Currently, almost all of the top 250 global companies are involved in sustainability reporting, reflecting a substantial increase of over 50% since 2002. We have finally entered an era where terms like sustainability, ESG, and ethics have become must-have words in brand marketing.

The fashion industry has also engaged in extensive discussions surrounding sustainability, with the global sustainable fashion market valued at $7.7 billion in 2023 and projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23% during the forecast period from 2024 to 2031.

Initiatives aimed at fostering a sustainable world have been implemented. However, many of these practices have failed to achieve their intended outcomes.

Many movements, wrapped in the language of client experience and eco-consciousness, often hide the complex—and sometimes contradictory—realities of “sustainability.” How often have you scrolled through Instagram and seen a brand claim, “We’re a sustainable young label” with no convincing details? Or perhaps you’ve experienced a neatly attired courier arriving at your doorstep to personally collect a luxury item you’re returning, all while wishing you a great day? Would you choose Made-in-France garments made from Indian organic cotton, knowing that it results in higher water usage and carbon emissions from transport?

Sustainable fashion is complex, with various trials and failures evident in the following aspects:

recycled polyester: the non-biodegradable dilemma of mass production

European shoppers are at the forefront of the trend toward sustainable awareness. According to the 2023 Europe Luxury Report, 77% of European consumers express an interest in purchasing sustainable luxury products. Furthermore, 51% of shoppers indicate a willingness to pay up to 10% more for items that are sustainably made or shipped.

Several brands popular among European youth are making strides in sustainability: Uniqlo incorporates 30-80% recycled polyester in various product lines, resulting in a 63% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to virgin polyester. In 2023, Adidas reported that 96% of the polyester used in its products is recycled. Similarly, Patagonia claims that 91% of its fabrics are made from recycled polyester, which helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 12.3 million pounds.

However, Uniqlo’s parent company, Fast Retailing, is one of the largest users of polyester in the industry. The company’s mass production practices, which facilitate an accessible price range, heavily rely on chemically synthesized fabrics. While these high-tech materials assure extremely high performance, they are non-biodegradable and contribute to long-term pollution. Today, fashion brands produce almost twice the amount of clothing that they did in 2000. In 2024, the Chairman, President, and CEO of Fast Retailing Group, Tadashi Yanai, stated, “Our group operates around 3,600 stores worldwide… Each year, we deliver about 1.3 billion articles of clothing to customers around the globe.”

Data shows that synthetic fibers accounted for 62% of all fibers used globally in 2023. The non-biodegradable nature of these fibers leads to massive waste accumulation, with approximately 92 million tons of textiles discarded annually, a large portion of which consists of synthetic fibers, further intensifying the environmental crisis. Although brands promote extending the lifespan of garments, data reveals that global fashion consumption continues to rise, making it difficult to curb waste accumulation.

e-commerce and high return rates: hidden carbon emissions behind environmental promises

E-commerce platforms are often considered environmentally friendly as they reduce the energy consumption associated with physical stores. However, high return rates, driven by issues like size and style discrepancies, introduce hidden costs, including transport, logistics, checks, packaging, and warehousing. These factors contribute to increased carbon emissions from transportation and packaging operations in the apparel industry.

In the case of Chinese women’s fashion e-commerce, the average return rate reached 60% in 2022. To meet consumer demand for fast deliveries, many platforms use air shipping, significantly increasing carbon emissions. According to the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, logistics account for 11% of global carbon emissions, with frequent return shipments being a significant contributor.

Globally, a 2024 survey revealed significant online return rates among internet users, with 73% in India, 51% in Germany, and 49% in both the US and UK. In 2023, one in four Americans returned clothing purchased online.

Carbon emissions from e-commerce logistics are projected to reach approximately 25 million metric tons of CO2, highlighting the hidden environmental costs associated with this shopping model. This increase underscores the significant impact of online shopping on sustainability, particularly in the context of transportation and logistics.

fast fashion: the eco-dream of garment recycling

Groups like H&M and Inditex have launched clothing recycling initiatives to tackle textile waste. By incentivizing consumers to recycle old garments in exchange for Zara store coupons to be used within a limited period, one might question whether these retailers are merely using environmental responsibility as a facade to boost fast-fashion consumer spending.

Furthermore, the fate of these recycled clothes raises concerns—where do they actually go after being collected? Are they genuinely transformed into new products? Or do they end up in landfills despite the recycling claims?

Currently, there are two primary methods for recycling used textiles: mechanical and chemical recycling. Mechanical recycling is a well-established process that shreds textiles, such as worn cotton jeans, into smaller pieces to produce new yarns for re-entry into the fashion supply chain.

However, a study published in Nature indicates that cotton recycling is quite expensive, requiring specialized solvents and equipment, costs that ultimately fall on consumers willing to bear them.

In contrast, chemical recycling employs chemical processes to break down textile waste at a molecular level, mainly being applied to specific fiber types, including polyester, cellulose, and polycotton blends. Research shows that approximately 100 billion garments are produced globally each year, but less than 1% of materials are successfully recycled through chemical processes to create new clothing. This means that the majority of recycled clothing is still landfilled or incinerated, with recycling far underperforming expectations.

the resource burden of customer choice: organic cotton & ocean waste fabrics

Many fashion brands have touted their initiatives to transform ocean plastic bottles into textiles as part of their environmental commitments. While this innovation is heavily promoted, the energy consumption involved in the process remains largely unexamined, necessitating high temperatures and multiple chemical reactions. This process consumes more energy than recycling plastic into everyday products, which tend to be less ‘green’ and fashionable.

Moreover, once these plastics are converted into clothing, they cannot be recycled further like virgin plastics and are ultimately discarded. The production of these fibers, derived from oil and gas, has surged over the past 20 years, showing no signs of deceleration and failing to address the root problem of plastic pollution.

Another popular customer choice is organic cotton, which is considered a sustainable fabric source. However, the production process for organic cotton is more resource-intensive than traditional cotton. Producing 1 kilogram of organic cotton requires around 2,700 liters of water, and global organic cotton supply accounts for less than 1% of total cotton production. In certain cotton-producing regions, the promotion of organic cotton has put enormous pressure on water resources and the local ecosystem.

Recent analyses highlight that while consumers may feel reassured by such eco-friendly claims, this “pseudo-environmental” strategy has not effectively alleviated environmental pressure. In fact, it may have done the opposite. Due to the increasing demand for sustainable fabrics, the global organic cotton market reached US$ 443.1 million in 2022 and is expected to reach US$ 733.3 million by 2030.

In conclusion, while the fashion industry has made progress in sustainability, many initiatives expose significant shortcomings. The reliance on recycling, the hidden costs of e-commerce, and the resource demands of sustainable materials highlight the need for a more transparent and systemic approach. True progress requires addressing these challenges to create a genuinely sustainable fashion landscape.