"Clothing Covers More Than Just the Body—It Covers the Environment Too"

Today’s consumer is chasing fast-changing fashion trends. The tendency to buy more for less — known as fast fashion — has now become a serious environmental crisis.
The fashion industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world. It offers the latest trends at low prices, but this convenience comes at the cost of environmental destruction. According to research, nearly 60% of new garments are discarded within a year, leading to immense waste of natural resources and ecological damage.
World Environment Day: A Reminder of Our Responsibility
Observed every year on 5 June, World Environment Day reminds us of our responsibilities towards the Earth.
As per the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the world generates 92 million tonnes of textile waste every year — equivalent to a truckload of waste every second.
Not just India, the entire world is grappling with this silent pollutant — fashion waste.
Fast fashion has amplified garment consumption, causing a sharp rise in textile waste. Chemical dyes and synthetic fibres have become major sources of water, land, and air pollution.
Synthetic fabrics release microplastics, which pollute rivers and oceans. In India alone, millions of tonnes of textile waste are generated annually, much of which remains untreated.

Why Do 60% of New Clothes Become Trash Within a Year?
In this race of mass production and consumption, an average garment is worn only 7–10 times.
Global reports reveal:
•    60% of garments are discarded within a year
•    In the USA, 11.3 million tonnes of clothing end up in landfills annually
•    In Europe, the average person buys 26 kg of clothing annually and throws away 11 kg
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The Real Cost of Fashion: Resource Exploitation
When we hear the word fashion, we imagine beauty, culture, and uniqueness.
But have we ever wondered how many natural resources go into making a single T-shirt or a pair of jeans?
•    One cotton T-shirt requires 2700 litres of water (equal to 900 days of drinking water for one person)
•    One pair of jeans consumes 7500–10,000 litres of water
•    The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions
•    20% of global water pollution comes from textile dyeing and chemical processing
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Fashion Waste and Climate Change
When discarded clothes decompose, they release methane gas — a powerful greenhouse gas.
Every year, over 100 billion garments are produced, but only 1% are recycled.
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Indian Tradition vs. Modern Consumption
India has a rich history of sustainable and reusable clothing — such as Khadi, Banarasi, Patola, Kantha, Ajrakh.
Clothing worn during weddings and festivals was used multiple times and even passed on to the next generation.
However, today’s “wear once, then discard” mindset is eroding these values.
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Solutions: Towards Responsible Fashion
1.    Be a Conscious Consumer
Before every purchase, ask yourself — Do I really need this?
Prioritize quality, durability, and multi-use clothing over trends.
2.    Adopt Sustainable Fashion
Choose Khadi, organic fabrics, and handloom products.
Support local artisans and sustainable production.
3.    Practice the 3 R’s: Restyle, Reuse, Recycle
Give old clothes a new form — turn a blouse into a kurti.
Donate clothes to textile collection centres.
Let design studios revive and redesign your old garments.
4.    Fashion Policy and Industry Accountability
o    Enforce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) on brands
o    Introduce eco-labels showing environmental impact
o    Include sustainable fashion education in schools and colleges
5.    Avoid Single-Use Clothing
Clothing bought for weddings or parties is often worn only once, creating massive waste.
Move away from trend-based shopping and value versatile clothing.
According to the UNEP Sustainable Fashion Report 2023, if every person used just 20% of their wardrobe mindfully, fashion waste could be reduced by 50%.
India’s traditional approach to clothing is not just nostalgia — it is a blueprint for a sustainable future.
It teaches us that clothing is not just about utility or appearance, but also about our duty to preserve natural resources.
"Fashion may change — but our Earth, water, and air must not."