The global textile and garment industry is by some estimates the third largest user of water worldwide. This is due the manufacturing process that is water-dependent at virtually every stage. Water is consumed in huge amounts, for washing, drying, and the use of special chemicals to obtain a specific finish. Most of the treatment of the fabrics is done in different water baths.

The multi component wastewater, that is produced by the textile and garment industry, contains, among other hormone-altering chemicals, colored dyes, cleaning solvents, and other sometimes hard to degrade chemicals.

One of the most popular physical wastewater treatment methods in the textile and garment production, is adsorption via activated carbon filters such as GAC, granulated active carbon and PAC, powdered activated carbon, filters where its primary function is to absorb colours, odours and chemicals before the water effluent is discharged.