RESET Carbon client, Esprit, launches a new collection of “R Certified” T-shirts and denim pieces, created by recycling their own manufacturing fabric “off cuts” into their own recycled fabric. RESET Carbon’s life cycle assessment (LCA)  team was engaged to help investigate and substantiate the environmental benefits of these products, compared against conventional T-shirts and Denims made from raw cotton / PET.

Working with Esprit and its suppliers, RESET Carbon analyzed the collection’s ‘cradle to gate’ product life cycle to of a T-shirt and a denim product, making methodological reference to the GHG Protocol Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard, PAS 2050 as well as the BS 14040 and 14044, and finds the Esprit Recycled collection T-shirt to be using 74% less water and 18% less electricity than conventional ones, resulting in an approximate 53% less greenhouse gases per garment*. 

RESET has designed project-specific data collection templates for data collection from Esprit’s suppliers. From manufacturer engagement to deploying professional LCA software SimaPro, RESET Carbon dealt with complex upstream production processes and identified hotspots for saving in the avoided dyeing and washing processes in replacing raw fabric manufacturing with use of recycled fabric. 

Independently audited by local NGO Redress and Control Union and Reset Carbon, the LCA study ensures high traceability. Customers can view details about Esprit’s supply chain and check out the factory level best practice “Global Recycle Standard” on the new website for recycled textiles at www.rcertificate.com

*Figures are based on an internal streamlined Life Cycle GHG Assessment of a recycled fiber made T-shirt from fiber gate to garment gate with a benchmark analysis against a piece dyed fabric made T-shirt.

Related Reading:
RESET In the news: (external)

• New certificate for recycled textiles (EcoTextiles)
• Esprit Debuts Recycled Casual Wear, Denim With EcoChic Design (Ecouterre)