The Hidden Crisis Of Fashion: Climate, Water & Microplastic Impact

Forbes

18-04-2025

Pile of old clothes and shoes dumped on the grass as junk and garbage, littering and polluting the ... More environment
In Beyond the Price Tag: The Dark Side of Luxury and Circular Fashion, the darker undercurrents of the fashion industry were examined. Now, we go deeper into one of its most pressing impacts: pollution. From carbon emissions to synthetic fiber runoff, the environmental cost of our closets is growing—fast.
According to the United Nations Environment Program, the fashion industry is responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions, more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change estimates that by 2030, fashion's emissions could increase by 50% if no action is taken. This makes the sector one of the highest-emitting global industries—and among the least regulated in climate conversations. Yet despite this outsized footprint, fashion remains one of the least scrutinized sectors in climate policy discussions. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change estimates that if current production and consumption patterns continue unchecked, the industry's emissions could rise by 50% by 2030.
According to data from the EU, 20% of global industrial water pollution comes from textile dyeing and treatment. In countries like Bangladesh and India, factories release untreated wastewater laden with toxic chemicals like chromium, lead, and mercury directly into rivers.
According to the Waste Management, many factories operating without adequate regulation in regions where there are limited restrictions—discharge millions of liters of untreated, chemically saturated wastewater daily into rivers that serve as lifelines for local communities.
According to the World Bank, toxic effluents from dyes and finishing agents contain carcinogens and heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, lead, arsenic and mercury, contaminating drinking water sources, destroying aquatic ecosystems, and poisoning farmland. In Bangladesh's Buriganga River, for instance, once a source of freshwater and food, dissolved oxygen levels have dropped to near-zero in some areas, turning the river into a biological dead zone due to lack of life, according to Al Jazeera.
What makes the impact even more alarming is that the fashion industry consumes 93 billion cubic meters of water annually, according to the United Nations—enough to meet the needs of five million people per year. This means that while some parts of the world experience water scarcity, vast amounts of clean water are being polluted or depleted to keep the fashion engine running.
Indonesia environment water pollution fashionROMEO GACAD/AFP via Getty Images)
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 35% of microplastics in the ocean come from synthetic textiles like polyester, nylon, and acrylic. These fibers shed during washing and find their way into marine food chains. According to the Journal of Hazardous Materials, plastic pollution has rapidly escalated into one of the planet's most pressing environmental challenges. As the global population continues to grow, so does the demand for plastic—driving annual production to a staggering 430 million tons. Alarmingly, around 11 million tons of this plastic find their way into the ocean each year. Without strategic global action, this figure could triple in the coming decades, threatening marine ecosystems, endangering wildlife, and impacting the millions of people who rely on the ocean for food, income, and survival. A 2018 study published in Environmental Pollution Microplastics and microfibers have been detected across every major ocean basin, underscoring the pervasive nature of this form of pollution. Among these, microfibers—tiny threads often shed from synthetic textiles—rank among the most frequently found micropollutants along coastal shorelines worldwide.
Fashion may be a symbol of expression, but in it lies a pattern of destruction—one that is polluting our waters, and threatening life below the surface. According to leading experts and global data, the fashion industry is not only a top emitter of carbon, but also a silent force behind poisoned rivers and the invisible spread of microplastics. From the synthetic fibers that shed into our oceans, to the billions of liters of chemically treated water dumped into once-thriving ecosystems, the price of fashion extends far beyond stores. Yet the industry continues to operate in a vacuum—underregulated, underreported, and under pressure only from the voices of those brave enough to speak up. Experts like Dr. Hakan Karaosman are helping lead that charge, pushing for full-spectrum sustainability that incorporates environmental ethics into every tier of the supply chain—from design studio to dye house. If we are to create meaningful change, this moment must spark more than awareness. It must spark accountability. Fashion must transition from a model of unchecked consumption to one of conscious creation. In the next article in this series, we will unravel the environmental and ethical toll of fashion waste. From mountains of discarded garments in Chile's Atacama Desert to the global dumping of secondhand clothing in Accra. We will also assess how the industry is exporting its trash—and its effects on the most vulnerable communities.