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Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

Fashion’s Plastic Addiction in Four Charts

Cheap and versatile polyester has underpinned both the fashion industry’s growth and its worsening environmental footprint. Efforts to switch to recycled fibre are stalled, new data show.
A woman and man wear clothes made from plastic bags.
Last year, increased volumes of plastic polyester propelled global textile production to record levels. (Shutterstock)

Last year, global textile production grew to a record 124 million tonnes. The increase was largely the result of higher volumes of virgin polyester, which now accounts for nearly two-thirds of the total market, according to a

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Further Reading

Can Fashion Live Without Plastic? It’s Complicated

Last month, Boss’s runway show in Milan featured a trio of limited-edition jackets made using a new fibre designed to replace polyester. But untangling the industry from a material that has played a central role in its growth will be a tricky business.

Fashion Recycling’s Second Act

The nascent textile-to-textile recycling industry is emerging from crisis with fresh momentum, as Swedish pioneer Renewcell is rescued out of administration and Sri Lankan manufacturing giant MAS pledges to buy thousands of metres of recycled polyester.

About the author
Sarah Kent
Sarah Kent

Sarah Kent is Chief Sustainability Correspondent at The Business of Fashion. She is based in London and drives BoF's coverage of critical environmental and labour issues.

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