Fashion’s Plastic Addiction in Four Charts

Last year, global textile production grew to a record 124 million tonnes. The increase was largely the result of higher volumes of virgin polyester, which now accounts for nearly two-thirds of the total market, according to a report released last month by nonprofit Textile Exchange.

The fossil-fuel-based plastic material has come to dominate the fashion industry over the last 25 years, besting cotton on price, offering unparalleled versatility and helping to fuel substantial growth. Polyester…