'Ekta dress ekbar porle, ota ar porina': Fashion's hidden climate impact in Bangladesh

Twenty-two-year-old university student Tisha has a wardrobe full of clothes, yet before every dawat, Eid gathering or university event, she feels she has nothing to wear.

​​​​​​"Ekta dress ekbar porle, ota ar porina," she says, explaining that once photos of an outfit are posted online, wearing it again often feels awkward.

Nineteen-year-old Shabrin Shezda feels much the same. But neither lacks clothing.

In the age of Instagram, TikTok and constant social sharing, a new fashion rule has quietly emerged: not being seen wearing the same outfit too often, a trend that is often treated as a flex and is driving more waste, higher emissions and a growing sustainability challenge for Bangladesh.

What was once a personal choice is increasingly becoming a social expectation, driving higher consumption, greater waste and a growing sustainability challenge.

Around 2,700 litres of water are needed to produce a single cotton shirt – enough drinking water for one person for nearly three years.

Studies by the World Bank on Bangladesh's garment sector show that the country's expanding apparel industry places significant pressure on water and energy resources while contributing to emissions and wastewater pollution.

Many consumers, particularly younger generations, feel compelled to regularly update their wardrobes, purchase new outfits for special occasions and avoid repeating looks online.

While the trend may appear harmless, environmental experts warn that excessive clothing consumption is contributing to one of the world's fastest-growing waste streams.

A study published in Cleaner and Responsible Consumption in 2026 found that increasing the number of times a garment is worn significantly lowers its environmental impact, making consumer behaviour as important as production methods.

For Bangladesh, a country already on the frontline of climate change, the implications are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

Fast fashion and changing dressing habits 

The result is a growing demand for inexpensive, trend-driven clothing worn only a few times before being replaced, as social media turns weddings, university events, Eid celebrations and even casual outings into occasions for constant new purchases.

Researchers have identified social media and influencer culture as major drivers of overconsumption, encouraging consumers to treat clothing as disposable rather than durable.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep), the fashion industry accounts for between 2% and 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions while consuming vast amounts of water and raw materials.

Its environmental impact rises further when garments are purchased frequently and discarded quickly.

The issue is not simply buying clothes. It is buying more clothes than are needed.

A growing 'fashion taboo' 

For decades, people routinely wore the same outfits for years. Clothes were repaired, altered and passed on between family members.

Today, fashion trends move at unprecedented speed.

A dress worn to one wedding is often considered unsuitable for the next. Many consumers hesitate to post photos in the same outfit multiple times, while brands respond by releasing new collections more frequently.

This "wear once" mentality shortens the lifespan of garments and increases demand for new production.

Yet sustainability experts argue that reusing clothes is one of the simplest and most effective ways individuals can reduce their environmental footprint.

The environmental cost of a single outfit 

Every item of clothing carries an environmental cost long before it reaches a wardrobe.

Research published in 2021 using life-cycle assessment methods found that the production stage contributes the largest share of clothing's environmental impact. Every additional garment purchased increases carbon emissions, water use and resource consumption.

Producing textiles requires water, energy, chemicals and transportation. Cotton cultivation consumes significant water resources, while synthetic fibres such as polyester are derived from fossil fuels.

According to the United Nations, the fashion industry uses approximately 93 billion cubic metres of water annually and generates millions of tonnes of textile waste each year.

When clothing is worn only a handful of times, the environmental cost per use rises sharply.

A shirt worn 100 times carries a far lower environmental footprint than one worn only twice.

Research by Klepp and Laitala, published in Sustainability in 2020, found that extending the active life of clothing is among the most effective ways to reduce its environmental impact.

Sustainability depends not only on how clothes are produced, but also on how long they are used.

How wardrobes contribute to climate change

Bangladesh is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Rising temperatures, extreme rainfall, flooding and sea-level rise already affect millions of people.

Yet the fashion industry contributes to the same climate crisis that threatens the country.

As the world's second-largest garment exporter, Bangladesh occupies a central position in global fashion supply chains.

The industry supports economic growth and employment, but it also places significant pressure on natural resources through high water use, textile waste and carbon emissions.

Producing, transporting and disposing of clothing all generate greenhouse gas emissions, while rising consumption drives additional production and further emissions.

Discarded clothing often ends up in landfills or informal waste systems, where synthetic fabrics can take decades to decompose and may release microplastics into the environment.

This self-reinforcing cycle worsens climate change while increasing environmental pressure, and experts say it can only be broken through action from both producers and consumers.

Rethinking sustainable fashion 

Many consumers associate sustainable fashion with buying garments labelled organic or environmentally friendly. However, such options remain limited and are not widely accessible in Bangladesh.

Researchers often emphasise a different message: the most sustainable garment is frequently the one already hanging in a wardrobe.

Buying a new sustainable shirt every month may still have a greater environmental impact than wearing an existing shirt for several years.

A 2024 review published in the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment found that extending garment lifespans through reuse can significantly reduce emissions and waste by delaying the need for new production.

Repeated use, repair and careful maintenance can substantially reduce resource consumption while shifting attention from novelty to longevity.

Decluttering, giving clothes a longer life 

Mindful decluttering and creative outfit repeating are emerging as practical sustainability solutions.

Decluttering does not mean discarding clothes but reassessing what already exists, donating usable items, repairing damaged pieces and avoiding unnecessary purchases.

A well-organised wardrobe often helps rediscover forgotten outfits, reducing the urge to buy more.

Research from the European Environment Agency shows that extending the active life of clothing significantly reduces environmental impact by lowering demand for new production and decreasing waste.

The idea of "outfit repeating" is increasingly supported by environmental advocates, celebrities and fashion influencers who now encourage restyling existing garments instead of constant new purchases, noting that outfits can be refreshed through layering, accessories and different pairings without repeating the same style.

A kurti, for example, can be worn with jeans on one occasion and palazzos or draped styling on another, while a shirt can shift easily between formal and casual use.

The growing popularity of capsule wardrobes reflects this shift, as studies on sustainable consumption show that prioritising versatility and durability helps consumers buy less while still maintaining variety in their wardrobes.

Ultimately, environmental research reinforces a simple idea: the most sustainable clothing is not the newest eco-friendly item but the one worn the longest, as each additional use spreads its environmental cost over time.

In a culture driven by constant newness, restyling existing clothes may be one of the most effective ways to reduce fashion's environmental footprint.