From petroleum to pollution: the cost of polyester

Every second, one garbage truck full of textiles is landfilled or incinerated. Up to 85% of textiles go into landfills each year. By the time you have read this article, on average, more than 120 garbage trucks full of clothing will have been discarded. Beyond this immense waste, the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of the world’s carbon emissions. That’s more emissions than all international flights and maritime shipping combined. Without substantial change, the industry is projected to consume a quarter of the world’s carbon budget by 2050. 

The rise of fast fashion, driven by social media and the industry’s ability to rapidly bring trends to a broader audience, has fueled this increase in consumption. Europeans, for instance, use nearly 26 kilos of textiles each year and discard about 11 kilos. Only 1% of textiles are recycled, while the vast majority (87%) are either incinerated or sent to landfills. Although some used clothing is exported, much of it still ends up in waste disposal rather than being reused or repurposed. 

In addition to its carbon emissions and wasteful tendencies, the fashion industry is a major consumer of plastic. Approximately 60% of clothing materials are derived from synthetic fibres such as polyester, acrylic, and nylon. Polyester alone produces two to three times the carbon emissions of cotton during production. 

Where does polyester come from and why does it matter? 

Polyester is a synthetic fiber derived from petroleum and it was first patented in 1941. It rose to prominence during a 1950s marketing campaign promoting it as a “miracle fibre.” Advocates claimed it could be worn for 68 days straight and still appear presentable, making it particularly appealing to women who were often overworked and undervalued at that time. By the 1960s, however, polyester gained a reputation as cheap and uncomfortable. Perceptions changed in the 1980s with a renewed marketing push, emphasising affordability, wrinkle resistance, and durability. For us consumers, these are definite benefits. However, on a practical note, polyester stains easily, attracts lint and dirt, and is not breathable. Perhaps most importantly, polyester is detrimental to the environment. In 2022, 70 million barrels of oil were required to produce polyester. It’s not biodegradable, and it emits microplastics.  

Polyester and the environment

Microplastics are tiny shards of plastic measuring up to 5mm in length. They are contained in everything from tyres to beauty products, which contain microbeads and tiny particles used as exfoliants. Another key source of microplastics are synthetic fabrics. Every time clothing is washed, it sheds tiny plastic fibres called microfibres, a form of microplastics. These microplastics eventually make it into our oceans. Washing one polyester shirt every two weeks can release approximately 52,000 microplastic fibres annually. A single laundry load of polyester clothes can discharge as many as 700,000 microplastic fibres. The majority of microplastics from textiles are released during the first few washes. Fast fashion is too often about mass production, low prices and high sales volumes that promote multiple and repeat purchases and as a result more washes. However, shedding of microplastics isn’t limited to washing; synthetic clothing releases microplastics throughout its entire lifecycle, from manufacturing to wear and disposal. Research estimates that synthetic textiles are responsible for 35% of the microplastics in our oceans today. To put this into perspective, in 2024, scientists estimate that there are 51 trillion microplastic particles in our oceans.

Additionally, textile production is estimated to be responsible for about 20% of global clean water pollution as a result of dyeing and finishing products. Textile dyeing releases heavy metals and other toxins into waterways, impacting local communities that rely on these water sources. Affected communities face serious health hazards, including high incidences of cancer, gastric problems and skin issues. The waste from these factories makes its way into nearby rivers, which irrigate the fields of local farms, contaminating crops and drinking water.  

Simultaneously, water overuse in textile manufacturing exacerbates global water scarcity. Wet processing, including pretreatment, dyeing, and finishing, consumes 85% of the water in the textile supply chain. For perspective, producing a single pair of jeans requires 8,000 litres of water, equivalent to one person’s drinking water for seven years. This overuse limits millions of people’s access to fresh water, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases and food insecurity. 

Polyester and socio-health challenges

The production of polyester and its widespread use in clothing can contribute to several health risks, both for those involved in its manufacture and for consumers. The chemicals involved in polyester production, particularly those used in dyeing and finishing processes, are linked to various health concerns. Some of these chemicals, like flame retardants and certain dyes, are toxic and may cause skin irritation, autoimmune diseases, respiratory issues, or even cancer with prolonged exposure. In the United States, the Center for Environmental Health found dangerously high levels of BPA, a hormone-disrupting chemical, in polyester-spandex socks and sports bras from major brands, exceeding California’s safety limit by up to 19 times. Even in small amounts, exposure to these chemicals can lead to increased health concerns.

Communities near production- and waste sites are the first victims. Poor pay rates, working conditions, working environments, and child labour in textile factories, have devastating social impacts on local communities. 

In addition to general labour exploitations, fast fashion also exacerbates systemic sexism. Of 91 million textile workers globally, 50 million are women. Factory owners take advantage of women’s unequal position in societies around the world. They pay them less, demand more, eliminate job security, and diminish their rights. More and more, research demonstrates that women experience physical and verbal abuse in these factories. In some instances, abuse even goes as far as rape and sexual assault.

The aftermath

Okay, what now? You may be looking at your closet and thinking, “So, do I get rid of all my polyester clothing?” No, whether you donate your clothing or throw it away, it will most likely end up in huge textile garbage belts. In many states where the second-hand textile trade is abundant, most unwearable clothing is left scattered around the markets and in nearby neighbourhoods, as commissioned landfills are full. 

In some countries, a few of these garments are used as fuel for street vendors by individuals looking to earn a livelihood, oblivious to the danger the emitted toxic fumes pose to their health. These toxic fumes are present in landfills, where most fashion waste is burnt. Most waste pickers in these landfills lack the appropriate protective gear, making them susceptible to the toxic chemicals released when textile waste is burnt, including respiratory illnesses like asthma, colds, the flu, and lung inflammation. This deepens the complexity of health issues tied to the textile industry, adding air pollution-related conditions to a list that already includes waterborne diseases and psychological harm from workplace abuse.

How do we combat this? 

The fashion industry’s reliance on synthetic fibres such as polyester, which are responsible for a substantial portion of microplastic pollution in our oceans, highlights the broader global challenges discussed at the recent plastic pollution negotiations in Busan, South Korea. These negotiations, part of the United Nations Environment Assembly’s efforts, centred on finding solutions to reduce plastic waste, including curbing plastic production.

A key area of contention was whether to include regulations on upstream production, which includes the creation of plastic polymers used in fabrics like polyester. Over 100 nations pushed for more decisive action on limiting plastic production, while a smaller bloc of fossil-fuel-producing countries resisted such measures. Despite these divisions, the negotiations underscored the need for systemic change, reflecting the urgent need to address plastic’s lifecycle, from production to waste. These global efforts could impact industries like fashion, significantly reducing the production of synthetic fibres and alleviating the environmental burden posed by materials like polyester.

Introducing limits on plastic production could significantly reduce one of the primary sources of microplastic pollution in our oceans, andaddress related air and water pollution issues. It could offer a major turning point for the fashion industry, helping to mitigate its environmental impact. By reducing the production of synthetic materials like polyester, the fashion sector could contribute to a cleaner, healthier ecosystem while promoting more sustainable practices.