Landfill

More than 15 million tons of used textile waste is generated each year in the United States alone, and the amount has doubled over the last 20 years. In 2014, over 16 million tons of textile waste was generated, according to the U.S. EPA. Of this amount, 2.62 million tons were recycled,3.14 million tons were combusted for energy recovery, and 10.46 million tons were sent to the landfill. An average American throws away approximately 80 pounds of used clothing per person. On average, nationally, it costs cities $45 per ton to dispose of old clothing.

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Production

Production processes emit CO2 and other greenhouse gases which pollute our atmosphere and contribute to climate change. Nearly half of the ready-to-wear products Americans buy are manufactured in China, where the textile industry emits 3 billion tons of soot each year, greatly impacting both human and environmental health.The manufacturing process emits pollution into the air and waterways harming environmental and human health. For every ton of polyester, manufacturers emit over five tons of carbon dioxide.

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CO2 by Shipping

98% of clothing bought in the US was imported from abroad. A single cotton T-shirt transported from Xinjiang, China to Los Angeles results in over 9,000 “clothing miles” and over 2 pounds of CO2 equivalent emissions.

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