Overproduction takes a massive toll on the planet. Every year, 92 million tons of textile waste piles up. Most of that is inventory that hasn’t been sold (Ellen MacArthur Foundation). Manufacturing just one t-shirt can pump out 2.1 kg of CO₂. When millions of items go unsold, that impact skyrockets (World Resources Institute).

The fashion industry is also responsible for 20% of global wastewater production (UN Environment Programme). And the waste doesn’t stop there—textiles dumped in landfills release methane, a greenhouse gas even more potent than CO₂, making things worse for the climate (Earth.org).

On top of the environmental damage, overproduction hurts everyone. Excess stock often means cutting corners on quality, leading to fast-failing garments. To compete, some brands underpay factory workers, adding unfair labor practices to the list of issues. Overproduction isn’t just wasteful—it’s unsustainable. (mannpublications.com).

The truth: Flying clothing by air creates more carbon emissions than shipping. But combining flying with our on-demand manufacturing model is a more eco-friendly option than bulk production with sea freight.

By only making what’s ordered, there’s way less waste of energy, water, and materials—helping to balance out the emissions from air freight. And since air shipping is faster, you avoid months of stockpiling and overordering.

We know air freight puts out about 500 grams of CO₂ per metric ton per kilometer, but the waste from unsold clothes—landfills, methane emissions, and all those lost resources—can be even worse.

Most clothing production still follows a ‘take-make-waste’ model. That’s bad for business and the planet. A circular economy is ideal, where waste is low and materials are in use for as long as possible.

Yes, recycling is an example of this. No, we don’t recycle material to make your garments. We do avoid making waste before it starts though. 

Sustainability is an ongoing conversation, there is no quick fix. Flying orders around the world is, of course, faster and more efficient, but so carbon-heavy.

Shipping takes a lot longer and you need to order in bulk. Which means full warehouses with lots of carbon emissions. And potentially, wasted clothing ends up in landfills, releasing toxic, methane gas.

Turns out, that flying is the better option for the environment. Especially when we use efficient and direct routes. 

Simplifi’s model minimizes the waste that happens in the traditional supply chain. Our on-demand, air-shipping approach is the responsible choice when you’re looking at the environmental impact.

Working out your carbon footprint can get complicated, but it’s important. Partnering with a good sustainability expert will give you the clearest picture of your supply chain’s impact. Meanwhile, here’s what our research shows about how Simplifi’s on-demand model stacks up:

Traditional Bulk Production:
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• Production Emissions: Making 1,000 polyester garments releases 6,400 kg of CO₂. (CO2 Everything)
• Shipping Emissions: Shipping 1,000 garments 15,000 km by sea adds 150 kg of CO₂. (Freightos)
• Warehousing Emissions: Emissions can vary based on factors like warehouse energy efficiency, storage conditions, and the types of garments stored. (Carbonsolution.com)
• Unsold Inventory: It’s difficult to give exact figures on this, but methane emissions in landfills are 25 times more powerful than CO₂ over 100 years.(EPA.gov)

On-demand production with Air Freight:
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• Production Emissions: Making 500 garments on-demand releases 3,200 kg of CO₂. (CO2 Everything)
• Air Freight Emissions: Shipping these by air over 15,000 km releases 3,750 kg of CO₂. (Freightos)
• No Warehousing Emissions: Ordering on-demand means nothing needs to be stored so you don’t need to include warehousing emissions when you partner with Simplifi.
• A lot less Waste: The only products ending up in landfills are those your customers discard. You won’t be overordering and so you won’t be filling up landfills with unsold garments.