Global fibre production reached a new record in 2024, with volumes climbing to around 132 million tonnes, according to the latest Materials Market Report from Textile Exchange. The report should have been a moment of hope, but instead it lands like a warning bell. Global fibre production has reached an all-time high of about 132 million tonnes in 2024, up sharply from the year before. The figures reveal a sector expanding relentlessly, even as the rhetoric of sustainability grows louder. Beneath the pledges and pilots, the reality is that the industry remains deeply dependent on fossil fuels, with polyester now accounting for 59% of all fibre production and synthetics as a whole rising to 69%.
This imbalance is not a temporary spike. Virgin polyester continues to grow at a faster rate than its recycled counterpart, despite years of investment and marketing campaigns positioning recycled PET as a breakthrough. Recycled polyester tonnage increased modestly, yet its market share actually fell, from 12.5% to 12%, because virgin growth was stronger. Natural fibres, once the backbone of fashion, are steadily losing ground, their share eclipsed by the accelerating flood of synthetics.
Also Read: How Cellulose Fibres Are Shaping the Future of Sustainable Fashion
The Weight of an Addiction
The truth is unavoidable – the industry is addicted to synthetics. They are cheap, abundant, and seamlessly integrated into existing supply chains, making them the path of least resistance for brands under pressure to deliver volume at speed. Even as awareness grows around microplastic pollution and the climate impact of fossil-fuel dependency, production patterns show little evidence of meaningful change. Initiatives that aim to tackle the problem feel like small patches on a widening crack. We are progressing in language, but in practice we are circling the problem, dressing it in new promises without reducing its scale.
For sustainability teams, the challenge is less about a lack of commitment and more about scale. Each year brings new reporting frameworks, regulatory requirements, and certification standards, creating an ever-expanding list of priorities to manage. At the same time, these teams are tasked with steering businesses toward long-term climate targets that often demand structural change. The pressure is considerable, yet the broader industry model—driven by high volumes, low costs, and rapid turnaround—remains firmly in place, making genuine transformation difficult to achieve.
The Risk of Standing Still
The consequences of inaction are not abstract. Fibre production emissions are rising when they need to fall, pushing the sector further from its climate alignment pathways. Regulatory pressure is tightening, with governments preparing stricter rules on carbon reporting, microplastics, and extended producer responsibility. Brands that fail to act decisively will not only face compliance risks but also lose credibility with increasingly sceptical consumers. In a market where resilience and reputation are becoming as critical as price, circling the problem is a dangerous strategy.
Also Read: ICAC Launches Carbon Footprint Tool to Track Emissions in Cotton Farming
A Question That Demands Honesty
So the question lingers – are we really making progress, or are we simply trying to feel better about marginal improvements while the scale of damage grows? The data in this report leaves little room for illusion. Real progress will demand fewer garments, designed for longer life, built for repair and recycling. It will require feedstocks that break the reliance on virgin fossil fuels and an energy system that shifts to renewables. Anything less will be too slow, too small, and too late.
The industry knows what is at stake. The warning signs are now written in numbers that cannot be ignored. Whether we choose to confront them with urgency or continue circling the problem will define not just the future of fashion, but its very relevance in a world that is changing faster than we are.
