Friends of the land of Côte-d’Or say no to “fast fashion”

Below, the press release from the association “Friends of the Earth of Côte-d’Or”:

150 billion items of clothing produced each year, representing up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Fast fashion corresponds to frantic production of clothing and a race towards the lowest production costs. It tramples on the right to the environment and perpetuates violations of human rights and the people who make our clothes.

Fashion is one of the most polluting industries on the planet. Textiles are the third largest water consumer in the world, after wheat and rice cultivation. Today, 70% of synthetic fibers produced in the world come from oil, a limited fossil resource. Clothing made of synthetic material releases plastic microfibers with each wash. 240,000 tonnes of plastic microparticles are released into the environment each year worldwide and end up in nature and the oceans, the equivalent of more than 24 billion plastic bottles. 20% of water pollution in the world is attributable to the dyeing and treatment of textiles.

According to ADEME, emissions generated by the textile industry (clothing and shoes) represent 4 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year. This is more than the impact of international flights and maritime traffic combined. In 2050, the textile sector would even emit 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions if current consumption trends continue. In Europe, we get rid of 4 million tonnes of textiles every year. 80% of these clothes end up in the trash and are finally buried or incinerated… Only 10 to 12% end up on the second-hand market. France (in 2023) collects around 38% of its used textiles, a figure which remains insufficient given the scale of waste. In France, in 2022: 3.3 billion items of clothing sold, or 48 items of clothing per inhabitant per year. However, to respect the Paris agreement and limit warming to +1.5°C in 2025, we should “consume” 5 new items of clothing per inhabitant per year. Instead of reducing the volumes put on the market, the sector has embarked on a headlong rush. Over the past 10 years, Zara, H&M and Primark have accelerated their production pace with a new collection per week.