As much as 90% of an apparel product’s environmental footprint occurs before the garment is even assembled, a new study by Glimpact has found.
According to the study, the choice of raw materials and specific manufacturing processes have the most environmental impact on apparel production, rather than packaging, distribution and assembly.
Assessing apparel
Glimpact assessed more than 100 apparel items from brands including Patagonia, Reformation, H&M, Ralph Lauren, and Alo Yoga, using the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) method, a scientific framework adopted by the European Union for measuring environmental footprint.
It found that carbon emissions account for just 23% of a typical garment’s environmental footprint, while packaging and distribution account for less than 7% of product impact.
As the report suggests, changes made early in the clothing supply chain can have a significant impact on the sustainability of a garment – as an example, Reformation’s Tessa Hoodie, made from 100% organic cotton, had the highest impact among the women’s sweatshirts tested.
In the men’s category, meanwhile, Ralph Lauren’s linen-cotton blend pants outperformed both Patagonia’s jeans and H&M’s chinos, due to the lower environmental impact of linen compared to other materials, such as cotton or synthetic materials.
‘Tip of the iceberg’
“Carbon is just the tip of the iceberg,” commented Christophe Girardier, CEO of Glimpact, “because the environmental crisis is not just climate, it’s systemic. While brands are investing significantly in sustainable packaging and carbon offsets, they ignore the fact that 90% of their impact comes from their raw materials and certain industrial processes like weaving and dyeing.
“The ecological transition of the fashion industry is only possible if brands measure their product’s impact with the comprehensive and scientifically rigorous PEF methodology, so they can understand the real stakes of the environmental crisis.”
The report was launched to coincide with the European Union commencing its Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which came into force in July 2024. Read more here.
