fast fashion statistics
Statistics are used to sell products, elicit support for a candidate, or get us to ‘Like’ things. North Americans is the largest consumers of new textiles, consuming 37kgs each. (WRAP 2011), 15. Check out the top marketing in fashion statistics to see what strategies are propelling brands in 2021 and beyond. However, the statistics paint a different picture: the Fast Fashion market is booming, which begs the question - why is this kind of clothing still so popular among consumers despite high-profile negative press? 50. 53. (Alternatives Journal 2015), 57. Read CNN's Hurricane Statistics Fast Facts and learn information about the deadliest and costliest tropical storms, tropical depressions and hurricanes. The average UK household spends £1,700 on purchasing clothing annually. Fast fashion is "an approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers." A glut of second hand clothing swamping the market is depressing prices for used textiles. About the author: Jennifer is an aspiring content writer who likes to write about sustainable solutions, greener lifestyle options, and organic products. In Pakistan’s garment sector, 87% of women are paid less than the minimum wage. The most well known proof of this is the collapse of the Dhaka garment factory in 2013 that took the lives of 1,134 people and left around 2,500 injured. The global apparel and footwear industry accounts for 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions releasing four metric gigatonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. When she's not perfecting a sentence or coaching business clients, you will find her at her certified organic farm reconnecting with nature. Making one kilogram of fabric generates an average of 23 kilograms of greenhouse gases. RCA-Bakouma : braquage de 7 véhicules humanitaires Publié le 06.04.2021 It takes about 10,000 litres of water to produce enough cotton for a pair of jeans. (McKinsey 2016), 27. Misleading with statistics is nothing new. If you make a purchase using a link we may receive a commission. Fast fashion retailers employ thousands of people from Bangladesh, India, China, Indonesia, and other developing nations as a cheap workforce. (Greenpeace 2017), 41. The average Canadian throws 32 kilograms of textiles into landfills each year. 47. (Global Fashion Agenda 2017), 4. (Oxfam 2017), 30. (Global Fashion Agenda 2017), 46. 72% of women shop online as compared to 68% of men. Crude oil is incredibly damaging to the environment, and it goes into a huge amount of garments produced for fast fashion. (Lenzing 2017), 34. Fashion has a huge impact on people and the planet, and fast fashion owns a large and growing share of the problem. (WRAP 2011), 13. It takes about 170,000 litres of water to grow a kilogram of wool. 4% of what Australians spend on clothing goes to the wages of workers in garment factories across the globe. We rarely think about where our clothes go when we don’t need them anymore. Use our Directory to search more than 2,000 brands. In Australia, some garment outworkers earn as little as $7 an hour and, in some cases, as little as $4 well which is below the minimum wage of $17.49 per hour. (WRAP 2011), 16. In particular, it changes our perception of the lifespan of the garments we buy, and tries to convince us that outfit repeating is a faux pas, when we know it’s a sustainability must do. This is precisely why they neglect the sustainability aspect of production, starting from using non-biodegradable fabrics that are fully processed with chemicals, to throwing production waste into water streams, lakes, and oceans. A tree data structure that is popular for use in database indexes. We’ve broken them down into subcategories for your reading pleasure. (YouGov 2017), 66. 63% of textile fibres are derived from petrochemicals. The number of garments produced globally exceeded 100 billion for the first time in 2014. (Greenpeace 2017). (Global Fashion Agenda 2017), 45. Société Droits réservés. As we’ve seen, most* fast fashion corporations locate their production facilities in emerging countries. 21% of Australians estimate that they own over 100 garments (excluding underwear or accessories). Fast fashion is not just a sustainability problem, but a key feminist issue. (Textile Beat 2016), 11. Over 50% of workers within the fashion industry are not paid the minimum wage in countries like India and the Philippines. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2017), 39. (YouGov 2017), 62. As sad as it is, a vast majority of fashion retailers do not clean and reuse water from production facilities, using a so-called “open-loop cycle” method. She wants to employ all of her writing strengths to help people and businesses create good quality content. 41% of Australian have thrown unwanted clothes straight in the bin. Of course transparency by itself is not enough – we need brands to commit to high standards and effective assurance systems to know if brands and their suppliers are actually delivering on their commitments. (Browne et al. In the past 15 years, the average number of times a garment is worn before it ceases to be used has decreased by 36%. The fashion world can be sceptical when it comes to shouting about important causes, especially considering relating issues like the environment and sustainability. Good on people,the planet and animals.Good on you. To put it simply, buying cheap items that will only be worn twice means contributing to the mistreatment of humans and nature. In the past year, 24% of Australians have thrown away an item of clothing after wearing it just once. So, the exact opposite of what we want! The fast fashion industry is one of the most polluting in the world and responsible for many social and environmental problems. Jennifer Nini is a writer, activist and the founding editor of Eco Warrior Princess. (Global Fashion Agenda 2017), 32. By that score, we know that purchasing fast fashion items directly contributes to the global polluting machine that is to blame for 8% of the world’s carbon emissions. (McKinsey 2016), 38 Less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new textiles and fibres. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2017). The high cost of a large fashion industry in countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Cambodia and many more is the impact on the local environment and workers’ rights violations. Americans throw away a total of 14 million tonnes of textiles each year. (Global Fashion Agenda 2017), 42. UK online fashion retailer ASOS saw its worldwide revenue increase by over 300 million British pounds in 2019, reaching the company's largest recorded turnover. On average a person consumes 11.4kg of apparel each year. Don’t be fooled by baby steps like recycling and conscious collections, which may be no more than greenwashing. (Textile Beat 2016). (Julian Cribb ‘The Coming Famine‘ 2010). Marketing can make or break the success of a brand’s campaign or product launch. The main goal of fast fashion giants is all about lowering production costs. Polyester production emitted about 706 billion kg (1.5 trillion pounds) of greenhouse gases in 2015 equivalent of the annual emissions of 185 coal-fired power plants. Good On You publishes the world’s most comprehensive ratings of fashion brands’ impact on people, the planet and animals. Most of these items never get recycled. Never miss our posts. Statistically, tonnes of fast fashion items are being thrown away every year. UK disposes of 350,000 tonnes (£140 million worth) of clothing in landfills every year. So whether you’re writing a report on the global fashion industry, completing a fashion-related assignment for school or just interested to learn more about fast fashion, here are 69 facts and statistics about fast fashion that will shock you… and hopefully inspire you towards ethical shopping and sustainable fashion consumption. Shockingly, over one quarter of the world’s pesticides are being used to grow this conventional cotton. It is usually characterised by high volume, low margin, fast-paced, cheap and disposable items. 18. By thinking of the garments we wear as short term tools rather than long term investments, we contribute to wasteful consumption patterns that inevitably lead us towards drastic climate change. If you’ve landed on this page, we assume you already know the definition of fast fashion, but for those of you who don’t, fast fashion is a term to describe the speed at which fashion designs move from design concept to fashion product available for purchase. This equates to around 1.7 billion items of clothing not been worn for at least a year. - Actualités et Infos en direct au Cameroun et dans le Monde. 75% of Australians have thrown clothes away at some point in the past year. (YouGov 2017), 64. In Australia, 92% of clothes sold in Australia are imported. But this need to stay ‘on trend’ is having an impact on the environment and society at large. 49. You know, like its much nicer counterpart, slow fashion. 2021’s Online Sales Statistics You Need to Know. Combined with open-loop cycles, cotton production within the fast fashion industry poses a significant threat to health and well-being for agricultural workers, for eco systems and ultimately for all of us. We’ve covered the issues around fast fashion in great detail over the years. Fast fashion is growing, well… fast. It goes without saying, fast fashion poses a huge threat to the planet and all of its inhabitants and is one big trigger for climate change. Then please support Eco Warrior Princess on Patreon! Disclosure: The curated list is based on the writer’s research and all data and stats are current at time of publishing. (WRAP 2011), 7. (YouGov 2017), 67. The contents of the average UK household wardrobe are worth £4,000 or more. (World Resources Institute 2017). 2011a). This linear fashion model of buying, wearing and quickly discarding clothes negatively impacts people and the planet’s resources. Speaking of the sustainability aspect, it’s also essential to know how brands avoid or dispose of waste products in the production process. (Greenpeace 2017), 3. To make the fast fashion industry eco-friendly, it needs to focus on quality rather than quantity. Australia is the second-largest consumers of new textiles, each person buying an average of 27kg of new textiles. By compressing production cycles and turning out up-to-the-minute designs, these businesses have enabled shoppers not only to expand their wardrobes but also to refresh them quickly. Sales of clothing have almost doubled from one trillion dollars in 2002 to 1.8 trillion dollars in 2015. Water-thirsty plant cotton linked to water depletion, accounts for 30% of all textile fibre consumption. House of Common Environmental Audit Committee. Some of the main sources of carbon emissions along fashion supply chains are things like pumping water to irrigate crops (like cotton), the harvesting machinery, general transport, and those pesky oil-based pesticides—all of which are inevitably increased in the notoriously overproducing world of fast fashion. Researchers anticipate the industry’s water consumption will increase by 50% by 2030 as cotton producers are located in countries suffering water stress, such as China and India. 24% of Australians aged 16-34 throw away clothes because they are ‘bored’ of wearing them. Download our app to discover ethical brands and see how your favourites measure up. We may earn a commission on sales made using our offer codes or affiliate links. The cost barriers have also been removed, with factories producing cheaper designer imitations that flood the market within days of the collections being launched at major fashion shows. Recycling is, unsurprisingly, a massive problem in the fast fashion industry. (Textile Beat 2016), 10. 61% of online shoppers go for fashion products. The clothing produced each year equates to 14 items of clothing for every person on earth. (World Resources Institute 2017). 51. (WRAP 2011), 60. More than 50% of the emissions from clothing production comes from three phases: dyeing and finishing (36%), yarn preparation (28%) and fibre production (15%). (Global Fashion Agenda 2017), 55. Where does your clothing go when it’s not needed anymore? Read on to discover some hard fast fashion facts and statistics—we guarantee you’ll put down that $10 t-shirt and back away slowly in case it bites. If you like our site, think our work is important and want to pledge your support, you can pledge a donation through Patreon. (Choice 2014), 33. Clothing production doubled from 2000 to 2014. Make sure to share it on social! But, offering discounts does act as a stimulus to drive more sales …. One kilogram of clothing over its entire life cycle creates 11 kilograms of greenhouse gases. In the UK, the estimated average lifetime for a garment of clothing is 2.2 years, or just under two years and three months. This list also contains affiliate links. Copyright © 2010-2018. Enjoyed this post & want to show your gratitude? 30% of clothing in the average UK wardrobe has not been worn in the past year or so. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2017). Of the total fibre input used for clothing, 87% is landfilled or incinerated costing $100 billion annually. In 2010, after studying Fashion Business, she launched Eco Warrior Princess to explore her interests in fashion, politics, social justice and sustainability. Jennifer is also the founder of The Social Copywriter, a digital agency harnessing the power of copywriting and content marketing to help mindful businesses reach more people. 52. 1.4 quadrillion microfibres are estimated to be in the ocean as a result of laundering clothes. Fast fashion definition is - an approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers —usually hyphenated when used before another noun. Life in a world where our wardrobes can be upgraded with a couple of new pieces for the price of breakfast makes us neglect the terrible reality of fast fashion. Sign up for our weekly newsletter and receive our free sustainable lifestyle guide. (Quantis 2018), 23. The fashion industry’s CO2 emissions are projected to increase to nearly 2.8 billion tons per year by 2030— equivalent to the emissions of 230 million passenger vehicles driven for a year. 57% of Australians dispose of clothes because they no longer fit. Australians dispose of 500,000 tonnes of leather and textile waste. (McKinsey 2016), 40. What can’t be sold is torn up and turned into insulation and mattress stuffing. (McKinsey 2016). (Choice 2014), 8. (ABS), 58. We buy more clothes per person in the UK than any other country in Europe. Find her on LinkedIn and Medium. The 80 million workers in the fashion supply chain are overwhelmingly women, but the majority of retailers show no little concern with maintaining gender equality in the workplace. By now it’s probably easy to guess that the conventional cotton fabric most often used in the fast fashion industry is made unethically. Collection launches are no longer seasonal; the replacement of clothing inventories has become much more frequent. (Greenpeace 2017), 5. Polyester and cotton dominate the global textiles and fibre market, 51% and 24% respectively (Lenzing, 2017), 36. Feature image via Unsplash. The average person buys 60% more items of clothing and keeps them for about half as long as 15 years ago. Not only do these people have to work exhausting hours, but the payment they get is far from fair. (YouGov 2017), 63. Fast fashion factories are often dangerous for workers. Approximately 300 million people who produce cotton are still living in poverty. One way to combat the huge amounts of waste generated by these fabrics is to invest in clothes made from recycled plastic. 2. (EJF), 43. Here Are 5 Things to Keep in Mind as You Begin Your Sustainable Lifestyle Journey - Eco Warrior Princess, How to Be A Skeptical Shopper: A Primer on Identifying Greenwashing, Beyond America: 7 Podcasts to Learn More About World Politics and Global Affairs, Why You Need to Make Local Politics A Part Of Your Everyday Life, 9 Eco-Friendly & Ethical Sports Bras & Crop Top Styles For Fitness Lovers, Sustainable Textiles Spotlight: The Truth Behind Bamboo Fabric, Regenerative Sustainability: The New Frontier in the Sustainability Movement. Although the cultivation area of cotton covers only 3% of the planet’s agricultural land, its production consumes an estimated 16% of all insecticides and 7% of all herbicides. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2017). (. (Choice 2014), 25. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2017). The most successful fast fashion brands use influencers and other ploys to push trend driven items at ridiculously low prices, all while producing new clothing collections as often as every two weeks. “Fast fashion lures us into buying more clothes than we need,” explains Lucy Seigle, a journalist specialising in environmental issues. The total level of fashion waste is expected to be 148 million tons by 2030—equivalent to annual waste of 17.5 kg per capita across the planet. Fast fashion retailers have made their name by giving us a chance to buy cheaply made pieces that look like designer clothes for next to nothing. (WRAP 2011), 44. In 2017, however, Jigsaw decided to break the mould, basing its print, social, and digital marketing campaign around the importance of immigration in fashion. Transparency is a key precondition for industry action to eliminate human rights violations, treat workers and communities with respect and eliminate or reduce pollution and unsustainable resource use. Ethical Fashion 101: The Top 5 Ethical Issues in the Fashion Industry”, Ethical Fashion 101: The Top 5 Ethical Issues in the Fashion Industry, Get Educated With These Free Sustainable Fashion and Ethical Business Online Courses, 4 Must-See Short Online Films on The Topic of Fast Fashion, 32 Thought-Provoking Quotes About Ethical, Sustainable and Fast Fashion, The Sustainable Fashion Blueprint Report 2018: Industry Overview and Business Opportunities, How to Create More Storage Space in a Tiny Garden Shed, How to Turn Leftover Wine Corks into Mini Succulent Planters, 10 Ways to Style Your Indoor Space with Plants, Flowers and Greenery, 'Eco' Perfection Doesn't Exist. It means that all of the waste goes straight outside to pollute waters and lands. This type of index is available for most storage engines, such as InnoDB and MyISAM. Nearly three-fifths or 60% of all clothing produced ends up in incinerators or landfills within a year of being made. (Elizabeth Cline, ‘Overdressed’ 2012), 17. Eco Warrior Princess. (World Resources Institute 2017). Sustainable fashion cannot exist without transparency. Thankfully for us conscious consumers, there are countless brands doing their bit to transform the fashion industry for the better. By thinking of the garments we wear as short term tools rather than long term investments, we contribute to wasteful consumption patterns that inevitably lead us towards drastic climate change. Fashion Industry Statistics The global apparel market is valued at 3 trillion dollars, 3,000 billion, and accounts for 2 percent of the world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).1 Source: FashionUnited.com¹ Retail value of luxury goods market: 339.4 billion dollars Value of of the menswear industry: 402 billion dollars Value of the womenswear industry: 621 billion dollars… Some fast fashion retailers have introduced recycling programs that give customers a store discount in exchange for their old clothing. It’s no secret that fast fashion’s modus operandi is to produce as much as possible as cheaply as possible. 19. Buying new clothes without thinking twice is not only budget-unfriendly, but also unsustainable. UK disposes of 350,000 tonnes of clothing in landfills every year. Fast fashion produces 20% of global wastewater, contaminating rivers, oceans, drinking water and soil. (Global Fashion Agenda 2017), 24. The general trend of fast fashion brands trying to “do sustainable” is unsatisfying, to say the least. As much as the latter might be technically “organic”, the unsustainable production process often diminishes that statement. Fast fashion retailers save billions of dollars by locating their factories in emerging countries. Many low-cost clothing stores offer new designs every … Cotton is one of the most commonly used fabrics when it comes to the fast fashion industry. Global average consumption of new textiles is 13kg per person. The following statistics, published by the UNEP and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, ... Fast fashion. H&M announces store closures amid rise in fast fashion competitors like Kmart and Big W . (YouGov 2017), 69. (Alternatives Journal 2015), 35. With over 2,000 wholesale businesses, the Fashion District is a creative hub that’s always happening. (EPA), 56. This is not only due to customers getting rid of their wardrobe items, but also due to retail stores. Eco Warrior Princess uses affiliate links. The 2020 Fashion Transparency Index found that only 5 of the 250 large brands surveyed (2%) “publish a time-bound, measurable roadmap or strategy for how they will achieve a living wage for all workers across their supply chains”. But their sales techniques are having a drastic impact on consumer behaviour around the world. How to use fast fashion in a sentence. (YouGov 2017), 68. Over the last couple of decades the production process has accelerated, fuelled by globalisation, industry competition, technology and customers’ obsession with “I gotta have it now” instant gratification mentality.