Watford, UK – 30 January, 2025 – New pan-European research by Epson has revealed that 35 trillion litres of water[1] – the equivalent to draining the River Thames fifteen times over – is needed to produce the combined number of clothes in UK wardrobes.
Launched ahead of fashion week season, the first-of-its-kind study found that over 634,510 litres of water is required – across production, finishing and dyeing – to create the garments owned by the average British consumer.
According to the findings, Portuguese wardrobes have the highest water footprint per person (817,131 litres) followed by Italy (723,744 litres) and Poland (715,266 litres). The UK ranked seventh but were the least likely to have heard of the term ‘water footprint’. Two-thirds (62%) of Brits have never thought about how their clothes get their colour.
Amongst the worst wardrobe offenders were jeans using up to 18,000 litres of water, and sweaters using 14,000 litres. The dyeing process for a jacket typically requires over 3,300 litres – almost half of the water needed to produce the garment.
To show how innovation can tackle fashion’s ‘water footprint’ problem, Epson has collaborated with leading sustainability designer and authority on pattern, PATTERNITY, to create ‘Water Silks’, a collection of EcoVero™ silk scarves[2] inspired by the rivers and canals of Europe’s style capitals.
Printing with digital printers that use pigment inks, such as Epson’s innovative Monna Lisa, can reduce water consumption in the colour printing stage of clothing production by up to 97%[3]. While fabric production uses the most water, significant amounts are also used during dyeing. Water Silks re-imagines the Thames [London], Seine [Paris], Navigli [Milan] and Spree [Berlin] to serve as a reminder of the intimate relationship between our environment and the clothes we wear.
Its potential, the traditional textile industry is responsible for approximately 20% of industrial wastewater worldwide[4].
Maria Eagling, Chief Marketing Officer at Epson commented: “Fashion is one of the world’s most influential and inspiring industries but as our research indicates, it also has a significant impact on our planet's resources.
“Our ‘Water Silks’ collection demonstrates how creativity and sustainability can go hand-in-hand without having to compromise on artistry or quality.
“International luxury brands and designers, including Richard Quinn and Yuima Nakazato, have already adopted Epson’s more sustainable digital textile production methods. Epson continues to innovate in this area with the launch of the ML-13000 in 2023 that is designed to significantly reduce water consumption. What makes it so exciting is not only the water saving but also the flexibility of on-demand textile printing which significantly reduces stock waste and managing excess inventory.
“With the upcoming fashion week season on the horizon, we see a real opportunity to drive meaningful change across the industry. We hope to inspire more brands to adopt our technology and lead the way towards a more sustainable future.”
Anna Murray, Co-Founder & Creative Director at PATTERNITY added:
“Almost three-quarters of the Earth’s surface is covered by liquid, a fact that has fascinated us since our inception and which made this project all the more exciting to work on.
“’Water Silks’ celebrates the iconic waterways that define Europe’s fashion capitals - whether it’s the energy of London life along the Thames, the spiraling symbolism of the Seine, the vibrance of Milan’s canals, or the edgy energy of Berlin’s Spree. These designs highlight the connection between city life, natural resources, and fashion.
“By using Epson’s innovative printing technology, we minimised water usage and waste, demonstrating that bold, expressive fashion can be created with minimal environmental impact.
“As the industry grapples with issues like water pollution, waste, and overproduction, this collection underscores the urgency of rethinking fashion’s footprint. We hope it sparks conversations and inspires more sustainable practices in the lead-up to this Autumn/Winter season.”
Highest water footprint – per individual[i]:
- Portugal – 817,131 litres
- Italy – 723,744 litres
- Poland – 715,266 litres
- Germany – 696,074 litres
- Spain – 678,963 litres
- Netherlands – 640,742 litres
- UK – 634,510 litres
- France – 602,698 litres
A limited run of ‘Water Silks’ will be produced ahead of AW Fashion Weeks to showcase the collection and the print potential of Monna Lisa for fashion brands and designers.
‘Water Silks’ will be available to purchase for £115 each on the PATTERNITY online shop [https://patternityshop.org/]. Proceeds will go towards the charity Choose Earth.
[1] Epson ‘Water Footprint Report’, January 2025. The Censuswide research was used to ascertain the number of garments each individual owns – allowing us to calculate mean averages. Green Story’s data outlined how many litres of water each of those garments uses in the production process. These were multiplied to calculate the number of litres of water used to produce the average wardrobe = 634510 litres. This figure was multiplied by the number of adults in the UK 55,190,347) = 35 trillion litres. Figures calculated using how much water each garment takes, multiplied by the average number of each garments per each market, totalled up and then multiplied by the number of 16+ population in each country.
[2] LENZING™ ECOVERO™ is a viscose fiber brand that practises responsible production to maximise resource efficiency and minimise environmental impact.
[3] This figure relates to the potential water saving capabilities of the Monna Lisa 13000 (ML-13000) with pigment inks. The source of the 97% comes from the Fuluhashi Environmental Institute, 2024 “Report on Direct Water Input in Digital Textile Printing.”
[4] European Parliament report on the “Impact of Textile Production and Waste on the Environment,” March 2024.
