Major textile brands have convinced millions in Spain and across North America that clothes must be refreshed every season. This belief underpins many business models and fuels a culture of constant update. It often seems stylish to ditch last year’s look, and the pressure to buy persists, even as waste and emissions rise. Fast fashion thrives on low prices, quick turnover, and the lure of new trends.
The scale is striking. Between 2000 and 2014, global clothing production doubled according to United Nations data. People bought about 60% more garments and wore far less than before. Today, roughly 60% of all clothing ends up landfilled or incinerated within a year, and a truckload of apparel is discarded or burned every second somewhere on the planet.
The textile sector has been shown to have a substantial environmental footprint and often troubling labor practices in several producing countries. The drive to sell large volumes in wealthier markets has amplified these concerns. A 2019 United Nations study notes that the fashion industry represents a significant share of global water waste.
It takes about 7,500 liters of water to make a single pair of jeans, and around 2,000 liters to produce a cotton T-shirt. Although newer methods have started to reduce water use, the water demand for a garment remains enormous.
Data from UNCTAD indicate that clothing and footwear manufacturing accounts for a notable portion of greenhouse gas emissions. The fashion sector as a whole has climate implications comparable to other major global activities and contributes to climate change and global warming.
Giant clothing dump in the Atacama desert
The Atacama desert in Chile, a remote and pristine landscape, now hosts a vast clothing dump that receives garments produced or imported from many parts of the world. A globalized supply chain means a shirt may travel from a distant factory to another continent and end up here. In the region near High Hospice, thousands of tons of secondhand fashion from past seasons accumulate as waste.
Local residents describe garments arriving from various continents. Some pieces move on to other markets, while others stay in place where disposal becomes the only option. The issue is not just waste; many items contain chemicals and synthetic materials that complicate disposal in this desert environment.
Some experts note that these textiles are not readily biodegradable and can release pollutants into air and groundwater, contributing to environmental harm similar in gravity to other persistent pollutants.
50,000 million garments are discarded within a year of production
Global clothing output has grown since 2000, with much production concentrated in China and other middle-income countries. The industry employs hundreds of millions worldwide. Yet a recent workshop report estimated that about 50 billion garments are discarded after just one year. This data was highlighted by a U.S. standards body a few years ago.
Textiles fall into two broad families natural and synthetic. Real-world materials such as cotton and wool come from natural sources, while synthetic fibers often rely on polymers like polyester. Production trends show a marked rise in synthetic fiber use, with environmental implications that merit attention.
Conservation and consumer groups argue that the industry must change urgently. A move toward a circular economy is gaining momentum, focusing on durability, reuse, and faster adoption of recycling technologies to lower overall resource use.
Change has already begun in some places. In several regions, including Spain, more brands are turning to recycled materials for fabrics, starting with recycled plastics as a raw material. Consumers now have increasing options for choosing production models that favor sustainability over rapid turnover.
Reference article: UN News April 2019
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