repaired simply because the repair can cost the same as buying a new product. Very often, it is simply impossible to repair poor-quality clothes. Such clothes, which are no longer suitable to wear or repair, are sold, thrown away or donated to various non-profit organizations. Some clothing manufacturers have even started collecting old unwanted clothes in their stores, announcing that the collected clothes will be recycled into new textile fibers. The amount of recyclable clothing is indeed increasing as technology advances, but clothing is rarely made from only one type of fiber and recycling of mixed fibers is still a complex process. According to data collected by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, since 1960, the amount of recycled clothing and home textiles in the United States has reached 15%, but 66% of all discarded textiles simply end up in landfills (Figure 2) [14].

 

Figure 2. Textile waste recycling in the USA [14] 

If only a very small amount of clothing is recycled, what actually happens to it? One of the fashion myths is that clothing donated to non-profit organizations or stores will go to people in need. In fact, with fast fashion constantly producing new products, there are already more clothes than there are people who need it.

Used clothes that don't sell in second-hand stores or are not suitable for recycling, are sold to African countries. Garment importers in African countries select better quality garments and sell them for their own profit. Clothes not suitable for sale, which make up as much as 40% of the imported shipment [15], end up in textile landfills.

Ghana is the largest importer of used clothing in Europe and the United Kingdom. The city of Accra, the capital of Ghana, is home to the largest second-hand clothing market in West Africa and is the place where the region's largest textile dump exists [15]. But textile waste in landfills doesn’t easily biodegrade. Synthetic clothing can take up to 200 years to decompose, and during the tropical storm season some of it is simply washed into the ocean.

Cheap and unrepairable clothes are not necessary for anyone, not even the struggling people in third world countries. The fashion industry is improving, but the circular economy is still a new thing.

Conclusions

It is clear that the fashion industry affects people and the environment all over the world. Unfortunately, some of the damage is already beyond repair. But environmental protection has become an important part of the fashion industry and it seems that its role will only become more important in the future. We can only hope that changing consumer habits and new technologies will help to change the fashion industry for the better. 

Resources

1. World Bank Open Data. Access: https://data.worldbank.org/

2. House of Common Environmental Audit Committee. Fixing fashion: clothing consumption and sustainability. Sixteenth Report of Session 2017-19, (2019)

3. Thomas D. Fashionopolis: Why What We Wear Matters. (2019)

4. IQAir.com. Access: https://www.iqair.com/us/world-air-quality-ranking

5. L. L. Chen, J. Xu, Q. Zhang, Q. H. Wang, Y. Q. Xue and C. R. Ren. Evaluating impact of air pollution on different diseases in Shenzhen, China. IBM Journal of Research and Development, vol. 61, no. 6, pp. 2:1-2:9, 1 Nov.-Dec. 2017, doi: 10.1147/JRD.2017.2713258.

6. Güneralp, Burak, and Karen C. Seto. Environmental impacts of urban growth from an integrated dynamic perspective: A case study of Shenzhen, South China. Global Environmental Change 18, no. 4 (2008): 720-735. Access:  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959378008000587#aep-section-id23

7. U. S. Geological Survey. Access: https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/acid-rain?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects

8. Wang, Qiong, Huanhuan Zhang, Qianhong Liang, Luke D. Knibbs, Meng Ren, Changchang Li, Junzhe Bao et al. Effects of prenatal exposure to air pollution on preeclampsia in Shenzhen, China. Environmental Pollution 237 (2018): 18-27. Access: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117338502

9. Ellen Macarthur Foundation. A New Textile Economy: Redesigning fashion’s future. (2016). Access: https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/a-new-textiles-economy

10. World Wildlife Organization. Access: https://www.worldwildlife.org/industries/cotton

11. U. S. Geological Survey. Access: https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/pesticides-groundwater?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects

12. Muthu, Subramanian Senthilkannan, ed. Sustainability in Denim. Woodhead Publishing, (2017)

13. Chia, Mathias A., and Rilwan I. Musa. Effect of indigo dye effluent on the growth, biomass production and phenotypic plasticity of Scenedesmus quadricauda (Chlorococcales). Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 86 (2014): 419-428.

14. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Access: https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/textiles-material-specific-data

15. Besser L. Dead White Man’s Clothes. ABC Australia, (2021)