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Measuring Fashion: Insights from the Environmental Impact of the Global Apparel and Footwear Industries is the first in-depth, science-based study investigating the environmental impacts of the apparel and footwear sector reveals the industries' hotspots and identifies levers of change to guide companies committed to making effective shifts to reduce their impacts.
The underlying study is the first of its kind to assess the environmental impacts of the global apparel and footwear industries. It considers the industries’ value chains across 7 stages – from fiber production/material extraction to end-of-life, and includes 5 different environmental indicators: Climate Change, Resources, Freshwater Withdrawal, Ecosystem Quality, Human Health.
Fast facts from the Measuring Fashion report:
- Combined, the global apparel and footwear industries account for 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, almost as much as the total carbon impact of the EU.
- The apparel industry alone accounts for 6.7% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, with more than 50% coming from 3 phases: fiber production (15%), yarn preparation (28%), and the highest impact phase – dyeing & finishing (36%).
- In a business-as-usual scenario, apparel’s climate impact is expected to increase by 49% – equal to today’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.
- 3 levers of change were identified – rethinking energy, disruptive reduction, and design for the future – and the report asks, “Is shifting to a circular economy enough?”
Read the full article on Measuring Fashion: Insights from the Environmental Impact of the Global Apparel and Footwear Industries at Quantis.