The Rise of Fast, Disposable Fashion
Why it matters: We consume 60% more clothing than we did 15 years ago — and wear it fewer times. This fast fashion cycle fuels textile waste, carbon emissions, and environmental decline.
The Story Behind What We Wear
A cinematic investigation into the impact of global fashion—and the people rewriting its future.
Tangled Threads
Why This Matters Now
Fashion is culture, identity, and expression—but it’s also one of the most powerful environmental forces shaping our world today. Tangled Threads traces the history, systems, and human choices that built today’s fashion crisis—and spotlights the solutions already taking root.
Modern Materials and Their Lasting Environmental Impact
Why it matters: Over 60% of clothing is made from synthetic, fossil fuel–based fibers like polyester. These materials shed microplastics and can take centuries to break down.
The Global Journey of Second-Hand Clothing
Why it matters: Much donated clothing is exported overseas without matching real local demand. Excess textiles can overwhelm communities and contribute to the global waste crisis.
Real Pathways Toward Circularity and Change
Why it matters: Circular fashion solutions — from regenerative fibers to textile recycling — are already emerging. Scaling them is key to reducing waste and building a sustainable fashion system.
Production
A Look Behind the Scenes
Tangled Threads brings together historians, sustainability researchers, and filmmakers to examine fashion’s environmental impact. Through field reporting and expert insight, we connect the industry’s history to today’s climate crisis — and emerging solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tangled Threads about?
A documentary series exploring fast fashion, textile waste, synthetic materials, global resale markets, and circular fashion solutions.
A documentary series exploring fast fashion, textile waste, synthetic materials, global resale markets, and circular fashion solutions
No. The goal is to inform audiences, provide context, and inspire meaningful action across consumers, industry, and policy.
Gen Z, educators, sustainability leaders, brands, and consumers seeking clarity on fashion’s environmental impact.
Host a screening, sponsor the project, collaborate on research, or bring the film to your campus or organization.
The Facts
Core Resource Hubs
We are not alone, there are resources with facts and details!
Websites and Organizations:
Consumer Culture
Solutions & Innovations
- McKinsey - Scaling Textile Recycling in Europe - Turning Waste to Value
- Boston Consulting Group - Scaling Nex-Gen Materials in Fashion
- A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Resale vs Linear Clothing Systems September 2022 - Report by Greenstory for Thredup
- Ellen MacArthur - Making circular business models a core part of business strategy
- Fashion Revolution - Loved Clothes Last Fanzine
Environmental Impact
History & Systems
Our Mission: Sustainable Fashion for All
This docu-series aims to inform viewers about the history of fashion, its environmental impact, and the current trend of commodity fashion. By showcasing the entire lifecycle of fashion products, the series will emphasize the environmental harm caused by global fashion production and consumption, shedding light on the urgent need for change.
Our Supporters
Our Subject Matter Collaborators
The People Behind the Story
Executive Producers & Subject Matter Experts
Dr. Nicholas Breyfogle
Environmental Historian and other titles
A trusted historian who connects centuries of environmental, economic, and cultural forces to today’s fashion systems.
Lisa Goldsand
Circular Thrift & Textile Waste Advocate
Brings 30+ years of global apparel manufacturing experience and a deep understanding of textile waste and circular systems.
Brett Langolf
Director / CXG
Award-winning filmmaker using cinematic storytelling to clarify complex sustainability issues and move audiences to action.
Dr. Tasha Lewis
Sustainable Fashion & Retail Studies
A recognized leader in textile sustainability whose research drives real-world solutions in circular fashion and material innovation.
Bart Elmore
Environmental & Corporate History
An award-winning researcher who reveals how global industries shape ecosystems, economies, and consumer culture.
Alex Boydston
Cinematographer
Transforms research and data into vivid, emotional visual storytelling that makes the impact of fashion impossible to ignore
Jim Langman
Design Director
Creates intuitive, meaningful visual systems that turn complex environmental information into something audiences can instantly grasp
Contact Us
Be Part of the Movement
You can help move this story forward—whether through collaboration, sponsorship, education, or amplifying the message.
Ways to Join:
- Sponsorship pathways
- Host a screening
- Bring the film to your school or campus
- Collaborate on research or content
- Share stories from your community
