“Brands reap the benefits… and citizens bear the costs.”

Look closely at the tags on most clothing items and you’re guaranteed to spot synthetic materials made from fossil fuels.

But even as fashion brands say they are increasing sustainability and reducing pollution, they are not moving away from these dirty materials.

What’s happening?

A new report from London-based non-profit organization Change Markets has found that the use of petroleum-based fibers is not only at an all-time high, but is growing.

The worst offender was Zara owner Inditex, which produced more than 212,000 tons of synthetic fibers in 2023. The report notes that Shane has not disclosed her own production volume, and given the company’s rapid growth, she may actually be the main offender.

Trellis reported the results, and Planet Tracker’s Richard Wielechowski called the “net zero industry” with a “predilection for fossil fuel-based fiber” hypocritical.

Addiction is the right word. Many of the brands surveyed reported using more than 55% synthetic fibers, with Shane reporting 82%.

Yet despite these realities, many companies still say they are working to dramatically reduce their use of synthetic materials—what Trellis calls “denial and hypocrisy.”

For example, although Hugo Boss aims to phase out the use of polyester and polyamide by 2030, it used 143% more synthetics in 2023 than in 2022, the report found.

Why are synthetic fibers so harmful?

Trellis spoke with Ken Packer of Tufts University, who pointed out the dark irony of using toxic oil for profit. “The costs of using fossil fuel-based resources are socialized and the profits are privatized,” he explained. “Brands reap the benefits of synthetics, and citizens bear the costs.”

These costs are primarily associated with microfiber shedding and contamination. When clothes deteriorate, tiny pieces of plastic end up in water and soil; from there they migrate into food sources and human bodies.

And with the apparel industry being the world’s third-largest buyer of plastic (after packaging and construction), the report calls the “fossil fashion” industry a “lifeline” for big oil companies, encouraging the continuation of this toxic model.

What are fashion companies doing about it?

To address these issues, Changing Markets has proposed several recommendations, including setting strict and specific emissions reduction targets; eliminating greenwashing campaigns that mislead customers; providing transparent supply chain reporting; allocating resources for “true circularity”; and supporting legislation to improve the industry.

As a consumer, you can do your research and only buy from companies that actually eliminate the use of synthetic fabrics. fashion production completely.

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