Fashion’s 10% Emissions Problem, And the Utilisation Fix

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What if the biggest climate lever in fashion isn’t better materials, but simply wearing clothes longer?

The fashion industry accounts for roughly 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of industrial water pollution. In this episode of Climate Confident, I’m joined by Phoebe Tan, co-founder of Taelor, a menswear rental subscription service using AI-driven styling and real-world garment data to rethink how we consume clothing. The challenge isn’t just fabric choice. It’s overproduction, underutilisation, and a system optimised for churn instead of longevity.

We dig into how rental models can increase garment utilisation and reduce emissions by extending lifecycle wear. You’ll hear why durability data, wear rates, damage rates, wash cycles, may be more powerful than sustainability marketing. Phoebe explains how Taelor feeds performance insights back to brands, effectively becoming a live testing lab for quality and circularity. And we explore a hard truth: convenience often drives behaviour change faster than climate messaging ever will.

If net zero requires rethinking consumption systems, fashion is a revealing case study. This isn’t about trends. It’s about utilisation density, supply chain feedback loops, and whether circular fashion can scale beyond a niche audience.

🎙️ Listen now to hear how Phoebe Tan and Taelor are challenging overproduction and pushing practical decarbonisation in climate tech and the energy transition.

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