Fashion is an integral part of society and culture. It tells a story about who we are, where we come from and what matters to us. The global fashion industry, valued at approximately USD 1.7 trillion and employing over 300 million people worldwide, is a major contributor to humanity’s global negative environmental impact, accounting for 2% of global carbon emissions and 20% of industrial water pollution. The industry is currently dominated by a “fast fashion” model: a system built on low-cost production, high consumption rates and rapid disposal, which reinforces the industry’s unsustainable linear production system.
Innovation and technology offer pathways to mitigate these harms. This report identifies and maps sustainable technologies across key stages in textile production, focusing on critical points of the value chain, including raw material cultivation, textile processing, garment manufacturing, distribution, and end-of-life management. It focuses on technologies addressing environmental concerns. A caveat: it bears noting that a technology that reduces one form of pollution may exacerbate another, leading to inevitable trade-offs. Further, these technologies could have negative social or economic effects. Understanding these complexities will be central to advancing real change.
The technologies explored in this report include alternatives to petroleum-based and synthetic fibers, waterless dyeing techniques, bio-based materials and recycling innovations, among others. The emphasis is on shifting the fashion industry toward a circular economy, where resources are reused and recycled in a closed-loop system to minimize waste and environmental impact. By reimagining production systems using sustainable technologies, the goal is to help the industry pivot toward a more sustainable pathway.
Key findings include:
Technology innovations such as lab-grown cotton, bio-based polyester, and waste-to-fiber recycling show promise in addressing the critical environmental impact points in the fashion supply chain, namely fiber cultivation and extraction, textile processing, and end-of-life management.
Many promising innovations are not commercially viable or face difficulties in scaling. High implementation costs, lack of infrastructure and funding, market fragmentation and a sector-wide lack of response largely driven by fashion and market trends are key barriers to the widespread adoption of sustainable technologies.
Growing interest in sustainability and efficient production methods from brands, retailers and investors signal an opportunity toward scaling innovative solutions in the sector.
Broader adoption in diverse contexts is dependent on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and integrating traditional knowledge and nature-based solutions into modern practices.
Regulatory and market incentives are needed. Voluntary initiatives have yielded only limited progress. Recent legislation in the European Union that mandates greater transparency and accountability in supply chains can encourage fashion companies to adopt sustainable practices.
To mitigate the negative environmental impact of the fashion industry, a fundamental shift toward sustainable practices is needed. This includes curbing production rates, embracing circular business models and deploying new technologies that can limit waste, pollution and carbon emissions. Achieving meaningful change also requires collaborative efforts across the supply chain, investment in innovation, supportive legislation, and increased consumer awareness. Through these collective efforts, the industry will be able to transition toward a more sustainable future for fashion and for the planet.