The fashion industry in Europe has cut its carbon dioxide emissions by 24 per cent between 2008 and 2017. Fashion in Europe is moving toward sustainability. In 2017, the European textile and leather industry emitted 8.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere compared to 11.4 billion tons in 2008.

The Italian industry is the most polluting European fashion industry. The sector’s emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is 30.2 per cent of the fashion industry’s emissions in the continent. The second most polluting market in the fashion industry in Europe is the British. However, the country has reduced its CO2 emissions over the years. France occupies the third position within the most polluting fashion industries in the region. Although French textile and leather increased their emissions by 1.9 per cent between 2016 and 2017, the sector has reduced its pollution, emitting 36 per cent less than in 2008. Spain and Portugal, meanwhile, are the other two most polluting fashion industries in Europe. However, the fashion industry in Spain and Portugal has reduced pollution by 20.7 per cent and 25.8 per cent between 2008 and 2017.

Fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world but the sector has been taking more and more sustainable steps in the last ten years.