Six Practical Steps Towards Scope 3 Carbon Reduction Activity for Fashion Brands
04-11-2022
By Debbie Shakespeare, senior director, sustainability, compliance and core product line management, RBIS Avery Dennison
Achieving net zero emissions in fashion garment production is a hot topic, and for good reason. The fashion industry is responsible for up to 10% of global carbon dioxide output – more than international flights and shipping combined. And waste is a massive problem, with 92 million tons of textile waste produced every year. As a result, sustainability has become a top priority for most fashion brands. A raft of legislation in the EU and North America will soon make supply chain transparency and carbon reporting a legal requirement.
One of the biggest challenges in transforming our industry is finding the best ways to decarbonise Scope 3 emissions and report progress on what is being achieved. Anything downstream and upstream in the apparel supply chain is Scope 3. This will include raw materials and their production, the manufacturing of products, and how finished products are transported, consumed, and disposed of at end of life. In all honesty, many fashion brands simply don’t know where to start.
So here are six practical ways fashion brands can start tackling Scope 3 emissions:
Source recycled textiles and packaging
To reduce Scope 3 emissions, brands will increasingly seek out sustainable and circular materials in the products they choose to manufacture and stock, for instance, sourcing more environmentally friendly textiles, such as post-consumer recycled products. Even garment care labels can be made from recycled materials, so it’s worth scouring the market for suppliers who can provide responsible options.
Meanwhile, fashion’s use of plastic urgently needs to be addressed, with vast amounts of packaging, hangers, and polybags accounting for plastic waste that ends up in landfills and the oceans. Today it’s possible to source plastic-free e-commerce packaging, and suppliers are becoming more transparent about the material make-up of the packaging and labels they sell to the industry. It pays to partner with innovative, forward-thinking suppliers.
Encourage shoppers to bring back clothes for recycling
Retailers can introduce ‘take back’ of garments for resale or reverse logistics and recycling at the end of life. This will require collaboration, for instance, creating partnerships with local resellers, recyclers, or reverse logistics providers, to ensure the garments sold don’t end up in landfill. One option some retailers are considering is to provide a future coupon for customers sending back garments for resale, which creates an immediate ROI. Clothing companies such as Patagonia and refurbed lead by example in giving products a second life.
Streamline supply chain operations
Tighter supply chain operations can also drive down transportation emissions and textile waste. It’s possible to reduce overstock through RFID or digital tracking of products to ensure stores only receive what is needed, according to the Just in Time model. According to research by Auburn University, apparel retailers without RFID had 65% inventory accuracy, while with RFID, the rate improves up to 99%. Denim brand Levi’s has reported success with RFID-tagged garments in recent years.
Design with 3D garment technology
3D garment technologies provide a great way to reduce the environmental damage caused by the initial stages of product development and sample management. In digital apparel design, modifications and changes of direction can be done virtually, without producing any fabric and waste. 3D has made great advances in design by allowing designers to quickly visualise how garments will look without waiting to see a physical sample. In fact, companies that have used 3D for design reported declines of 50% in the number of samples needed and the costs involved.
Support consumers’ efforts to recycle
Data is a necessary step toward achieving carbon neutrality and connecting a garment to a circular supply chain. As it stands, brands are often not providing the data required to achieve the next step in a garment’s life without sending it to landfill. Instead, governments are having to intervene with new legislation. For example, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes on clothing and textile items are providing a real opportunity to ensure that the sector’s good practices are financially supported. With the right technology – such as Avery Dennison’s Digital Care Labels on garments – you have a digital solution to communicate your product specifications to meet the needs of any incoming legislation and inform customers of how to recycle each item. We are able to design and print QR codes that link to a data-rich online app, to help brands communicate with their consumers easily at every stage of the garment life cycle.
Reduce transport miles
Cutting out unnecessary transportation will immediately reduce Scope 3 carbon emissions. Regional/Local manufacturing is one of the top priorities in eliminating shipping and distribution of materials impact. Using a combined support structure of both regional service bureaus and implant printing (IPPS) excess waste, manufacturing flexibility and carbon reduction can be recognized. Additionally, instead of air freighting samples around the world, there are digital tools that enable an online approval process. Lastly, timing is critical; it’s better for the environment to use ocean freight for raw material and inventory movements, instead of air freight. Although slower, the carbon footprint is far lower.
The best way for Scope 3 emissions to be scaled down is through the entire fashion industry committing to the circular economy. This aims to extend product life cycles, reduce waste to a minimum and close the loop of supply chains. Establishing a circular system is estimated to halve industrial carbon emissions in the EU by 2050. If that target sounds appealing, now is the time to adopt new, greener ways of working.
Sources:
- https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2022-fashion-industry-environmental-impact/?leadSource=uverify%20wall
- https://globalfashionagenda.org/impact-initiatives/pulse-of-the-industry/
- https://eu.patagonia.com/gb/en/shop/netplus-collection
- https://fashion.refurbed.com/de/
- https://rfidea.co.za/staying-ahead-of-the-trend-with-rfid-and-digital-id/
- https://rfid.averydennison.com/en/home/news-insights/case-studies/rfid-case-study-apparel-success-story-continued-levis-to-equip-3000-stores-with-rfid-technology-by-avery-dennison.html
- https://optitex.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Ebook_ROI3D_ENG_FINAL.pdf
- https://wrap.org.uk/resources/guide/getting-ready-extended-producer-responsibility
- https://rbis.averydennison.com/en/home/digital-care-label.html
