Washing clothes after every wear may feel like good hygiene, but experts say many people are overdoing it, with consequences not just for their wardrobes, but for the environment.

Cotton is one of the world’s most familiar materials, worn daily and found in everything from shirts to bed sheets. But behind this comfort lies a high environmental cost, as producing just 1 kilogram of cotton requires about 10,000 litres of water.

When you pick up a simple cotton T-shirt, you probably don’t think about water. But behind that soft, everyday fabric is surprisingly 2,700 litres of fresh water.

The global clothing industry in 2025 paints a picture of divergence, where brand value, market capitalisation, and projected sales do not always align.