Sustainability: The Environmental Case for Made-to-Order Fashion

Published: February 5, 2026 | Last Updated: February 5, 2026

The fashion industry stands at a critical crossroads. While consumers increasingly demand sustainable options, traditional manufacturing continues to produce devastating environmental consequences. Understanding the true cost of conventional fashion—and the alternatives available—has never been more important.

The Environmental Crisis in Fashion

Scale of the Problem

Fashion accounts for 8-10% of global carbon emissions, surpassing the combined impact of international flights and maritime shipping. In 2024 alone, the industry's emissions reached 944 million tons, representing a 7% increase from the previous year.

The waste generated is equally staggering. The fashion industry produces 92 million tons of textile waste annually, a figure projected to reach 134 million tons by 2030. In the United States, 11.3 million tons of textile waste end up in landfills each year—an 80% increase since 2000.

Perhaps most troubling: 85% of all clothing is discarded annually, often after being worn only 7-10 times. This represents a 35% decline in garment usage compared to just 15 years ago.

The Overproduction Problem

The core issue driving this waste is systematic overproduction. A third of all manufactured clothing is never sold and is frequently destroyed rather than donated or recycled. Only 12% of clothing materials are recycled; the rest contributes to landfill mass or is incinerated.

As Sass Brown, author of ECO Fashion, explains: "Cheap fashion is really far from that. It may be cheap in terms of the financial cost, but very expensive when it comes to the environment and the cost of human life."

Fashion Revolution's Head of Policy & Research, Liv Simpliciano, highlights another often-overlooked issue: "Fashion brands love to promote innovative new products, but the Victorian-era reality of burning coal and wood to manufacture these products is quietly swept under the rug."

Made-to-Order: A Sustainable Alternative

How Made-to-Order Reduces Waste

Made-to-order manufacturing fundamentally reimagines the production model by creating items only when customers order them. This approach eliminates the inventory waste inherent in traditional fashion manufacturing, which typically produces 15% or more excess materials.

The environmental advantages are measurable. On-demand digital production technologies consume 3.7 times less material than traditional bulk manufacturing methods for equivalent production runs. Traditional mass production wastes significant materials per unit, while made-to-order waste is minimal and largely recyclable.

Carbon Footprint Reduction

Made-to-order manufacturing minimizes carbon emissions through several mechanisms. Localized production and shipping reduce transportation distances, while on-demand manufacturing eliminates the energy costs associated with warehousing unsold inventory. Most significantly, made-to-order production creates zero excess stock, directly addressing fashion's overproduction crisis.

McKinsey & Company research indicates the potential scale of industry transformation: "Most fashion brands could reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60 percent for less than 1 to 2 percent of their revenues."

The Path Forward: Conscious Consumption

Rethinking Fashion Consumption

Sustainable fashion requires changes beyond manufacturing. As legendary designer Vivienne Westwood famously advised: "Buy less. Choose well. Make it last."

Fashion designer and Fashion Revolution co-founder Orsola de Castro offers another perspective: "The most sustainable garment is the one already in your wardrobe."

Andrew Morgan, director of The True Cost, frames the challenge: "What if we started by slowing down and not consuming so much stuff, just because it's there and cheap and available. It's amazing how that process makes sense financially, ethically, and environmentally."

Market Growth and Opportunity

Consumer demand for sustainable fashion is driving significant market growth. The sustainable fashion market reached $8.72 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to $15.14 billion by 2032, representing an 8.2% annual growth rate. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, transitioning to circular fashion models could unlock $560 billion in annual economic value.

As designer Eileen Fisher notes: "Sustainability is not an end goal, it's a journey."

Why This Clothing Co. Chose Made-to-Order

Every product at This Clothing Co. is custom-made to order. This decision reflects a commitment to reducing fashion's environmental footprint while maintaining quality and design excellence.

When you order an Obvious Hoodie or any item from our collection, it's produced specifically for you. There's no warehouse filled with excess inventory. No unsold products destined for landfills. No overproduction.

The approach requires patience—orders take longer to produce than pulling pre-made items from shelves. But the environmental benefits justify this trade-off. Zero inventory waste. Minimal material consumption. Localized production and shipping.

This is fashion that respects both the planet and the people who wear it.

Taking Action

Sustainable fashion begins with individual choices:

  • Buy intentionally: Purchase items you'll wear repeatedly rather than disposable trend pieces

  • Choose quality: Invest in well-made garments designed to last

  • Support sustainable brands: Seek out companies using environmentally responsible manufacturing

  • Care properly: Extend garment life through proper washing and storage

  • Consider lifecycle: Think about what happens to clothing after you're done wearing it

The fashion industry's environmental impact is significant, but solutions exist. Made-to-order manufacturing represents one path toward a more sustainable future—one where production aligns with actual demand, waste is minimized, and consumers make conscious choices about what they wear.

Sources

  1. Apparel Impact Institute. (2025). Fashion Industry Sees 7% Emissions Spike. Retrieved from apparelimpact.org

  2. Carbon Trail. (2025). Fast Fashion and Its Environmental Impact in 2025. Retrieved from carbontrail.net

  3. Environment + Energy Leader. (2026). 85% of Clothes Discarded Annually: A Wake-Up Call. Retrieved from environmentenergyleader.com

  4. Fashion Revolution. (2025). What Fuels Fashion? 2025 Transparency Report. Retrieved from fashionrevolution.org

  5. Maximize Market Research. (2026). Sustainable Fashion Market Analysis. Retrieved from maximizemarketresearch.com

  6. McKinsey & Company. (2024). Sustainable Style: How Fashion Can Afford Decarbonization. Retrieved from mckinsey.com

  7. Project Cece. (2024). Best Quotes on Sustainable Fashion. Retrieved from projectcece.com

  8. Rawshot AI. (2025). Fashion Industry Sustainability Statistics Report 2026. Retrieved from rawshot.ai

  9. Uniform Market. (2025). Environmental Impact of Fast Fashion Statistics. Retrieved from uniformmarket.com

  10. Wilen Group. (2021). The Environmental Benefits of Digital Printing. Retrieved from wilengroup.com

  11. Zero Waste Europe. (2025). Tackling the Textile Crisis. Retrieved from zerowasteeurope.eu