Textiles

Textiles and clothing are essential elements of our everyday lives. The global production of textile fibres has almost tripled since 1975. Most textile fibres are synthetic (60%) i.e., made from chemical processes, with polyester being the most widely used. In terms of natural fibres, cotton is the most widely used but only accounts for 37%. Textiles are the fourth largest contributor to resource use (1321kg/person) and greenhouse gas emissions (654 kg CO2-equivalent/person). Textiles re-use and recycling preserves textile fibres in the circular economy and saves the equivalent of up to 98% of CO2 when compared to the use of virgin materials.