NEWS & CSR

Textile Waste Is Worse Than You Think, Here Are the Facts!

26 Jan 2026 | 107 Views | News Category: Sustainability

Every second, a truckload of clothing is dumped or burned somewhere in the world. This is not fiction — it is a real reflection of today’s global textile industry. The figure highlights the serious challenge faced by the fashion and textile sectors in managing waste sustainably.
Let’s take a look at the latest data and facts so we can better understand what is happening and where change is heading.

What Is Textile Waste?

Brief explanation

Textile waste refers to leftover materials, clothing, or textile products that are no longer used or generated during the production of garments and other textile goods. This waste generally comes from two main sources:

Pre-consumer waste: production leftovers such as fabric offcuts and unused materials.
Post-consumer waste: products that have been purchased, used, and eventually discarded.

Global Facts About Textile Waste

The scale of textile waste worldwide

According to Kompas, the textile and fashion industry generates around 92 million tons of waste every year globally. Most of this waste ends up in landfills or is incinerated.

Why is this number so high?

Clothing production has increased drastically over the past two decades.
Many garments are produced and consumed rapidly through the fast fashion model.
The average lifespan of clothing is becoming shorter.

Unfortunately, less than 1% of global textile waste is recycled into new fibers, indicating that there is still enormous room for innovation in waste management.

The Situation of Textile Waste in Indonesia

National textile waste volume

According to reports from the government and related institutions, textile waste in Indonesia is estimated to reach around 2.3 million tons per year. Without intervention and changes in production and consumption patterns, this number is likely to increase significantly in the coming years.

Management challenges

Indonesia is among the countries that have begun paying greater attention to this issue, yet challenges remain — particularly in waste management and recycling infrastructure. Nevertheless, various collaborations between government, industry, and international organizations are actively being promoted to support the development of a circular economy in the textile sector, as reported by GGGI.

The Impact of Textile Waste

Environmental impact

Poorly managed textile waste can pollute soil and water, especially because many synthetic fibers do not easily decompose and can become a source of microplastics in the environment.

Resource impact

Garment production requires significant resources, including water and energy. When textile products become waste, these resources are effectively lost without creating further value.

Indonesia’s Textile Industry and Sustainability

Textile factories are becoming more responsible

Today, many textile manufacturers in Indonesia are increasingly adopting environmentally friendly and sustainable production practices. The focus is no longer solely on efficiency, but also on waste reduction and the use of more sustainable raw materials. Examples include:

Optimizing fabric cutting processes to minimize leftover waste.
Implementing technologies that enable textile fiber recycling into new raw materials.
Adopting circular economy principles throughout the value chain.

Collaborative efforts

Cross-sector collaboration involving the government, textile companies, industry associations, and communities is becoming more active. These initiatives include training programs, technological innovation, and textile recycling hubs to maximize the value of textile waste.

Solutions & Future Opportunities

Recycling technology

As technology advances, the processing of textile waste into new materials — including automated sorting, waste mapping, and advanced recycling techniques — is becoming faster and more efficient. This opens up new economic opportunities while also helping to reduce the volume of waste disposed.

Consumer awareness

We believe your awareness as a consumer is equally important. Your decision to support quality-designed products and longer usage strategies can significantly reduce the amount of textile waste generated each year.

Textile waste is a major issue with wide-ranging impacts, from environmental to economic. The latest data shows that the global industry produces tens of millions of tons of waste every year, yet only a very small portion is recycled into new materials. In Indonesia alone, textile waste has already reached millions of tons annually. However, sustainability initiatives and circular economy practices continue to grow, driven by the increasing commitment of multiple stakeholders toward a cleaner and more resilient textile industry.

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