Toxic textiles

Pakistan’s textile industry, while economically significant, is contributing millions of dollars in waste each year, and the opportunity cost is staggering. Our air, freshwater, marine life, and overall climate are bearing the brunt of this environmental damage. For example, producing a single pair of jeans consumes between an estimated 5,000 and 8,000 litres of water. This is a shocking misuse of a resource as scarce as water, especially in a country like ours, where water scarcity is a growing concern. This unsustainable practice is leading us toward a future where we may find ourselves starving for the very resources we are carelessly depleting today.

Adding to the problem is the heavy carbon footprint associated with textile dyeing, along with other harmful pollutants. The traditional linear business model employed by most of our industry is not just outdated – it is harmful. It allows for unchecked production that ends with waste. We urgently need to shift towards a circular economy, where the focus is on reusing, reducing, and recycling inputs.

Zain ul Aabdin Qureshi

Sukkur