Page 743 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - DECEMBER 2024

12/28/24, 8:27 PM UAE: 25 million shoes thrown out each year; experts urge action on fashion waste - News | Khaleej Times

Clarifying the hidden environmental costs of the fashion industry and people's washing habits, experts also
highlighted how potential revenue is lost each year in the textile industry due to wasteful practices like
overproduction, under-utilised clothing, and poor recycling methods.

"Fashion is $500 billion of lost opportunity. A lot of it is hidden. So, for all the clothes we wash, we are
dispersing 51 billion bottles worth of microfibres in the ocean by washing them. Next time you want to wash
your jeans unnecessarily, think twice. It contributes to various environmental issues."

Grading process. Photos: Nandini Sircar

Oil production consumed by synthetic fibre

Garg also pointed out that the fashion industry's environmental impact is a growing concern, especially when
considering the resources it consumes.

"Additionally, synthetic fashion is derived from oil. To put this into perspective, the UAE—one of the world's
leading oil producers—could see the equivalent of 100 days of its oil production consumed by synthetic fibre
production alone. So, you can imagine how big a challenge we face. Furthermore, only a small portion of the
plastic and packaging used in the fashion industry is recyclable."

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