No, in most cases, a certificate does not directly change the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) calculation. Certificates are essential for verifying qualitative claims and ensuring traceability, but they generally don’t provide the specific quantitative data needed for an LCA.
The difference between a certificate and LCA data
Think of it like a driving test versus a car’s trip computer:
- A certificate is like a passing grade on a driving test. It proves a standard was met (e.g., the cotton is organic, the factory is audited). It doesn’t tell you the exact amount of fuel consumed during the test.
- LCA data is like the trip computer’s report. It provides the precise numbers required for an environmental calculation: energy used, water consumed, CO₂ emitted, etc.
Most certificates verify that a sustainable process was followed, but they don’t publish the detailed, numerical data needed to calculate a product’s environmental impact.
The exceptions: When data is provided
There are some important exceptions. The following branded materials or certifications do directly influence the LCA calculation.
This is because the organizations behind them (like LENZING™ or Recover™) have conducted their own detailed LCAs and provide us with the specific, quantitative data that we can integrate directly into our system.
Applicable certificates & materials:
- Cotton-based:
- Cotton fiber (BCI)
- Cotton fiber (CMiA)
- Cotton fiber (recycled, Recover™)
- Cotton fiber (EUCOTTON, Integrated farming)
- Cotton fiber (Good Earth Cotton®)
- Cotton fiber (organic, USDA certified)
- Cotton fiber (Supima)
- Lenzing fibers:
- Lyocell fiber (TENCEL™)
- Lyocell fiber (recycled, TENCEL™ REFIBRA™)
- Modal fiber (LENZING™)
- Viscose fiber (LENZING™)
- Viscose fiber (LENZING™ ECOVERO™)
- Other branded materials:
- PET Polyester (LYCRA® T400® fiber)