The Weight of Excess: What the 2025 materials market report reveals about overproduction in textiles

The global textile industry continues to grow at a staggering pace, but so too does its environmental cost. The Textile Exchange Materials Market Report 2025 provides the latest insight into the sheer scale of production, overconsumption, and the growing challenge of textile waste. Its findings highlight not only the urgency for systemic change but also the opportunities for circular models to mitigate damage.

A snapshot of the market

According to Textile Exchange (2025), global fibre production reached 124 million tonnes in 2024, marking a 4% increase from 2023. This follows a steady upward trajectory since 2000, when production was closer to 60 million tonnes — effectively doubling in just over two decades.

The fibre mix is also revealing:

• Polyester now dominates with 63% of the total fibre market, primarily virgin polyester derived from fossil fuels.

• Cotton accounts for 23%, with organic cotton remaining under 2% of global share.

• Alternative fibres (such as lyocell, hemp, or bio-based innovations) together represent less than 5% of the global market.

  
  

As La Rhea Pepper, CEO of Textile Exchange, stresses in the report:

“The challenge is not only to innovate in materials but to right-size production and address demand-side excess. We cannot continue to double fibre output every 20 years without devastating environmental consequences.”

Rolled stock of fabrics

The overproduction dilemma

The report highlights that nearly 40% of produced garments are never sold at full price, with much entering discount channels or liquidation. At the same time, 92 million tonnes of textiles are discarded annually, much of it landfilled or incinerated (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2023).

This excess is fuelled by overproduction — an industry strategy designed to saturate shelves, drive down unit costs, and feed fast-changing consumer demand. Yet, as Textile Exchange points out, this creates a system where supply consistently outstrips realistic demand, leaving mountains of unsold inventory.

Overconsumption: A social reflex

The report connects production excess with shifting consumer behaviours. In Europe, the average citizen buys 15 kg of new textiles per year and discards around 12 kg, according to the European Environment Agency (2024). In the US, per-capita consumption is even higher, exceeding 19 kg per year.

Generational differences are also emerging:

• Gen Z and Millennials show higher adoption of resale, rental, and secondhand purchases (ThredUp Resale Report 2024 notes a 95% increase in new buyers year-over-year).

• However, they are also the most exposed to fast fashion micro-trends, making their consumption patterns paradoxical: more circular, but also more volume-driven.

As the Textile Exchange 2025 report warns, “Without demand-side reduction and mindful consumption, material innovations will only partially offset fashion’s footprint.”

Why returns matter in the equation?

One under-discussed factor in overproduction and waste is returns. In fashion e-commerce, 20–30% of items are returned (McKinsey, 2024). Footwear is especially problematic, with return rates as high as 40%, often due to sizing issues. Each return adds not only to logistics emissions but also risks rendering garments “unsellable” if damaged, improperly processed, or late to restock.

At CIRQUEL, we see returns as a crucial leverage point in tackling overproduction. Every returned garment represents both a cost and an opportunity:

• Cost, if mishandled, leading to landfill or incineration.

• Opportunity, if properly assessed, repurposed, and channelled into resale, rental, or secondary markets.

  
  

By combining AI-driven quality forecasting, anomaly detection, and (local) resale orchestration, CIRQUEL helps brands reclaim value from what would otherwise be waste.

A call for reflection:

For readers, the report is not just a wake-up call for brands but also for consumers. Every purchasing decision has a footprint: the fibre chosen, the production methods behind it, and the likelihood of that item being worn regularly — or quickly discarded. Polyester, cotton, wool, or lyocell — each comes with trade-offs. But the real challenge lies in volume. Buying fewer, longer-lasting, and repairable garments is the most immediate way to reduce textile waste.

Conclusion

The Textile Exchange Materials Market Report 2025 paints a sobering picture: fibre production doubling in two decades, polyester locking in fossil dependence, and a widening gap between what is produced and what is truly needed. But it also outlines clear pathways for improvement: scaling lower-impact fibres, adopting zero-waste design, and implementing effective EPR (extended producer responsibility) schemes across Europe.

At CIRQUEL, we believe tackling returns and extending product lifecycles are critical pieces of this puzzle. Overproduction may be systemic, but with innovation, responsibility, and consumer awareness, the tide can turn.

📖 Full report available here: Textile Exchange – Materials Market Report 2025