Threads of Transformation: Fashion, Energy & Women at the Intersection of Climate Action

The fashion industry contributes 2-8% of global carbon emissions and uses one trillion kWh of electricity annually, with emissions projected to rise by over 60% by 2030. The sector's workforce is 60% female, yet women face systemic inequalities and disproportionate vulnerability to climate and energy risks. The report advocates for a transition to renewable energy and the empowerment of women-led SMEs to achieve a sustainable and equitable future.

• The global fashion industry has a significant environmental footprint, contributing an estimated 2-8% of global carbon emissions and nearly 20% of worldwide wastewater. The sector generates approximately 92 million tonnes of waste annually and uses 4% of global freshwater. If current trends persist, greenhouse gas emissions from the industry are projected to rise by more than 60% by 2030, driven by the fast fashion model's use of fossil fuel-based synthetic fabrics, which are expected to comprise nearly 73% of textiles by 2030.
• The fashion industry consumes about one trillion kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity every year, a figure equivalent to 25% of the electricity consumption of the United States in 2023. In fast fashion, energy costs account for 15-30% of production expenses, and there is a lack of transparent renewable energy targets for supply chains among most major brands.
• Women make up 60% of the fashion industry's workforce but experience disproportionate impacts from climate change and energy inequalities, including low wages, poor working conditions, and limited leadership opportunities. In production regions, unreliable power supplies and environmental degradation disrupt women's work—which often relies on manual processes—and expose them to extreme temperatures and air pollution.

APA

Sustainable Energy for All (2025). Threads of Transformation: Fashion, Energy & Women at the Intersection of Climate Action. https://www.seforall.org/publications/threads-of-transformation-fashion-energy-women-at-the-intersection-of-climate-action

Chicago

Sustainable Energy for All. Threads of Transformation: Fashion, Energy & Women at the Intersection of Climate Action. 2025. https://www.seforall.org/publications/threads-of-transformation-fashion-energy-women-at-the-intersection-of-climate-action.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Sustainable Energy for All |title=Threads of Transformation: Fashion, Energy & Women at the Intersection of Climate Action |date=9 June 2025 |url=https://www.seforall.org/publications/threads-of-transformation-fashion-energy-women-at-the-intersection-of-climate-action |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sustainableenergyforall2025threads, author = {{Sustainable Energy for All}}, title = {{Threads of Transformation: Fashion, Energy \& Women at the Intersection of Climate Action}}, institution = {Sustainable Energy for All}, year = {2025}, month = jun, url = {https://www.seforall.org/publications/threads-of-transformation-fashion-energy-women-at-the-intersection-of-climate-action}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }