Apparel Manufacturers Eye Carbon Labels

September 25, 2007

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Because clothing is responsible for approximately one ton of each individual’s CO2 emissions (including washing and drying), we’re likely to see more companies from the U.S. clothing industry slapping carbon footprint labels on their products, Coral Rose, president of Eco-Innovations Sustainable Textile Services writes in a GreenBiz article.When it comes to measuring footprints, here are some of Rose’s “eco-smart tips” for apparel companies:

1. Know your product’s life cycle. The most comprehensive carbon footprint denotes the total amount of CO2 emitted throughout a process or in a product’s lifetime.

2. Choose organic and sustainable fibers. Choosing organic cotton and cotton that has been sustainably grown is one big way of reducing the CO2 impact of your products.

3. Educate your consumers on green habits – switching a washing machine’s temperature setting from hot to warm can cut a load’s energy use in half.

4. Utilize more recycled fibers. The environmental impact of recycling worn-out polyester into new polyester fiber, for instance, is significantly lower than making that same fiber anew.

5. Encourage your customers to recycle.

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Is there a way to assess the carbon emmision for apparel through out the supply chain

rivini | January 8th, 2008

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