Carbon Foot Printing for Textile Industries

Windsor Suite Hotel, Bangkok27 October 2010

Training on “Reducing Carbon Foot Print in Textile Industries”

Dr. Balasankari B.E., M.Engg., Ph.DArul Joe Mathias B.E., M.Engg., MBA

WHAT IS CARBON FOOT PRINTING (CFP)?

• GHG emission caused directly or indirectly by an individual, event or product

• Measure of environmental impact

• Considers CO2 and GHG emissions

• Unit: t CO2e

• Accounts energy inputs and emission outputs

• Limited to emissions effects on climate change

• Consider life cycle assessment

APPROACHES…

• Organisational carbon foot print

– deals with entire activities

• Product carbon foot print (single product / activity /

service)

– deals with life of product

• All activities and products through the supply chain

– Considers right from production to until end use

TYPES OF CFP

• GHG protocol

• Carbon trust standard

• ISO 14064-1

• ISO 14065

• PAS 2050

• Legal sector alliance protocol

STANDARDS FOR CFP

• Scope 1 - direct emission

• Scope 2 - indirect emission due to the generation of

purchased electricity

• Scope 3 - all other indirect emissions

SCOPES

• Decision on the method/procedure/standard to be followed

• Identification of organisational and operational boundaries

• Collection of data

• Application of the emissions factors

• Verification of the results

• Devising a strategy to reduce emission

• Verifying the actions to reduce emission

STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED

• Is based on GHG protocol corporate standards

• Includes

– Required Information

– Optional Information

REPORTING

Carbon Foot Printing inTextile Industries

INTRODUCTION

• Textile industries are the biggest sources of GHGs

• Clothing industry accounts for 4% of global CFP

• >1 million tons of textiles are thrown away each year

• They do not decompose quickly

• Generate methane while decomposing (e.g. woolen

garments)

SIGNIFICANCE• Significant in entire processes from cotton growing to

until delivery to retailers and final disposal

• Cotton cultivation practices – chemicals & machineries,• Ginning – electricity• Spinning – humidification & other electrical applications• Wet processing – heat & chemicals• Garment, carpet, woollen, jute - electricity & chemicals• Logistics to retailer – transportation : fossil fuels

Ultimate Result global warming

GLOBAL IMPACT

• For producing 60 billion kg of fabric every year• 132 million metric tons of coal is burnt and• 9 trillion litres of water is used

• In 2009, first carbon foot print for textile and related products were released in UK

CO2 CONTRIBUTION FROM TEXTILE SECTORS

12

3

CFP REDUCTION OPTIONS

• Energy efficiency measures

• Use of renewable energy

• Spinning – potential to reduce energy use by 10%

• Water treatment – potential to reduce about 20% emissions reduction

• Dyeing – Some of the new technologies and organic dyestuffs reduce emissions by about 20%

• Finishing – old machinery replacement and elimination of diesel generators reduce emission by 15%

CFP REDUCTION POTENTIALS

EXAMPLE FOR CFP REDUCTION

• 25% savings in climate change impact for gentle power bleach

GENTLE POWER BLEACH

• Peroxide bleach preparation at mild conditions (at low temperature of 65oC & neutral pH)– Enhanced quality

• No fiber damage

• Increased garment durability

• Enzyme technology– Saves in energy and water

– Reduces cotton weight loss

Case Study 1

CFP of A T-shirt

White colourMen’s T-shirt

Large size

CONTINENTAL CLOTHING COMPANY

Products:

Blank printable t-shirts, polo shirts and sweat shirts

PROCESSES INVOLVED

• Organic cotton farming• Ginning• Spinning• Knitting• Dyeing• Cutting and sewing• Transport to harbor• Ship transport• Transport to shops• Usage by user• Final disposal

CFP OF A T-SHIRT – NORMAL PROCESS

• CFP of one t-shirt adds – 6.5 - 7kg CO2

CFP MEASURES

• Organic farming

• 100% certified organic cotton shirts

• Natural irrigation practice

• Cotton farms were located in such a way that monsoon rain could supply 95% of water

• Renewable energy use

• Production facility is powered by a nearby wind farm

Cotton waste generated

used as organic fertiliser or

used for other textile and upholstery products

Dyes

made in controlled environment

wastewater is thoroughly treated

Packaging

using biodegradable or 100% recycled materials.

CFP MEASURES …

CFP ASSESSMENT PROCESS

• Actual CFP of a T-shirt with grid usage: 6.5 kg CO2e

• CFP after RE measure: 0.65kg

CFP REDUCTION USING RENEWABLES

Case Study 2

CFP of a woolen sweater

Merino woolNormal size

PROCESSES CONTRIBUTING TO CFP• Starts from sheep breeding and ends in final

disposal of the sweater by end user

– Sheep breeding– Wool scouring/shearing– Sorting and grading– Dyeing– Spinning– Knitting– All packaging– Transportation to distribution centers and stores– Washing by user– Final disposal

CONSIDERATIONS FOR CFP

• Boundary for CFP calculation: Entire production chain

• Life Cycle Analysis methodology

• CFP was estimated by means of the leading textile

company