Fashion sector emissions surge amid overproduction and polyester dependency

The apparel industry, already under scrutiny for its environmental footprint, recorded a 7.5 percent increase in greenhouse gas emissions in 2023, according to the Apparel Impact Institute’s (Aii) annual report Taking Stock of Progress Against the Roadmap to Net Zero 2025. The findings underscore a troubling reversal: it is the first year-on-year rise since Aii began tracking climate progress in 2019.

Total emissions from the sector reached 944 million tonnes, representing nearly 2 percent of global emissions. This sharp uptick pushes the industry further from its ambitious target of halving its carbon output by 2030, a goal that now feels increasingly aspirational. At the heart of the issue lies the relentless churn of ultra-fast fashion and a deepening dependence on virgin polyester, which now accounts for 57 percent of global fiber production. Recycled fibers, meanwhile, remain underutilized, failing to make a significant dent in fossil fuel reliance.

Yet, amid the overall increase, there are pockets of progress. A growing number of brands are cutting their Scope 1 and 2 emissions by transitioning to renewable energy, phasing out coal, and investing in efficiency upgrades. Fast Retailing (parent company of Uniqlo), Puma, Inditex, and H&M, which reported a 23 percent reduction in Scope 3 emissions between 2019 and 2024, are among those leading initiatives to decarbonize their value chains. On the supplier side, investments are scaling: Artistic Milliners has committed 100 million dollars to renewable energy, Shenzhou Group has cut its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 24 percent since 2022, and Elevate Textiles reports a 35 percent drop since 2019.

Pockets of progress

“While it’s encouraging to see progress across the value chain, with meaningful case studies from both brands and suppliers, this data is a stark reminder of how far we still must go as an industry,” said Lewis Perkins, President of Aii. “The good news is we don’t have to start from scratch. Resources, initiatives, funding, and partnerships are available to support every part of the fashion ecosystem.”

The report, landing at the mid-point of what many have dubbed the decisive decade for climate action, stresses the urgency of scaling sustainable materials, committing to 100% renewable energy, and eliminating coal from manufacturing. For the fashion industry, which thrives on speed, novelty, and scale, these measures may require a fundamental rethink of production models that are currently designed for excess.