Earth Day 2026: what it means for fashion and how you can act

Every year on 22 April, Earth Day asks one question: what have we done? This year, we look at fashion’s footprint and show you stores and brands doing better near you. 

In 2026, the theme is ​“Our Power, Our Planet.” The fashion industry, responsible for an estimated 2 – 8% of global CO₂ emissions (UNEP, 2018), is one of the sectors Earth Day is calling to account. Here is what that means for your wardrobe.

The industry Earth Day keeps overlooking

Fashion is a $2.5 trillion global industry (McKinsey, 2023), and one of the least regulated sectors in the world when it comes to environmental accountability. It is responsible for an estimated 2 – 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, consumes vast quantities of freshwater, the production of a single pair of jeans requires roughly 7,500 litres, equivalent to about seven years of drinking water for one person (UNEP), and generates enormous textile waste at every stage of the supply chain. 

The problem did not happen overnight. The rapid expansion of fast fashion, a business model built on low prices, high volumes, and accelerated trend cycles, over the past two decades has dramatically intensified the industry’s footprint. More collections, cheaper garments, shorter use cycles, and less transparency. The result is a system that treats clothing as disposable and the planet’s resources as limitless.

How We Got Here: Earth Day’s Origins and Why Fashion Must Be Part of the Conversation

It started with an oil spill. In January 1969, over three million gallons of crude oil spilled into the Pacific Ocean off Santa Barbara, California, killing wildlife across 35 miles of coastline. US Senator Gaylord Nelson watched the disaster unfold and decided that civic action was the only answer. 

On 22 April 1970, the first Earth Day mobilised 20 million Americans, one of the largest civic mobilisations in US history. By the end of that year, it had already produced results: the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Air Act, and the National Environmental Education Act (earthday​.org). A movement was born. The date stuck. 

In 2026, Earth Day’s theme is ​“Our Power, Our Planet” The emphasis on collective power is deliberate. Fashion’s environmental crisis cannot be solved by individual shopping choices alone. It requires government regulation, corporate accountability, and industry-wide transparency. Citizens are calling for exactly that, and you can add your voice to the Earth Day petition here.

Fashion’s footprint becomes clearer when you look at where and how clothes are made. Cotton farming, which underpins much of the global textile industry, accounts for 16% of all insecticides sold worldwide despite covering only 2.5% of global agricultural land (WWF). Workers in garment factories across Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Ethiopia, mostly women, face poverty wages and unsafe conditions in a supply chain designed to externalise its true costs. Closer to home, textile waste is a growing crisis. 

In Europe, consumers discard an estimated 11 kg of textiles per person each year (European Environment Agency). Most of it eventually ends up in landfill or is incinerated. The fast fashion model depends on this cycle continuing.

What can you as an individual do to reduce this impact?

As an individual, you can also take steps to reduce your fashion consumption to lower your impact on the planet. Curious how you can do this? Here are some easy-to-implement tips:

• Shop more consciously: ​“Choose clothing from brands that disclose their production practices, you could look for certifications such as GOTS, Fair Wear, or B Corp, and check what they actually cover, but those labels mostly covers big brands with big pockets, the COSH! Brand index also represents small and independent brands that upcycle or who make items 1‑by‑1 in their own ateliers. 

  Find stores with verified sustainability criteria near you in the COSH! store overview. You’ll also find a comprehensive overview of more sustainable clothing retailers or ateliers of small brands or independent designers as well as jewellery brands that disclose their sourcing and production practices on COSH!.

• Buy secondhand: By choosing secondhand, you extend a garment’s in-use life, reducing demand for new raw materials, a core principle of the circular economy model. 
• At COSH!, you can find more than 1000 secondhand stores, upcycling designers or shops selling natural fibre or organic cotton products in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and beyond.
• Repair and reuse: By repairing and reusing clothing instead of throwing it away, you significantly extend its lifespan. Here you can find tips on repairing clothing.
• Donate and recycle: Do you have clothes in your closet that you no longer wear? Donate unwanted clothing to a charity, thrift store or second-hand shop. Or recycle clothing to reduce waste.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why does fashion matter on Earth Day 2026?
 A: Fashion is one of the world’s most resource-intensive industries, responsible for an estimated 2 – 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions (UNEP) and significant freshwater use and textile waste. Earth Day 2026’s theme, ​“Our Power, Our Planet” calls on citizens and governments to hold high-impact sectors like fashion accountable, not just energy or transport.

Q: What is fast fashion and why is it bad for the environment?
 A: Fast fashion is a business model built on producing large volumes of low-cost clothing at rapid speed, encouraging consumers to buy frequently and discard quickly. This model drives overproduction, increases CO₂ emissions, generates textile waste, and relies on supply chains that often externalise environmental and social costs onto producing countries and communities.

Q: How can I reduce my fashion footprint without giving up on style?
 A: The most effective steps are buying secondhand, repairing clothes before replacing them, and choosing brands that disclose their production practices. At COSH!, you can find over 150 secondhand stores in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, plus a curated list of brands that publish their sourcing and manufacturing information so you can make informed choices.

Q: Does shopping secondhand actually make a difference?
 A: Yes, buying secondhand extends the useful life of a garment, directly reducing demand for new raw material extraction, dyeing, and manufacturing. It is not a complete solution to fashion’s systemic problems, but it is one of the most immediate actions an individual can take to reduce their personal contribution to textile waste and resource consumption.

Q: Can individual choices fix fashion’s environmental impact, or does it require legislation?
 A: Both are needed, but they are not equivalent. Individual purchasing decisions can shift market signals and support better businesses, but the scale of fashion’s environmental footprint, its global supply chains, water use, and emissions, requires binding regulation. Earth Day 2026 is calling on governments to act. You can support that call by signing the Earth Day petition, while also using tools like COSH! to make more informed choices in the meantime.