Study Ties Apparel Industry to Plastic Pollution

A new topline report by Cotton Incorporated finds that the apparel industry is responsible for about 14% of global plastic pollution, or 8.3 million tons. Conducted by researchers from North Carolina State University, the report finds that “about 40 percent of all plastic waste from the industry is mismanaged and negatively impacts the environment.” According to the report, in 2019, the global apparel industry consumed approximately 32 million tons of plastic, with synthetic fibers accounting for about half of that amount.