Les Synthétiques Anonymes

The report finds that the fashion industry, particularly the fast-fashion model, is heavily reliant on synthetic fibers derived from oil and gas, with such materials making up 69% of all textiles. Analysis of 46 brands and 12 online retailers reveals a widespread lack of transparency and the prevalence of 'greenwashing,' where brands use misleading claims about sustainability or rely on 'downcycling' PET bottles into clothing rather than implementing true fiber-to-fiber circularity. The study highlights that many 'sustainable' collections actually contain higher percentages of synthetic fibers than standard lines, and that the industry largely ignores the issue of microplastic pollution. The authors call for urgent EU legislation on extended producer responsibility and stricter regulations on environmental claims to break the industry's dependence on fossil fuels.

• Synthetic fibers, produced from fossil fuels like gas and oil, constitute 69% of all materials used in textiles, a figure projected to reach nearly 75% by 2030.
• Analysis of 46 clothing companies shows a significant lack of transparency regarding the quantity and origin of synthetic fibers, with fewer than half (26 brands) providing weight and percentage data.
• No fashion brand analyzed has made a clear commitment to completely eliminate synthetic fibers from its collections, leaving the 'leaders' category empty.
• Brands predominantly rely on 'downcycling' PET bottles into clothing as a primary strategy to reduce fossil fuel impact, rather than investing in true fiber-to-fiber recycling or circular design.
• Widespread greenwashing is evident; 39% of analyzed products carry sustainability claims, but 59% of those claims fail to comply with UK Competition and Markets Authority guidelines. H&M, ASOS, and M&S showed the highest rates of non-compliance (96%, 89%, and 88% respectively).
• An analysis of 4,028 products from 12 online retailers found that 67% contain synthetic fabrics, with an average synthetic composition of 53% for those items.
• Some 'sustainable' collections contain more synthetic fibers than the brands' main lines; for example, H&M's 'Conscious' collection has a higher percentage of synthetic fibers (72%) than its main collection (61%).
• The fashion sector generally fails to address microplastic pollution, often employing a 'delay-distract-derail' approach by favoring end-of-pipe solutions like washing machine filters over source reduction.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2021). Les Synthétiques Anonymes. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CM-EX-SUM-FRENCH-FINAL-SYNTETHIC-ANONYMOUS-WEB-.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Les Synthétiques Anonymes. 2021. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CM-EX-SUM-FRENCH-FINAL-SYNTETHIC-ANONYMOUS-WEB-.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Les Synthétiques Anonymes |date=June 2021 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CM-EX-SUM-FRENCH-FINAL-SYNTETHIC-ANONYMOUS-WEB-.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{changingmarketsfoundation2021les, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Les Synthétiques Anonymes}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CM-EX-SUM-FRENCH-FINAL-SYNTETHIC-ANONYMOUS-WEB-.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }