The Influence of Clothes Production on the Environment [B1-B2]
- Joan
- Oct 17
- 5 min read
Clothes are an essential part of our lives. Every morning we decide what to wear, whether it is a comfortable T-shirt, a warm jacket, or a stylish dress. Clothes help us to protect our bodies, express our personality, and show our social identity. But behind every piece of clothing, there is a hidden story about how it was produced, and this story is not always positive. The global fashion industry has a huge impact on the environment (wpływ na środowisko), from the way fabrics (materiały) are made to the moment when clothes are thrown away (throw away = wyrzucać).
This article will explore the influence of clothes production on the environment (wpływie produkcji ubrań na środowisko). You will learn how clothes are produced, why the process is harmful, and what solutions can make fashion more sustainable (zrównoważony).
The Journey of a Piece of Clothing
Before a shirt or pair of jeans arrives in your wardrobe, it passes through many stages. Each stage has an environmental cost.
Growing raw materials (uprawa surowców) – cotton (bawełna), hemp (konopie), or flax (len) are plants used to make fibres ([BrE] włókna).
Producing synthetic fibres (produkcja włókien syntetycznych) – polyester, nylon, or acrylic are made from oil-based materials.
Spinning and weaving (przędzenie i tkanie) – fibres are turned into yarn (przędza) and then into fabrics.
Dyeing (farbowanie) and finishing – fabrics are coloured and treated to give them the right look.
Cutting and sewing (szycie) – factories create the final clothing items.
Packaging and transport – clothes are moved around the world.
Wearing and washing – consumers use clothes every day.
Disposal (pozbywanie się) – old clothes are either reused, recycled, or end up in landfills (wysypiska śmieci).
Each step adds to the carbon footprint (ślad węglowy) of the product.
Raw Materials and Their Environmental Cost
Cotton
Cotton is one of the most popular natural fibres. However, its production has a serious environmental impact.
Cotton fields require an enormous amount of water. For example, it takes about 2,700 litres of water to produce one cotton T-shirt.
Farmers often use pesticides and fertilisers (nawozy), which can pollute rivers and damage soil.
In some regions, growing cotton has led to the destruction of ecosystems, such as the drying of the Aral Sea (Morze Aralskie).
Polyester
Polyester is a synthetic fibre made from petroleum (ropa naftowa), a non-renewable resource.
Its production uses a lot of energy and releases greenhouse gases (uwalnia gazy cieplarniane).
Polyester is not biodegradable (biodegradowalny), meaning it can last for hundreds of years in nature.
Washing polyester clothes releases microplastics, tiny pieces of plastic that flow into the ocean and harm marine life ([U] życie morskie/organizmy morskie).
Wool
Wool comes from sheep. At first, it seems natural and sustainable, but it also has problems.
Sheep farming produces methane (metan - CH₄), a powerful greenhouse gas.
Large farms can lead to overgrazing (nadmierny wypas zwierząt), which causes soil erosion (erozja gleby) and loss of biodiversity (utrata bioróżnorodności).
The Dyeing and Finishing Stage
After fibres become fabric, they need to be coloured. The dyeing process is one of the most polluting stages in the fashion industry.
Factories use toxic chemicals to dye fabrics.
A lot of water is wasted during this process.
In many countries, dirty water is released into rivers and lakes without proper treatment.
As a result, fish die, and local communities cannot use the water for drinking or farming.
Finishing treatments, such as making jeans look "worn" or "stone-washed" (sprane - o ubraniu) also require chemicals and energy.
Factories and Working Conditions
Most clothes are produced in countries where labour (siła robocza) is cheap, such as Bangladesh, Vietnam, or India.
Factories often consume huge amounts of electricity.
Old machines may release air pollution.
Workers sometimes face unsafe conditions, which shows that the problem is not only environmental but also social.
The combination of low wages, long hours, and dangerous chemicals makes the fashion industry harmful to both people and the planet.
Transport and Globalisation
Clothes travel long distances before they arrive in our shops.
Cotton might be grown in India, fabrics woven in China, clothes sewn in Bangladesh, and finally sold in Europe or the USA.
Transport by ships, planes, and trucks increases the carbon footprint of each item.
Packaging materials, like plastic bags and cardboard boxes, add even more waste.
Globalisation makes clothes cheaper, but it also increases the damage to the environment.
The Consumer Stage
Even after buying clothes, we continue to affect the planet.
Washing clothes in hot water uses a lot of energy.
Tumble dryers consume even more.
Synthetic fabrics release microfibres (mikrowókna) during washing.
Using strong detergents can pollute water systems.
The way we care for clothes is just as important as how they are produced.
The Problem of Waste
Fast fashion has created a culture of buying too much and throwing away quickly.
Many clothes are worn only a few times before being discarded.
Every year, millions of tonnes of textiles end up in landfills.
Some clothes are burned, which releases toxic gases.
Only a small percentage of clothes are recycled or upcycled (przetworzony/ponownie wykorzystany). Most are simply wasted.
Sustainable Alternatives
The good news is that there are solutions.
Sustainable Fashion
This means designing, producing, and consuming clothes in a way that is friendly to the environment.
Eco-friendly Materials
Organic cotton – grown without harmful chemicals.
Hemp and bamboo – require less water and grow quickly.
Recycled fabrics – made from old clothes or plastic bottles.
Second-hand Shopping
Buying clothes in a second-hand shop or vintage store reduces demand for new products and extends the life of clothing.
Repair and Upcycling
Learning how to sew a button (przyszyć guzik) or fix a hole (naprawić dziurę) can save clothes from the bin. Upcycling means transforming old clothes into new products, for example, making a bag out of old jeans.
Swap Parties (impreza z wymianą rzeczy)
Friends can exchange clothes they no longer need. This reduces waste and makes fashion more social.
The Role of Governments and Companies
Governments can help by:
Creating laws that control wastewater treatment (oczyszczanie ścieków).
Supporting recycling programmes.
Setting rules for working conditions in factories.
Companies can help by:
Publishing sustainability reports.
Reducing water and energy usage.
Offering clothes made from eco-friendly materials.
Collecting old clothes from customers for recycling.
What Can You Do?
Every person can make small but important changes.
Buy less and choose better.
Avoid impulse shopping.
Wash clothes in cold water.
Air-dry instead of using a dryer.
Donate or sell clothes you no longer wear.
Support sustainable brands.
Even small actions can reduce your environmental footprint.
Key Expressions for Talking about Clothes and the Environment
fast fashion
sustainable fashion
carbon footprint
eco-friendly materials
organic cotton
synthetic fibres
microplastics
toxic chemicals
waste reduction
recycling and upcycling
second-hand shop
swap party
landfill
greenhouse gases
water pollution
Discussion Questions
Do you usually buy clothes in fast fashion stores? Why?
Which eco-friendly materials do you know?
Would you prefer to buy clothes in a second-hand shop or a new shop? Why?
What are some easy ways to reduce waste in your daily life?
Do you think governments should make strict rules for the fashion industry?
The production of clothes has a strong influence on the environment. From the use of toxic chemicals in dyeing to the release of microplastics when washing, every stage has consequences. Fast fashion has made the problem worse by encouraging people to buy more and throw away more. But change is possible. By choosing sustainable fashion, supporting eco-friendly materials, and making small lifestyle adjustments, we can all help to protect the planet.
Clothes are not just about fashion; they are about our future. If we all take responsibility, the fashion industry can become more sustainable and less harmful to nature.
Ready to test your knowledge?
You’ve just learned new words and expressions about clothes and the environment. Now it’s time to check how much vocabulary you remember!
👉 Do an interactive quiz below and challenge yourself. See how many questions you can answer correctly — and share your score in the comments!
Learning tip: the more actively you use new words, the faster they will stay in your memory.
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