A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a scientific methodology used to quantify the environmental footprint of a product across various stages of its existence. It serves as a comprehensive analysis of potential environmental impacts, translating raw data on resource consumption and emissions into understandable environmental indicators.
What does “Life Cycle” mean?
The “life cycle” encompasses all the stages a product goes through, from its origin to its completion. For a typical fashion item, this includes:
- Raw material extraction: The sourcing of initial fibers, such as harvesting cotton or extracting crude oil to produce synthetic fibers.
- Processing: The transformation of raw materials into finished textiles, including spinning, weaving, dyeing, and finishing.
- Manufacturing: The assembly of the final garment or product.
- Distribution: The transportation of the product through the supply chain to warehouses or retailers.
- Use phase: The consumer’s use of the product, including washing and drying.
- End-of-life: The final disposal of the product, which could involve landfill, incineration, or recycling.
BCome’s approach: “Cradle-to-Gate”
At BCome, we conduct a “cradle-to-gate” LCA. This specific type of assessment focuses on the stages from raw material extraction (“cradle”) up to the point the finished product leaves the factory (“gate”).
This scope includes raw material sourcing, material processing, and final product manufacturing. We concentrate on these stages because they are the areas where brands and their suppliers have the most direct control and can make the most impactful changes. Aspects outside this boundary, such as the consumer use phase and end-of-life, are addressed by other complementary indicators on the BCome platform, including the Circularity Indicators.
What are the results of an LCA?
The output of an LCA is not a single score but a detailed breakdown of the product’s environmental performance across several key impact indicators. On the BCome platform, this footprint is quantified in critical areas such as:
- Global warming: Contribution to climate change, measured in kg of CO₂ equivalent.
- Water scarcity: Impact on water availability in specific regions, measured in m³ of water equivalent.
- Eutrophication (Freshwater): Pollution of freshwater systems by excess nutrients, measured in kg of P equivalent.
- Abiotic depletion: Consumption of non-renewable energy resources, measured in MJ.
Why is LCA important for your brand?
Utilizing LCA provides significant advantages for any brand committed to sustainability:
- Make data-driven decisions: Objectively compare the environmental performance of different materials, processes, and suppliers.
- Identify hotspots: Pinpoint the specific stages in your supply chain that contribute most significantly to your environmental impact.
- Communicate credibly: Substantiate your sustainability claims with robust, internationally recognized scientific data.
- Avoid greenwashing: Ensure your environmental initiatives are based on measurable improvements rather than ambiguous statements.
By integrating LCAs into your process, you can take meaningful, strategic actions to reduce your environmental footprint based on scientific evidence.