The global apparel industry is a significant yet overlooked source of plastic leakage

Abstract

Plastic pollution is a global environmental threat with potentially irreversible impacts on aquatic life, ecosystems, and human health. This study is a comprehensive assessment of the global apparel industry’s contribution to plastic pollution. It includes plastic leakage of packaging and end-of-life apparel waste in addition to fiber emissions during apparel production and use. We estimate that the apparel industry generated 8.3 [4.8–12.3] million tons (Mt) of plastic pollution in 2019, corresponding to 14% [5.5%–30%] of the estimated 60 Mt from all sectors. In this study, we demonstrate that the main source of plastic pollution from the apparel supply chain is synthetic clothing as mismanaged waste either in the country of its original use or in the countries receiving used apparel exports. A fundamental transformation of the apparel economy towards a circular framework and decreased synthetic apparel consumption is needed to tackle apparel-related plastic pollution.

Synthetic apparel is a major contributor to global plastic leakage driven by mismanaged apparel waste.