Towards Zero Waste in Fashion and Textiles

30th March 2025

Humanity's unsustainable production and consumption practices are pushing the planet toward destruction. Households, small businesses, and public service providers generate more than 2.1 billion tons of solid waste annually, yet 2.7 billion people lack access to waste collection services, and only 61% of waste is properly managed. Urgent action is needed to tackle this crisis. This year's International Day of Zero Waste (30 March) focuses on the fashion and textile sector, highlighting the need for circular solutions. A zero-waste approach is key to this transition. Watch our celebration on UN Web TV.

Towards zero waste in fashion and textiles

This year’s International Day of Zero Waste emphasizes the need for action in the fashion and textile sector to reduce waste and advance circular solutions with the theme Towards zero waste in fashion and textiles.

The rapid growth in textiles production and consumption is outpacing sustainability efforts in the sector, causing severe environmental, economic, and social impacts, particularly in the Global South. Clothing production doubled from 2000 to 2015 and yet, 92 million tonnes of textile waste is produced globally. This equates to a garbage truck full of clothing incinerated or sent to landfills every second.

Addressing this challenge requires systemic change through sustainable production and consumption, and circular solutions. A zero-waste approach is key to this transition.

Consumers can significantly reduce environmental harm by adopting practices like reuse, repair, and recycling. Shifting away from fast fashion and investing in durable, high-quality clothing not only conserves resources but also honors traditional sustainability approaches.

The private sector must take responsibility by designing products that are durable, repairable, and recyclable, while embracing circular business models that curb chemical pollution, reduce production volumes, use sustainable materials, and help rebuild biodiversity. Innovation and accountability should guide business strategies.

Governments play a critical role by enforcing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, regulating harmful chemicals, investing in recycling infrastructure, and incentivizing sustainable business models to drive the transition to a circular economy.

Did you know?

Packed into standard shipping containers and placed end-to-end, municipal solid waste generated in one year would wrap around the globe 25 times.
Increasing resource use is the main driver of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution.
Without urgent action, municipal solid waste generation will balloon to 3.8 billion tons annually by 2050.
Every year the textile sector produces 2–8 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and it uses 215 trillion litres of water, the equivalent of 86 million Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Doubling the number of times a garment is worn would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 44 per cent.