Several industries continue to rely on oil and gas to power operations and produce their products, using petrochemicals. One industry that is unlikely to move away from fossil fuels any time soon is fashion, which often uses oil derivatives to make materials for clothes, shoes and accessories. Despite the widespread consumer push for sustainability, fast fashion brands have become extremely popular around the globe and are now selling more than ever before, with no sign of slowing.
The fashion industry has been highly reliant on fossil fuels for several decades and while some brands are aiming to reduce their dependence on oil and gas, most are expected to continue using fossil fuels to power operations and produce textiles for decades more to come. By 2019, the fashion industry was producing an estimated 1.7 billion metric tonnes of CO2 per year or 10 percent of all man-made carbon emissions. This figure is expected to grow to almost 2.1 billion tonnes by the end of the decade. It is also the second-largest consumer of the global water supply.
This year, the global apparel market is expected to reach a valuation of $1.79 trillion, and estimates suggest it will grow at a CAGR of 2.65 percent between 2024 and 2029. In terms of individual clothing items, a volume growth of 1.3 percent is expected in 2025 to reach 198.4 billion pieces by 2029.
Currently, most fabrics are produced using fossil fuels, around 63 percent. Synthetic materials are compounds produced using synthetic fibres that originate from fossil-fuel-derived resources, such as crude oil and petrochemicals. Chemicals undergo polymerisation to form elongated, linear chemical chains before being transformed into fibres through a spinning process. The most common synthetic fabrics include polyester, nylon, and acrylic.
There are also semi-synthetic or cellulosic fabrics produced using renewable resources such as wood pulp from trees or bamboo, to produce materials such as viscose, modal, and lyocell. These have become more popular in recent years as brands look to improve their sustainability. Meanwhile, natural textiles are produced using natural fibres that come from living organisms, such as plants and animals, including cotton, wool, and silk.
Over the last half a century, many brands have gradually shifted away from natural fabrics to synthetic alternatives, as they have favourable properties such as being more stretchable, waterproof, and stain resistant. They are typically also cheaper to manufacture. In 2022, polyester contributed around 54 percent of global fibre production. The energy-intensive process of converting plastic fibres into textiles requires high volumes of petroleum and natural gas and emits volatile particulate matter and acids like hydrogen chloride.
Quantity is also a problem. Between 2000 and 2015, clothing consumption doubled, and consumption is speeding up even faster following the launch of “ultra-fast fashion” brands, such as the Chinese company Shein, which launches as many as 1.3 million new products a year, compared to Zara’s 25,000 and H&M’s 20,000. Shein’s revenue grew from a reported $10 billion a year in 2020 to at least $30 billion in 2023, although many speculate the figure is much higher. The shipping, transportation and packaging of clothing also require fossil fuel use and contribute to high levels of greenhouse gas emissions globally.
Microplastics are also a challenge. Synthetic fabrics decompose much slower than natural textiles, contributing to the accumulation of microplastics in oceans. A 2017 International Union for Conservation of Nature estimated that 35 percent of microplastics found in the world’s oceans come from the laundering of synthetic textiles.
This December, the climate group Stand.earth published a report accusing 107 fashion brands of being linked to oil and gas fracking in the Permian Basin in Texas, due to their sourcing of fossil-fuel-derived fibres. The report stated that 57 of these brands have explicit policies to phase out or reduce virgin polyester and several others have green transition policies in place, including Ralph Lauren, Puma, Levis Strauss & Co., H&M, Marks and Spencer, Lululemon, The Gap and Adidas. “As international fashion brands increasingly rely on these materials, the environmental and social toll of fracking becomes a critical concern,” Stand.earth said in a press release.
Synthetic fibres derived from fossil fuels are expected to contribute to 73 percent of global apparel production by 2030, according to a report by the Changing Markets Foundation. These fibres are linked to exacerbated climate change, health risks, and increased waste. Therefore, such widespread use of these materials in the fashion industry is expected to conflict with many brands’ aims to decarbonise operations and produce more sustainable products. A 2021 World Economic Forum report suggested that the fashion industry and related supply chains are the world’s third-largest polluter, a trend that is expected to worsen unless brands can reduce their reliance on oil and gas in the coming years.
By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com
