Fast fashion is an undeniable international issue regarding climate change, and one that has cemented itself into the core of society. The industry’s guilt is the culmination of several adverse environmental factors, including pollution, waste, and inhumane working conditions. But one aspect of the industry remains largely unchecked–energy.
Cascale, a global nonprofit alliance aiming to inspire collaboration in consumer goods, released a January study revealing key insights into the fashion industry’s carbon footprint and its inadequate levels of decarbonization to bring transparency to the public.
The Cascale 2026 State of the Industry report is a systemized collection of energy usage among the apparel, textile, and footwear industry. According to the report, emissions rose by 7.5% in 2023. Fast fashion now makes up 10% of global emissions, more than international flights and shipping combined. That estimate is predicted to increase by 50% in the next 8 years, according to carbontrail.net.
The report was created to assess the decarbonization process using the Effective Energy Carbon Intensity metric, which standardizes how facilities can measure and evaluate their yearly environmental performance based on electrification and fossil fuel dependency for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.
The Environmental Protection Agency categorizes Scope 1 emissions as “direct greenhouse gas emissions that occur from sources controlled or owned by an organization.” Scope 2 emissions are “indirect greenhouse gas emissions associated with the purchase of electricity, steam, heat, or cooling.” Scope 1 and 2 emissions dominate high-energy facilities of clothing production, particularly in Asia.
The report notably does not include Scope 3 emissions, which make up 90-95% of the fast fashion carbon footprint. Scope 3 emission data is challenging to collect, relying on estimations and proxies, which most companies don’t measure. The Cascale report provides high-quality, accurate data collection, leading to their decision to exclude Scope 3 in this particular report. Cascale data quality is vital as they make decisions regarding regulatory disclosures and operational improvements inside factories.
Factory production can be split into two tiers. Tier 1 is the final assembly of clothing, including cutting and sewing. Tier 2 is the earlier stage of manufacturing, such as dyehouses or fabric mills, which dominates conversation about decarbonization as it comprises the majority of emissions, many of whom still use thermal energy in large amounts. Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo are among the top polluters for their reliance on coal, which has seen no meaningful decline in years and remains 31% of the total energy consumption.
Zara, the first fast fashion company in the world, can turn a garment around from concept to storefront in less than 15 days. The company fronts their emissions with a half-hearted plan to be carbon neutral by 2040, but they have made no attempt to slow production down, according to Earth.org. Companies like Zara claim they focus on efficiency in production as their way to reduce emissions. However, the report shows their gains in efficiency are offset by their increased levels of production after making said efficiency improvements, which only furthers the issue of overproduction.
Zara and other fast fashion companies not only tailor their merchandise around continuous launches, but the materials themselves, largely polyester, are energy-intensive and highly wasteful, designed for consumers to repurchase replacements frequently. This cycle of production and consumption feeds into itself rapidly. If there is to be a real movement for progress, the excessiveness of the industry should be questioned.
It’s not all bad news, though. Recent years have shown an increasing number of facilities beginning to implement renewable energy. Renewables, however, never total more than 4% of the energy summation in Tier 1 and 2. The report states, “Meaningful reductions in emissions will depend on accelerating the transition away from coal, expanding electrification in large, energy-intensive facilities, and rapidly increasing the share of renewable energy.”
Companies unfortunately do not have the incentive to switch to sustainable energy and control production emissions themselves. Instead, climate solutions demand government action, and some have already made headway in regulating the fast fashion industry.
France, under President Emmanuel Macron, passed a 2025 amendment to their existing anti-waste and circulatory economy laws, imposing fines on companies deemed to have “excessive hyperproduction” as well as advertisement bans and sustainability disclosures. This makes it one of the most comprehensive fashion laws worldwide.
In 2025, Vinted, a resale website, became the top clothing retailer in terms of fashion sale volume in France, marking a monumental moment for secondhand fashion sales. However, global fashion powers Shein and Amazon hovered closely behind in the top five.
A recent ThredUp report found that secondhand purchases stop 1 billion new purchases from fast fashion brands. Shopping secondhand is more accessible and more beneficial for the environment, so the next time you think about that new skirt you’ve been wanting, hit up your local Goodwill first. Or, if you’re not into shopping in person at thrift stores, head to the numerous credible online sites: Depop, Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, AptDeco, and more.
We may not be able to control global production, but we can control what we consume. Despite what we are told to believe, we have the power to make an impact on the world we are living in. Consumption isn’t all or nothing either. When you need a new pair of jeans or your spatula breaks, a secondhand purchase is great. But it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the new bag you’ve been saving up for. Anything helps. It starts with making conscious decisions about what we value and where we can afford to be frugal for the greater benefit of nature and society.
Works Cited
Decarbonization Progress in the Apparel, Footwear & Textiles Industry, cascale.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Decarbonization-Progress-in-the-Apparel-Footwear-Textiles-Industry_v3.pdf. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
Lai, Olivia, and Christopher Paetkau. “7 Fast Fashion Companies Responsible for Environmental Pollution.” Earth.Org, 15 October 2022, https://earth.org/fast-fashion-companies/. Accessed 24 February 2026.
Leong, Chin, et al. “Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact in 2026.” Earth.Org, 3 February 2026, https://earth.org/fast-fashions-detrimental-effect-on-the-environment/. Accessed 24 February 2026.
Pleuni. “Vinted Is the Leading Clothing Retailer in France.” Ecommerce News, 8 May 2025, ecommercenews.eu/vinted-is-the-leading-clothing-retailer-in-france/.
“Scope 1 and Scope 2 Inventory Guidance | US EPA.” EPA, https://www.epa.gov/climateleadership/scope-1-and-scope-2-inventory-guidance. Accessed 24 February 2026.
“Scope 3 Accounting in the Fashion Industry – All You Need to Know.” Carbon Trail, https://carbontrail.net/blog/why-scope-3-accounting-is-broken-in-the-fashion-industry/. Accessed 24 February 2026.
“Slowing down Fast Fashion with Sustainability.” Environmental Sustainability, 2 Dec. 2024, www.nerc.org/slowing-down-fast-fashion-with-sustainability?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22900931916&gbraid=0AAAAADNE5_y1NK3irB8-Ew_Z8zKUyS8aR&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7rDMBhCjARIsAGDBuECKW3_EHH_bpty-HlZz7h-Gojct3sI3YSNhzBU8H0jYN08RkWNMN5IaAh_VEALw_wcB.