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Versioning summary

Understand the main changes of BCome products as well as the content of the different versions released.

The database is reviewed at least on a 6-month basis in order to model the background processes with the most recent data. Periodically, extensive data search is performed in order to identify new and better data. In case it can be found, the previous data is removed from the database and substituted by the higher quality data.

The updates are released through a new database version to keep consistency. In any case, all the data has been extracted from international databases, institutes, and organizations and from research in specialized literature, which guarantees the good quality of the data we use. The client can access the modeling sheet of any data upon request.


Overview of changes

The main changes implemented by BCome along the different versions are summarized in Table 01. For more information please check the detailed summary of changes:

Table 01. Summary of LCA changes throughout BCome versions.

VersionImpact databaseTraceability formMethodology
BCome 1.790 new processes
16 new packaging
62 new product categories
456 reviewed impact datasets updated to MSI version 3.8 and ecoinvent 3.10. Review of all the metadata.
Benchmark origin database for Raw material extraction, material processing and manufacturing.
Traceability rating system for data collection.
Origin of raw materials to be declared in Step 3: Supply.
LCA:
IPCC 2021 methodology
Manufacturing loss rates based on the product category
Benchmark origins considered for transportation
Yarn and Material specifications
Seamless and sewn tricot products manufacturing specifications
BCome 1.651 new processes
20 new packaging
6 new product categories
Entire new SLCA database available
Retail packaging declaration in a separate sheet.
Option to declare dye processes with or without pretreatments.
Supplier’s complete address declaration.
Declaration of costs for SLCA.
Declaration of retail countries for SLCA.
PLM: Visualization of Unknown processes in platform
LCA: More precision with dye pretreatments consideration.
SLCA: New methodology available. New SLCA indicators:
Child labor, Frequency of forced labor, Trade unionism, Fair wages, Safety measures, Gender pay gap, Weekly hours of work per employee, Women in the sectoral workforce, Social security expenditures, Biomass consumption, Unemployment, Drinking water coverage and Pollution.
BCome 1.5145 new processes
48 new packaging
25 new product categories and reviewed product groups
293 reviewed impact datasets including all MSI datasets updated to MSI version 3.5 and ecoinvent 3.8 Review of all the metadata.
Online sales vs. offline sales share.
Unitary packaging declaration for online and offline sales.
Hazardous substances per article.
Tanning is to be reported as a finishing.
Improvement of retail packaging impact & logistics impact calculation.
Unitary print impact for articles.
New inventory indicator: Water consumption.
French AGEC law indicators:
Traceability, Incorporation of recycled material, Recyclability, Presence of plastic microfibers, Possibility of re-employment, Presence of dangerous substances.
BCome 1.4.1No changeNew suppliers must be declared in the form. Articles and materials can both have a dye, a print, and a treatment process. Reviewed calculation of Eco-score: Supply chain traceability, GMO-free, animal welfare assured. The Eco-Score is now rated with an A to E score.
New CE Indicators: Feedstock, life cycle waste, end-of-life, utility, and overview indicators.
BCome 1.463 new datasets including 14 new regionalized datasets 80 reviewed impact datasets including all MSI datasets updated to MSI version 3.3 78 datasets removed21 datasets nomenclatures changed (in the drop-down menus) 5 new material categories: Plastic (extruded), Metals (cold formed), Metals (extruded), Metals (forged), Composite (film stacking). 4 reviewed material categories nomenclatures 34 new product categories Introduction of the CEI parameters in the form.The benchmark scenario redefined Uniformized allocation methodologies for recycled and second-hand materials. Default metal processes review. Default plastic processes review.
BCome 1.354 new datasets including 15 new regionalized datasets 51 reviewed impact datasets 19 datasets removed85 datasets nomenclatures changed (in the drop-down menus) 5 new material categories: Synthetic leather, Top grain leather, Corrected grain leather, Bicast leather, Patent leather 1 reviewed material category nomenclature 22 new product categoriesNew LCA indicator: Abiotic depletion Standalone indicator removal: Waste Material and manufacturing losses considered in the LCA. Default leather processes review Default laminated plastic processes review. Average ranges of distances based on the country area considered for national journeys All impact indicators are now considered for transportation and manufacturing.
BCome 1.1
BCome 1.2
16 new datasets including 3 new regionalized datasets 13 reviewed impact datasets + all MSI datasets updated to version 3.2 Metadata structure definition for all datasets74 datasets nomenclatures changed (in the drop-down menus) 3 types of packaging per life cycle stepWater indicator: AWARE methodology instead of Pfister et al. Default polymers processes review Default leather processes review Transport calculation review

Indicators modifications

Traceability

Most of the Traceability indicators did not change in their methodology (Table 02). The number of life cycle stages calculation was optimized in BCome 1.4.1. In addition, two new indicators were welcomed in BCome 1.4.1: the number of stages and suppliers traced and the Traceability score. 

Table 02. Summary of methodological evolution in BCome Traceability.

Current nameNº of processesNº of kmNº of life cycle stagesNº stages & suppliers tracedTraceability score
BCome 1.0
BCome 1.1
BCome 1.2
BCome 1.3
BCome 1.4
Name: Nº of processes
Unit: –
Methodology: Based on BCome DB
Name: Nº of km
Unit: km
Methodology: Searate
Name: Nº of life cycle stages
Unit: –
Methodology: Internal methodology
BCome 1.4.1
BCome 1.5
BCome 1.6
BCome 1.7
Name: Nº of processes
Unit: –
Methodology: Based on BCome DB
Name: Nº of km
Unit: km
Methodology: Searate
Name: Nº of life cycle stages
Unit: –
Methodology: Optimized Internal methodology
Name: Nº of life cycle stages
Unit: –
Methodology: Internal methodology
Name: Traceability score
Unit: % or Low to High score
Methodology: Internal methodology based on the supply chain knowledge.

LCA & Stage Comparator

The LCA underwent several changes in terms of nomenclature, units, and methodologies (Table 03). The Water use indicator first changed its methodology to AWARE in BCome in 1.1. BCome 1.3 welcomed a new indicator based on fossil energy consumption: Resource use – Fossil fuels. Then, the nomenclature of Water use and Resource use – fossil fuels was changed to Water scarcity and Abiotic depletion, respectively, in BCome 1.4.1. The water scarcity and eutrophication units were also modified for a better understanding in BCome 1.4.1. In BCome 1.7 the global warming indicator was updated to IPCC 2021.

Table 03. Summary of methodological evolution in BCome LCA and Stage Comparator.

Current nameWater scarcityGlobal warmingEutrophicationAbiotic depletionWater consumption
BCome 1.0Name: Water use 
Unit: l H2O
Methodology: Pfister et al. 
Name: Global warming 
Unit: kg CO2 eq
Methodology: IPCC 2013 GWP 100a method
Name: Eutrophication 
Unit: g PO43- eq
Methodology: CML-IA baseline
BCome 1.1
BCome 1.2
BCome 1.3
BCome 1.4
Name: Water use 
Unit: m3 eq
Methodology: AWARE (Available WAter REmaining)
Name: Global warming 
Unit: kg CO2 eq
Methodology: IPCC 2013 GWP 100a method
Name: Eutrophication 
Unit: g PO43- eq
Methodology: CML-IA baseline
Name: Resource use – Fossil fuels 
Unit: MJ
Methodology: CML-IA baseline
BCome 1.4.1Name: Water scarcity
Unit: m3 water eq
Methodology: AWARE (Available WAter REmaining)
Name: Global warming 
Unit: kg CO2 eq
Methodology: IPCC 2013 GWP 100a method
Name: Eutrophication 
Unit: g phosphates eq
Methodology: CML-IA baseline
Name: Abiotic depletion 
Unit: MJ
Methodology: CML-IA baseline
BCome 1.5
BCome 1.6
Name: Water scarcity
Unit: m3 water eq
Methodology: AWARE (Available WAter REmaining)
Name: Global warming 
Unit: kg CO2 eq
Methodology: IPCC 2013 GWP 100a method
Name: Eutrophication 
Unit: g phosphates eq
Methodology: CML-IA baseline
Name: Abiotic depletion 
Unit: MJ
Methodology: CML-IA baseline
Name: Water consumption 
Unit: liters
BCome 1.7Name: Water scarcity
Unit: m3 water eq
Methodology: AWARE (Available WAter REmaining)
Name: Global warming 
Unit: kg CO2 eq
Methodology: IPCC 2021 GWP 100a method
Name: Eutrophication 
Unit: g phosphates eq
Methodology: CML v4.8 2016
Name: Abiotic depletion 
Unit: MJ
Methodology: CML v4.8 2016
Name: Water consumption 
Unit: liters

CEI

In the first versions of BCome, a waste indicator was calculated based on an internal methodology. It was removed from version 1.3. Finally, BCome 1.4.1 is released with 5 new groups of indicators for circularity and new methodologies based on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and internal know-how (Table 04).

Table 04. Summary of methodological evolution in BCome CEI.

Current nameFeedstock indicatorsLife Cycle Waste indicatorsEnd-of-life IndicatorsUtility IndicatorsOverview indicators
BCome 1.0
BCome 1.1
BCome 1.2
Name: Waste
Unit: kg
Methodology: Internal methodology
BCome 1.3
BCome 1.4
BCome 1.4.1
BCome 1.5
BCome 1.6
BCome 1.7
Name: Article composition (recycled, reused, sustained, virgin) 
Unit: kg
Methodology: Extrapolation from the brand declaration.
Name: Production waste (cradle-to-gate),
Recycling waste (Article), Total unrecoverable waste
Unit: kg
Methodology: Internal methodology based on the MCI of Ellen MacArthur Foundation and estimated process loss rates.
Name: End-of-life collection (recycling, reuse, compost, sust. incineration, landfill)
Unit: kg
Methodology:
Extrapolation from the brand declaration and Sandin, G. and Peters, G. M. (2018).
Name: Length of use, Intensity of use, and Utility.
Unit: market average ratio
Methodology: Internal methodology based on the MCI of  Ellen MacArthur Foundation and WRAP (2006).
Name: MCI
Unit: 0-1 score
Methodology: MCI of Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Eco-Score

The nomenclature of the Eco-Score area did not change since the first version of the methodology. The only change is based on the visualization of the final score, which is now represented by an A-E score instead of 1-10 points (Table 05).

Table 05. Summary of methodological evolution in BCome Eco-Score.

Current namePlanetPeopleTransparencyCircularity
BCome 1.0
BCome 1.1
BCome 1.2
BCome 1.3
Name: Planet
Unit: 1 to 10 points
Methodology: Internal qualitative methodology
Name: People
Unit: 1 to 10 points
Methodology: Internal qualitative methodology
Name: Transparency
Unit: 1 to 10 points
Methodology: Internal qualitative methodology
Name: Circularity
Unit: 1 to 10 points
Methodology: Internal qualitative methodology
BCome 1.4
BCome 1.4.1
BCome 1.5
BCome 1.6
BCome 1.7
Name: Planet
Unit: A-E score
Methodology: Internal qualitative methodology
Name: People
Unit: A-E score
Methodology: Internal qualitative methodology
Name: Transparency
Unit: A-E score
Methodology: Internal qualitative methodology
Name: Circularity
Unit: A-E score
Methodology: Internal qualitative methodology

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