Transforming the Textile Industry: Tackling Chemical Pollution

The World Health Organization estimates that two million lives were lost in 2019 due to exposure to chemicals, yet the global chemicals industry is expected to double by 2030. The textiles sector uses large amounts of chemicals, from raw material production all the way to the final stages of a product’s life. The cultivation of cotton, for example, uses 3% of the world’s arable land, yet accounts for 5% of all pesticides (measured by total pesticide sales) and 10% of insecticides. During fashion and textile manufacturing, more than 15,000 chemicals can be used, including in detergents, dyes, flame retardants, stain repellents and softeners. Some of these chemicals, such as azo dyes (used largely for their low-cost colouring effects), PFAS (used for water, oil and stain repellence) and chlorinated paraffins (used as flame retardants or for flexibility and durability), can accumulate in the environment for decades, also causing impacts to human and animal health. The common use of chemicals across multiple types of fibres is an area where major change in the industry is needed.