According to Business Insider, fashion production makes up 10% of global carbon emissions, and it's the second-largest consumer of the world's water supply.
Considering the rate at which fast fashion has grown over the last few years, it's not surprising that 85% of all textiles end up in landfill every year. However, washing clothes releases 500,000 tonnes of microfibers into the oceans, and most of these fibers, including polyester, are plastics that release two times more carbon emissions than cotton, and they don't break down; they just stay in our oceans.
If the fashion industry doesn't change, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation says it will account for 26% of the world's carbon emissions by 2050.
However, there might be a solution, and that solution is creating a circular fashion economy.
The Textiles Action Network is connecting businesses, supply chains, and governments to tackle the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Encompassing the UK's Textiles Action Plan 2030 and Lifestyle & Design Cluster (LDC), the network is run by climate activist group WRAP and ultimately aims to create a global circular economy for fashion and textiles.