the clothing industry has one of the highest impacts on the planet. high water usage, pollution from chemical treatments used in dyeing and preparation and the disposal of large amounts of unsold clothing through incineration or landfill deposits are hazardous to the environment. there is a growing water scarcity, the current usage level of fashion materials (79 billion cubic meters annually) is very concerning, because textile production mostly takes place in areas of fresh water stress. only around 20% of clothing is recycled or reused, huge amounts of fashion product end up as waste in landfills or is incinerated. it has been estimated that in the uk alone around 350,000 tons of clothing ends up as landfill every year. according to earth pledge, a non-profit organisation committed to promoting and supporting sustainable development, "at least 8,000 chemicals are used to turn raw materials into textiles and 25% of the world's pesticides are used to grow non-organic cotton. this causes irreversible damage to people and the environment, and still two thirds of a garment's carbon footprint will occur after it is purchased." the average american throws away nearly 70 pounds of clothing per year. there is an increasing concern as microfibers from synthetic fabrics are polluting the earths waters through the process of laundering. microfibers are tiny threads that are shed from fabric. these microfibers are too small to be captured in waste water treatment plants filtration systems and they end up entering our natural water systems and as a result contaminating our food chain. one study found that 34% of microplastics found in oceans come from the textile and clothing industry and majority of them were made of polyester, polyethylene, acrylic, and elastane. eliminating synthetic materials used in clothing products can prevent harmful synthetics and microfibers from ending up in the natural environment.