The slow switch to waterless
It is safe to say that the textile industry relies heavily on clean water for many of its processes, from agriculture to spinning, weaving and fabric finishing. The World Bank estimates that the dyeing and treatment of garments is responsible for 17% to 20% of industrial water pollution globally. In its 2017 report ‘A new textiles economy: redesigning fashion’s future’, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation states that 20% of industrial water pollution is attributable to the dyeing and treatment of textiles. The 2017 ‘Pulse of the Fashion Industry Report’, released by the Global Fashion Agenda and Boston Consulting Group, says the fashion industry’s water consumption represents some 79 billion cubic-metres of water per year, 2% of all freshwater extraction globally, and more than 10% of water used by all types of industry.
