Fashions Plastic Paralysis

The report finds that the fashion industry is increasing its dependency on fossil-fuel-based synthetic fibres, with 69% of all textiles currently being synthetic. It highlights a significant lack of transparency, with 60% of surveyed brands providing incomplete or no data on synthetic volumes. The document criticizes the industry's reliance on recycled polyester from PET bottles as a 'false solution' that does not address microplastic shedding or the overproduction inherent in fast fashion. Most brands are categorized as 'trailing behind' or in the 'red zone' for their lack of meaningful microfibre release policies, often relying on weak voluntary initiatives like The Microfibre Consortium (TMC). The report also notes tepid industry support for upcoming EU legislation and the global plastics treaty, suggesting a preference for the status quo.

• Synthetic fibres, primarily derived from fossil fuels, dominate textile production, accounting for 69% of all textiles, with a projected increase to 73% by 2030.
• Corporate transparency regarding synthetic use has declined significantly; 54% of the 50 surveyed companies failed to respond to the survey in part or full, compared to 17% in 2021.
• Shein is identified as the most pervasive user of synthetics by proportion, with synthetic fibres making up 82% of its total garment production portfolio.
• Inditex is the largest user of synthetics by volume among those who disclosed data, using 212,886 tonnes in 2023, a 20% increase from 2022.
• The industry's reliance on recycled polyester from PET bottles is criticized as ineffective because it disrupts the bottle-to-bottle recycling loop and does not solve the microplastic pollution problem.
• Most fashion brands lack robust microfibre policies; 44% of the 50 companies were placed in the 'Red Zone' for having no public-facing policies or only offering consumer guidance on washing machine filters.
• The Microfibre Consortium (TMC) is described as a tool for brands to appear proactive while maintaining the status quo, as none of its signatories are actively phasing out synthetics.
• Industry support for meaningful regulation is low; only 22% of the 22 companies that answered the legislation section of the questionnaire supported all the proposed measures, including the global plastics treaty and EU eco-design criteria.
• Microplastics from synthetic textiles are linked to severe health issues, including chronic inflammation of the lungs, cardiovascular events, and the presence of particles in human placentas, brain tissue, and penises.

APA

Trunk, U., Urbancic, N., & Nguyen, A. (2024). Fashions Plastic Paralysis. Changing Markets Foundation. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/English-Report-–-Fashion-Plastic-Paralysis.pdf

Chicago

Trunk, Urska, Nusa Urbancic, and Amy Nguyen. Fashions Plastic Paralysis. Changing Markets Foundation, 2024. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/English-Report-–-Fashion-Plastic-Paralysis.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Trunk |first1=Urska |last2=Urbancic |first2=Nusa |last3=Nguyen |first3=Amy |title=Fashions Plastic Paralysis |publisher=Changing Markets Foundation |date=September 2024 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/English-Report-–-Fashion-Plastic-Paralysis.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{trunk2024fashions, author = {Trunk, Urska and Urbancic, Nusa and Nguyen, Amy}, title = {{Fashions Plastic Paralysis}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2024}, month = sep, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/English-Report-–-Fashion-Plastic-Paralysis.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }