The Future Going Up in Flames Behind Fashion’s Glamour

Vol.10— What We Need to Know About the Fashion Industry ―

“Where did the clothes you’re wearing come from—and where will they go?”

Fashion is a powerful means of expressing personality, beauty, and culture—an industry millions around the world enjoy daily.
But behind the glamour lies a hidden reality of severe environmental impact and a structural waste problem.

The Scale of the Apparel Industry: A Symbol of Mass Production and Waste

• Global annual clothing production: ~100 billion garments (double the 2015 volume)
• Per capita purchases: +60% over the past 20 years
• Annual clothing waste: Over 92 million tonnes (Ellen MacArthur Foundation)
• Disposal method: ~87% landfilled or incinerated

In other words, the majority of garments produced are burned or buried—often after minimal or no use.

Where Fashion Waste Goes: Recycling Is Minimal

Global textile recycling rate (2023 est.):

Why so little textile recycling?

• Blended fabrics (e.g., polyester + cotton) make separation difficult
• Existing recycling tech is costly and degrades quality
• True “closed-loop” recycling—turning textiles back into new clothes—is extremely rare

Is Donating Clothes Really a Good Deed?

Many people say, “I put it in a recycling bin” or “I donated it as second-hand clothing.”
But there’s a hidden pitfall.

Global second-hand flows:

• Tens of millions of tonnes exported yearly from Europe, Japan, and the U.S.
• Main destinations: Kenya, Ghana, Pakistan, Chile, Malaysia
• Less than half is wearable upon arrival
• The rest is burned, buried, or dumped locally, causing environmental damage

Case in point — Kenya (BBC / Changing Markets):

• 37% of UK-imported clothing was deemed “waste on arrival”
• Some items were “unrecyclable plastic clothing” (e.g., 100% polyester)

In reality, many “donated” clothes are not resources—they are hard-to-dispose waste.

Fast Fashion and the “Engineered Short Life”

• Product life cycles as short as weeks: ZARA, SHEIN, H&M release new lines weekly
• Overproduction → immediate release → early discounting → replacement-driven consumption
• Low prices encourage quick turnover; consumers experience “trend fatigue” and “ownership burnout”
• Brands rely on over-supply to maintain revenue, locking in waste as part of the business model

The Industry’s Own Waste: Burning Unsold Stock

Many companies—including luxury brands—incinerate unsold goods.

• Burberry reportedly burned £28 million (about ¥4 billion) worth of stock in 2018
• Reasons: avoid discounting, protect brand image, cut storage costs

Clothing destroyed before it even reaches a customer is a stark example of economic efficiency erasing ethics.

Why Recycling and Reuse Don’t Take Hold

Keys to Solutions: Circular Design and Policy Change

European examples:

• 🇫🇷 France: “Repairability Index” for electronics and appliances
• 🇳🇱 Netherlands: Established circular fashion brands (e.g., Mud Jeans)
• 🇸🇪 Sweden: Reduced VAT on clothing repairs

Japan’s opportunities:

• Active second-hand and reuse market, but limited resale channels
• Potential to expand long-life product design and regenerative business models

Conclusion: Can Fashion Live On Without Becoming Waste?

As long as fashion remains a “wear it, tire of it, throw it away” commodity, the planet and people will keep paying the price for overproduction.

From a circular economy perspective, we must ask:

• Is clothing a product or a service?
• Is the goal of design to sell—or to circulate?
• Is fashion about ownership—or sharing and passing on?

The answers may decide whether fashion’s future is burned—or renewed.