In the year of 2000, all consumers worldwide have spent around US$1 trillion just on buying clothes. What is more, one-third of sales belongs to Western Europe, the other one-third to North America and one more quarter belongs to Asia.

Nowadays, clothing and textile make up 7% of world’s total exports, with most of the production coming from China. The country has the largest share of world’s trade in clothing and textile, however, there are also other players, such as Germany, Italy and the USA. What is more, the sector seems to be growing, while prices and employment keep falling, which has been due to the involvement of new technologies and vertically integrated structures.

The main issues that the sector is facing are toxic chemicals and use of energy. Textile and clothing industry has (undoubtedly) been involved in the world’s climate change, as to its requirement for burning fossil fuel to create electricity for air and water in laundering. Plus, additional energy uses can be registered in providing fuel for agricultural machinery and electricity in general. Apart of all that, there is also an issue of toxic chemicals, which are widely used in cotton agriculture and many manufacturing processes, such as dyeing, pre-treatment, and printing.

Nevertheless, social concerns have been always high in this sector. Many campaigns for improved social conditions for low-pay employees have been improved and continue to be effective. Retailers have been recognized practicing good labour standards, however, it has been a difficult task (for the retailers) to influence their suppliers to follow the same example – not exploiting working hours or child labour. What is more, most supplying countries for the textile and clothing industry have legal minimum wages, however, those are not always realistic and keep many people in the cycle of poverty. Nevertheless, the fight ‘for the right thing’ should continue, since we all have the power of changing the world.

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make,” – Jane Goodall.