Where does BCome’s data come from?
The BCome platform is powered by a comprehensive and robust database, composed of thousands of datasets specific to the textile and footwear industries. Our methodology combines secondary data from the most reliable global sources with primary data provided directly by suppliers.
Secondary data sources: The foundation of our analysis
The majority of our calculations are based on data from internationally recognized secondary sources, ensuring our analysis is scientifically sound and aligned with global standards. Our primary sources include:
- The official PEF Database (v.3.1): We use the database from the European Commission’s product environmental footprint initiative, ensuring our analysis meets leading European standards.
- Ecoinvent (v.3.11, cut-off model): We employ ecoinvent, one of the world’s most comprehensive and trusted life cycle inventory (LCI) databases, known for its peer-reviewed scientific data.
- Agribalyse (v.3.2): We incorporate data from this public French database for agricultural products, which provides robust information on farming and food production impacts.
- PlasticsEurope: For plastic materials, we use industry data provided by this association wherever possible.
When specific data for a particular process is not available in these databases, our experts build a proxy model using reference data, process information, and technical sheets. These models are developed using OpenLCA (v.2.4.0) software.
Primary data sources: Direct supplier precision
Primary data is information collected directly from a specific supplier in the value chain (e.g., the energy consumption of a particular fabric mill).
When our clients’ suppliers agree to share their primary data, we sign a disclosure agreement. This allows us to incorporate that information (anonymized and aggregated) into our generic database, enriching it and continually improving the accuracy of calculations for all users.
Data modeling and validation
Regardless of its origin, all data in our database is validated and verified by our in-house experts. Each dataset is standardized in either mass units (kg) or number of items, depending on its intrinsic characteristics, to ensure consistency and comparability across the platform. This rigorous validation process ensures that the results you receive are reliable and based on the best available information.