One of the major sources of emissions is lurking in your closet—and on the shelves of stores and warehouses all over the world. With the advent of “fast fashion,” clothing is less expensive and less durable, designed to be worn only a few times before the next trend arrives on the scene. There are approximately 20 new garments manufactured per person per year; we are buying 60% more than we were as recently as 2000. What’s worse: if the trend continues, the clothing industry will triple its resource consumption between 2000 and 2050.

Textile production is one of the most polluting industries, producing more emissions than international flights and maritime shipping. In fact, the apparel and footwear industries combined contribute 8%-10% of global climate emissions.

Beyond climate emissions, toxic dyes pollute waterways; the production of wood-based fabrics such as rayon, modal, and viscose causes deforestation; polyester fabrics shed plastic microfibers into waterways; and cotton production uses large amounts of pesticides and especially water. The industry also exploits workers, who work long hours in unsafe conditions for little pay to make cheap clothing.

So what’s the answer? Buy less, choose quality, and take care of it. If garments were worn twice as many times as they currently are, on average, greenhouse gas emissions from apparel would be 44% lower.

• Buy used clothing. You’ll give garments a second life, and it’s fun to hunt for treasures at thrift stores or consignment shops!
• Buy high-quality clothing and shoes, in styles you’ll want to wear for a long time.
• Wash clothing infrequently; use cold water to save energy and make your clothes last longer.
• Hang-dry clothes whenever possible, both to conserve energy and to preserve clothing. Clothes dryers are hard on some fabrics.
• Donate used clothing and shoes to local thrift shops or clothing drives. If clothing is torn or stained, tear it up to use as rags or donate it to Goodwill for fabric recycling.
• Mend clothing yourself or hire a mending service.
• Do your homework before you buy new clothing. Buy clothes from brands that are producing durable clothing more sustainably.
• Shop locally to reduce the carbon emissions from shipping and packaging.
• Buy recycled polyester fleece, which uses less energy than original production.
• Participate in clothing exchanges if you like to try new styles or tire of wearing the same thing; these are especially useful if you have kids who grow out of clothing and shoes quickly. You can also use clothing rental services, but be aware of the emissions created by shipping garments back and forth.