5 environmental impacts of textile industry, and 3 ways to be more sustainable

In this magazine we focus on the importance of wastewater recovery, in particular analysing applications in the textile industry. What are we motivated by? I think it is important to dedicate an article that gives context to our entire editorial activity. Therefore, in a magazine that proposes technologies, methods and scenarios, today I will focus on the root causes: the impacts of the textile industry.

Textiles play a key role in the global economy. It is one of the most important sectors, with an annual turnover of USD 1.22 trillion. What also has a big impact on our world, however, is the environmental footprint of the industry itself, i.e. the effects this industry has on ecosystems.

It is important for entrepreneurs reading this to take a holistic view of the problem, so as to initiate sustainability measures that attempt to curb the problem across the board.

What are the numbers, the causes, the dynamics of the textile industry’s impact on the environment? Let us delve into it together.

NUMBERS

Why textile industry is important: some data

To understand the impact of the textile industry on the lives of all of us, here are some figures, which are impressive to say the least.

Production:
– according to the European Environment Agency (EEA), clothing production has doubled over 15 years and demand for textile fibres is estimated to increase from 62 million tonnes in 2017 to 102 million in 2030.

People employed:
– an estimated 60 to 70 million people work in the textile industry. According to the WWF, cotton is the most widely used non-food product in the world, provides a livelihood for more than 250 million people and employs 7% of all workers in developing countries.

Turnover:
– the global textile market has been valued at USD 1,837.27 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4% from 2024-2030. Why? Because the market’s growth is ensured by the fashion industry’s steady demand for clothing and the staggering growth of e-commerce platforms.

Between 1996 and 2012, we individually increased clothing purchases by 40% and more than 30% of the clothing purchased is not used for more than one year.

Recovery and disposal:
– the worldwide recycling rate for textiles is 14.7% in 2018, with 2.5 million tonnes recycled. Within this figure, the EPA estimated that the recycling rate for textiles in clothing and footwear was 13% based on information from the American Textile Recycling Service. The rate for items such as sheets and pillowcases was 15.8% in 2018. Insignificant numbers, considering the production rates in the market.

ANALYSIS

How the textile industry cause pollution on the environment?

The textile industry has always made a considerable contribution to environmental impact. Leaving aside the working and exploitative conditions to which workers in the sector are unfortunately still very often subjected, the main problems caused by the textile industry include resource consumption, water pollution, air pollution and pollution from the production of solid waste.

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The Environnement Impact of the Textile and Clothing Industry, published by the European Commission in 2019, shows that globally the textile industry was responsible for the consumption of 79 billion cubic metres of water, the emission of 1715 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and the generation of 91 million tonnes of waste in 2015 alone.

A further issue arises from the use of 1900 chemicals for dyeing and processing textiles, 165 of which are considered harmful to health and the environment by the EU. The use of these substances accounts for 20% of global water pollution.

If we consider the more recent boom in ‘fast fashion’, which allows a constant availability of new styles at very low prices, it is obvious to imagine the sharp increase in the amount of garments produced, used and ultimately discarded. But let us look specifically at the different aspects on which this sector has a direct impact.

Emissions: textile industry carbon footprint

The textile industry is estimated to be responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, more than the total of all international flights and shipping combined.
According to the European Environment Agency, textile purchases in the EU in 2017 generated around 654 kg of CO₂ emissions per person. Air pollution from the textile industry includes heavy pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide from energy production, VOCs, drying, dyeing, wastewater treatment and storage. By 2030, these greenhouse gas emissions will increase by more than 50 per cent.

Water pollution: a major issue of the textile industry

The industry is responsible for 20% of the world’s water pollution, enough water to quench the thirst of 110 million people for a whole year.
According to the WRI (World Resources Institute), around 5 trillion litres of water are used in the dyeing process. But the real problem with this resource arises when production comes to an end.

Textile factories release millions of litres of untreated wastewater into public sewers, which is in fact discharged into rivers and seas, exterminating biodiversity, generating 22% of the total volume of wastewater generated by all different types of industries. In particular, the process of dyeing fibres represents the most polluting step. The dye represents a huge problem in waste water because it is not easily biodegradable.
It is estimated that around 105 tonnes of dyes are released into the environment each year through the 200 billion litres of waste water, making the recovery of this water one of the most discussed issues at present.

Microplastics: a synthetic textile industry impact

Washing synthetic textiles is another problem, being the main source of primary microplastics in the marine environment, responsible for 35% of these microfibres. Each washing cycle of synthetic textiles produces up to one million microfibres, 40% of which end up directly in the sea.

Every year, half a million tonnes of microfibres are discharged into the waters, equivalent to fifty billion plastic bottles. Cotton and polyester blends release large numbers of fibres during washing, which can then return to humans via the food chain, either through sewage sludge used as fertiliser or through bioaccumulation in organisms consumed by humans. Microplastics can also act as vectors for toxic substances, increasing exposure to these compounds.

Human rights: about working conditions

According to the International Labour Organisation’s report on child exploitation, more than 74 million children are exploited in high-risk jobs, constantly being in contact with health-damaging substances and dangerous machinery. An investigation published in The Observer in 2017 showed that more than 500 employees of four different factories of the multinationals Nike, Asics, Puma and VF Corporation were hospitalised.

Due to the fast fashion market, which offers low-priced products in a short timeframe, fashion brands tend to relocate production to countries such as India, Bangladesh or Pakistan, both to cut production costs and because of less restrictive legislation on working conditions.

Human health: textile direct impacts on customers

In addition to the lack of proper working facilities and working hours, the issue of health comes into play: certain techniques of garment production are harmful both for those who produce them and for those who have to wear them. One of the main campaigns of Clean Clothes, which started in the Netherlands more than 30 years ago to raise awareness of the negative impact of the textile industry, concerns the ban on sandblasting, a practice used to lighten denim garments that is harmful to the health of workers in the industry, leading to a serious form of silicosis, a fatal lung disease.

But the health risks associated with the textile industry go beyond sandblasting. A CBC investigation revealed that one in five of the fast fashion products tested contained high concentrations of harmful chemicals such as lead, PFAS, and phthalates. These substances exceeded the limits permitted by Canadian and European laws.

SOLUTIONS

Can the textile industry ever be sustainable? Yes, by exploiting new technologies

There are several ways to reduce pollution from the textile industry and develop a more sustainable sector. which can be divided into three areas:
1) New, more circular business models
2) New raw material recovery technologies
3) New materials recovery.

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New business models

A circular business model is the first step to make the textile sector at least partially greener. Approaching such a business model allows for maximising efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy resources and minimising waste. Unlike the traditional linear model of consumption, the reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery of materials and products through various stages of the life cycle is promoted.

In this regard, companies in the textile industry can integrate new, more circular options to extend the life of garments, such as rental, second hand resale and redesign, into their service system.

New production technologies, recycling and traceability

Responsible sourcing and recovery of raw materials also become the responsibility of the textile company that wants to think in terms of a circular economy. In this respect, it is important to surround oneself with the right partners in order to have a more responsible overview of the entire supply chain, including aspects such as the working and economic conditions of suppliers, occupational health and safety, legality and transparency in procurement and the technologies used.

Indeed, a company’s commitment depends not only on the quality of its product/service, but also on its ability to establish positive relationships with customers, local communities, authorities and other stakeholders. Acting responsibly on the supply chain is a fundamental pillar of corporate strategies. In this respect, there are several tools to identify the best suppliers. The SA 8000 standard, for instance, is an important tool that helps to define requirements for the ethical management of workers along the supply chain.

As far as suppliers for water recovery are concerned, in my experience the things to keep in mind when choosing are mainly 3:

• choose suppliers that use 100% biological treatment, so as to avoid contamination with toxic chemicals
• choose suppliers for wastewater recovery that guarantee at least 95% – 98% recovery
• give preference to suppliers who make explicit any sustainability certifications obtained from third parties.

Investing in material recovery systems

It is important for textile companies to move beyond the standard classification between natural, i.e. organic or animal-derived, and man-made fabrics. In terms of sustainability, what is really important is the impact of the material throughout the entire life cycle of the product. Applying the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, it turns out that polyester, for example, requires less water and is easier to recycle than cotton, whose crops use 6% of the world’s pesticides and 16% of all insecticides, polluting the surrounding waterways and aquifers (and consider that 2,700 litres are used for a single T-shirt!). What needs to be done is to invest in durable fabrics, encouraging good consumption and reuse practices, but also investing in research into new, more sustainable alternative materials.

In a sector that is essentially one of the main culprits of the extreme environmental situations we are experiencing, a decisive transition to new circular models and emerging technologies becomes an opportunity for textile companies to become leaders in this fast-growing market segment, while addressing one of humanity’s greatest social and environmental challenges.