Pre-consumer (or post-industrial) waste
Pre-consumer textile scrap refers to textile waste generated during processing and manufacturing before the product reaches the consumer. This includes materials like fabric scraps from cutting and sewing, excess fabric from production overruns, and faulty or defective fabric.
In BCome methodology, the impact of pre-consumer scrap is the same as the corresponding virgin fiber. Indeed, as per the Guidelines on how to deal with pre-consumer scrap of the PEF (Option 2), any material that circulates within a process chain or pool of process chains is excluded from being defined as recycled content. Scrap collection and treatment are inside the system boundaries. Environmental benefits are obtained from a loss rate decrease in the value chain.
Product system with pre-consumer waste recycling within the system boundaries
Post-consumer waste
Post-consumer textile scrap refers to textile waste that has reached the end of its useful life as a consumer product. This includes items like worn-out clothing, old linens, and discarded carpets.
In BCome methodology, post-consumer scrap is claimed as post-consumer recycled content and should be considered “recycled”. Scrap is considered as an input to the system boundaries. Environmental benefits are obtained from the avoided virgin production and conventional waste treatment.
Product system with 50% post-consumer recycled content
How to declare pre-consumer and post-consumer waste in the Traceability form
| Raw material | How to declare |
| Virgin | Find the specific raw material in the drop-down menu. |
| Pre-consumer waste | Find the specific raw material in the drop-down menu. Pre-consumer waste is always followed by “(recycled, pre-consumer from …)”. It can be from spinner/weaver or manufacturing. |
| Post-consumer waste | Find the specific raw material in the drop-down menu. Post-consumer waste is always followed by “(recycled, …)”. |
Examples of garment compositions
The following cases show how the virgin, pre-consumer waste and post-consumer waste would be modeled based on BCome nomenclature, as well as the different loss rates.
Case 1
79% organic cotton, 20% post-consumer recycled cotton, 1% elastane will be modeled by:
- 79% Cotton fiber (organic)
- 20% Cotton fiber (recycled from textile waste)
- 1% Spandex fiber (elastane)
- Material processing loss rate = 17% (standard)
- Manufacturing loss rate = 20% (standard)
Case 2
100% post-consumer recycled cotton will be modeled by:
- 100% Cotton fiber (recycled from textile waste)
- Material processing loss rate = 17% (standard)
- Manufacturing loss rate = 20% (standard)
Case 3
100% pre-consumer recycled cotton from waste at spinner/weaver will be modeled by:
- 100% Cotton fiber (recycled, pre-consumer from spinning/weaving)
- Material processing loss rate = 0% (reduced by 100%)
- Manufacturing loss rate = 20% (standard)
Case 4
70% organic cotton, 30% pre-consumer organic cotton waste from CMT will be modeled by:
- 70% Cotton fiber (organic)
- 30% Cotton fiber (organic, recycled, pre-consumer from manufacturing)
- Material processing loss rate = 17% (standard)
- Manufacturing loss rate = 14% (reduced by 30%)
References
Zampori, L., & Pant, R. (2019). Suggestions for updating the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) method. In Eur 29682 En. https://doi.org/10.2760/424613