I can believe that consumer clothing wouldn't make up a majority, but I really want a breakdown of that textile waste now, instead of the NYT or cwkoss's ready-to-eat opinions.
Edit: here is the EPA's study
The main source of textiles in municipal solid waste (MSW) is discarded clothing, although other smaller sources include furniture, carpets, tires, footwear, and other nondurable goods such as sheets and towels.
https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-...
EPA estimates that the generation of clothing and footwear was 11.9 million tons in 2015 (4.5 percent of total MSW)
If 4.5% in the majority, they have too many categories.
The first is that clothing is the majority of textile waste.
The second is that textiles are 4.5% of all MSW.
Which means that clothing is >2.25% of all MSW.
Industry exists to sell to consumers. You can't decouple them.
They are counting all textile waste in the country. Not just fashion related, not just clothing, and not restricted to consumer goods.
NYT is using their typical corporatist-absolving-tone which blames consumers for the environmental evils of industry. Textile waste is not something that consumers can make truly significant impact in because the majority of what NYT is blaming on them is outside of their control. The entire premise of this article that reducing textile waste should fall to the responsibility of consumers is unfounded.
Consumer guilt can do a little bit, but they are a relatively small proportion of the problem. Reminds me of 1990s recycling propaganda. Suggesting that poor people buying cheap clothing is the cause is disingenuous at best.