There is an elephant in the room, and this time it is wearing our clothes.
For the past two decades, negotiations of new climate measures and the review of progress towards the UNFCCC goal to limit climate change have been high on the agenda for countries world-wide. At COP28 in the UAE, global commitments were made to triple renewable capacity by 2030 and some heralded the ‘beginning of the end’ for the fossil fuel era. Behind the scenes, however, the fossil fuel industry is gearing up to pump oil and gas into another sector that directly affects us all.
The fossil-fueled fashion industry
Synthetic fibres (such as polyester, nylon, acrylic and elastane) use fossil fuels—both crude oil and coal—as raw material inputs. The production of synthetics has increased dramatically over the last 50 years. Between 1975 and 2019 the synthetic market grew ninefold and in 2021 synthetics made up 64% of global textile fibre production. Yet because the synthetics sector consumes fossil fuels as feedstock and does not combust them directly, it has become a key ‘blind spot’ within climate change discussions.
When we talk about fast fashion, what we are really talking about is fossil fuel fashion.
Thanks to fossil fuel companies externalising the costs associated with coal, oil and gas extraction and generous subsidies from governments, synthetic fibres are cheap to produce. Polyester, the most widely produced synthetic fibre, costs half as much per kilo as cotton. This has allowed for ultra-low retail prices, which encourages consumers to purchase large volumes of clothing and disincentivises the uptake of circular practices such as reuse and repair.
The production of synthetic fibres currently accounts for 1.35% of global oil consumption—more than the entire annual consumption of Spain. Yet this figure is set to increase dramatically in the coming decades as profit-seeking fossil fuel companies pivot away from the energy sector and towards other lucrative industries such as plastics and textiles. The International Energy Agency predicts petrochemicals—for use in plastics and textiles among other products — will represent up to 50% of the growth in oil demand by 2050, ahead of trucks, aviation and shipping.
Synthetics vs Natural Fibres
Both natural and synthetic fibres have significant environmental impacts across their lifecycle. However, synthetics are uniquely problematic owing to their use of non-renewable raw material inputs, the high energy required to convert fossil fuels into fibres, mounting microplastic pollution in our oceans and alarming impacts on human health.
But above all, the main issue with synthetics is that their bountiful supply and low-cost has allowed for an explosion in production volumes, which is the key driver of environmental impacts across the fashion sector.
So, what is the solution?
First and foremost, climate negotiations need to refocus on the key issue, keeping fossil fuels in the ground and preventing the environmental and social harm caused by their extraction and use. By narrowly focusing on the energy transition, we are opening loopholes for fossil fuel companies to divert oil and gas into new growth sectors like textiles and clothing.
In the more immediate term, we need to slow down the fast fashion machine by curbing synthetic production. As part of negotiations under the Plastics Treaty proposals have been put forward to tax polymer production. The so-called ‘Polymer Premium’ would fill an important financing gap, allowing countries in the global South to build the necessary infrastructure to deal with plastic pollution. But this proposal could also be extended to increase the cost of synthetic fibre production, making sustainable natural fibres more cost competitive, and slowing down the fast fashion machine.
The reality is, fossil fuels are everywhere, embedded in many of the products we consume daily. Addressing their use and harmful effects will require a deep transformation of societal values, public policies and economic structures. But as citizens we also have a responsibility to be aware of the dynamics at play in our purchases and to apply pressure on our political representatives to deliver change.
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This blog is an output from Sufficiency Approaches to Fashion and the Environment (SAFE), a 2-year project led by Hot or Cool which brings together policy makers, researchers and businesses to advance systemic change in the fashion industry towards a Fair Consumption Space.
Read more about our work on fashion here.
