On March 30, 2025, the International Day of Zero Waste spotlighted the environmental challenges posed by the fashion and textile industry. Over 240 global events marked the day, including a Chinese exhibition transforming old fabrics into furniture and a youth hackathon in France. Approximately 630,000 individuals engaged in discussions on social media, while airports from Istanbul to Beijing displayed messages promoting clothing reuse and repair.

Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), emphasized the industry's significant environmental impact, stating, "Unsustainable fashion is aggravating the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature, land and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste." She advocated for a circular economy that prioritizes sustainable production, reuse, and repair.

The fashion sector's contribution to global waste is substantial, with studies indicating that 92 million tonnes of textile waste are generated annually, equating to a garbage truck's worth of clothing incinerated or landfilled every second. The day's events underscored the necessity for sustainable practices within the industry to mitigate these environmental impacts.