Life Cycle Footprinting Model

The 'consumer' carbon footprint labels show for the very first time the greenhouse gas emissions for the entire life cycle of different items within a line of clothing.

The calculation model was developed by Continental Clothing, based on: the Carbon Trust Methodology, PAS 2050, and WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocol. The model covers Manufacturing (raw materials, farming, production), Transportation, Screen Printing, Distribution and Retail, and the three consumer 'Use' phases of the life cycle analysis: washing, drying & ironing; finally end of life Disposal.

Understanding the carbon emissions along the entire supply chain is the first step towards reducing the carbon footprint and the environmental impact of clothing.

Philip Charles Gamett, Director, Continental Clothing Company:
 
"We will use the Carbon Trust’s first carbon reduction label for textile products to pass forward the competitive advantage we have gained to corporate business leaders looking to act on climate change. Within twelve months, we will ensure that every industry leader in Europe and the US will have been presented with the opportunity to benefit from EarthPositive apparel, using it to communicate CSR to shareholders, employees and customers. Furthermore, we will show sustainability to be profitable and to have competitive advantage, and so encourage copycat behaviour and thus movement towards a brand new industry in low-carbon clothing and textiles”.

A Single Standard

To ensure that the measurement of the embodied GHG emissions from products and services is consistent the Carbon Trust is working with Defra andBSI British Standards to develop a single universal standard.

The aim is to develop an agreed method for measuring embodied Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which can be applied across a wide range of product and service categories and their supply chains to enable companies to measure the GHG related impacts of their products and reduce them. BSI British Standards will oversee the development of the standard, known as the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2050 using the Carbon Trust pilot methodology as a starting point. Through the work of the Steering Group and a broad two stage stakeholder consultation, new and existing best practice
work in this area will also be considered in the PAS development. This process is designed to develop a credible, usable method through an open and consultative forum.

Our Carbon Footprint

Increased consumer awareness of
climate change has catalysed demand
for low carbon footprint products.

EarthPositive® apparel introduces the
Carbon Trust’s first carbon reduction
label for textile products . . .

one of the first of its kind in the world.

The purpose of EarthPositive® apparel is
to pass forward competitive advantage
to companies looking for ways to act
on climate change using real products.

Continental Clothing is a certified CarbonNeutral® Company

We have measured our organisation's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduced them to net zero through internal change and externally, through carbon offsetting in accordance with the requirements of the Carbon Neutral Protocol1 for our type of activity.

An emissions assessment/audit has been undertaken by an independent third party in accordance with the WBCSD-WRI GHG Protocol2.

Emissions reduced through carbon offsetting: 126 tonnes CO2e

1) Sebenoba-Karakurt wind power project, Turkey, VCS (90t CO2e)

2) Sichuan province hydro power project, China, CDM (36t CO2e)

Certificate Number
CN20080805