When we talk about pollution in India, our minds often jump to power plants, traffic, or factories. But what about our closets? Beneath the glamorous facade, the fashion industry is actually one of the world’s most polluting sectors. Globally, it guzzles about 79 billion cubic meters of water, churns out 8-10% of all greenhouse gas emissions, and piles up a staggering 92 million tons of waste each year. As the third-largest textile exporter and a booming consumer market, India plays a critical role in both the problem and its potential solutions.
A portion of the bathing ghat at the Cauvery abutting Arulmigu Magudeeswarar Temple is clogged with clothes and other articles discarded by devotees, in Erode.
Photo Credit:
GOVARTHAN M
From Towering Trash Piles to Poisoned Rivers
The environmental damage doesn’t stop once a garment is bought. Washing synthetic clothes, like those made of polyester or nylon, releases tiny plastic fibers that slip past water treatment systems. These microscopic pollutants then flow into our rivers, eventually reaching the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, contaminating the seafood we consume. Alarming research has even found microplastics in salt, drinking water, and unsettlingly, inside human blood and lungs. Experts are sounding the alarm about potential health risks, including hormonal disruption, increased cardiovascular issues, and even links to cancer. Clearly, textile pollution is a grave threat, harming both our planet and our personal well-being.
A worker drying clothes after the dyeing at a unit in Tirupur in Tamil Nadu. Photo Credit:
MUSTAFAH KK
India generates approximately 7,800 kilotonnes of textile waste every single year. Shockingly, unlike plastic or electronic waste, there are currently no Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws to compel fashion brands to collect or recycle their products. Once thrown away, these clothes end up in vast landfills like Bhalswa in Delhi or Deonar in Mumbai, where they smolder, releasing toxic fumes into the air. And the popular synthetic fabrics? They can take centuries to break down. Imagine: a polyester t-shirt you discard today could outlast you by generations.
Textile chemical effluents flowing in odai at Ammapalayam merge with River Noyyal in Erode.
Photo Credit:
GOVARTHAN M
Across India, textile manufacturing hubs are grappling with severe environmental consequences. Tirupur in Tamil Nadu, once celebrated as the knitwear capital, faced a major crisis when untreated dyes were dumped into the Noyyal River. This led the Madras High Court to order the closure of hundreds of textile units. Similar stories unfold in Ludhiana’s dyeing mills, Surat’s polyester factories, and Kanpur’s tanneries, all of which continue to release hazardous chemicals into rivers and groundwater. The Central Pollution Control Board has even categorized textiles as one of the top ten industrial polluters in the nation.
Workers stitching garments at a knitwear export unit in Tirupur.
Photo Credit:
SIVA SARAVANAN S
Why Time is Running Out for India to Act
The urgency couldn’t be clearer. India is currently home to 20 of the world’s 30 most polluted cities, and nearly 40% of its rivers are too contaminated even for bathing. The nation also ranks 105th out of 125 countries on the Global Hunger Index, underscoring critical issues in food and water security. Piling textile waste only intensifies these existing challenges. A transition to a circular fashion economy could be a game-changer: it would reduce reliance on imported fibers, generate new employment opportunities in repair and recycling, and establish Indian brands as leaders in sustainable practices. Furthermore, exporters are well aware that upcoming European Union regulations on chemicals and waste will soon determine their ability to access crucial markets.
Key Facts & Figures
Why Aren’t Sustainable Solutions Widespread Yet?
Research into Indian fashion companies clearly outlines the obstacles. Sustainable fabrics and waterless dyeing techniques often come with a higher price tag, a cost that small and medium-sized manufacturers struggle to absorb. Existing pollution laws, unfortunately, are not rigorously enforced. Furthermore, recycling infrastructure is often outdated, making it nearly impossible to separate blended fabrics like poly-cotton for reuse. Meanwhile, consumers are caught in a cycle of craving cheap, trendy clothing, heavily influenced by social media, celebrity styles, and the constant desire for something new. To truly change this, three major shifts are imperative:
1. **Policy Makers Must Lead:** The government needs to develop a comprehensive national circular textiles strategy. This should include mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, stricter enforcement of water and chemical usage rules, and strong incentives for companies adopting clean and innovative technologies.
2. **Industry Must Transform:** Businesses must go beyond mere corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. They need to invest in truly transparent supply chains, provide credible environmental reporting, and establish efficient reverse logistics systems for collecting and repurposing used garments.
3. **Consumers Must Choose Consciously:** Finally, we, as consumers, must fundamentally rethink our shopping habits. This means prioritizing fewer but higher-quality garments, repairing clothes instead of discarding them, embracing thrift shopping and clothing rentals, and consciously resisting the endless cycle of new trends.
Fashion has always been a powerful reflection of societal change. Just as khadi became a symbol of political resistance during colonial India, today, slow and circular fashion must become our emblem of ecological responsibility. The critical question facing us now isn’t if we should slow down fashion, but whether we can act fast enough before the environmental damage becomes irreversible.