Factors Allowing Users to Influence the Environmental Performance of Their T-Shirt

Mélanie Schmutz,Claudia Som,Roland Hischier

doi:10.3390/su13052498

Mélanie Schmutz, Claudia Som + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052498

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Abstract

Cotton t-shirts are a basic clothing item that everyone possesses. To date, no studies have taken into account the consumers’ perspective, even though they can play an important role regarding the actual environmental impact of their clothing items. Therefore, a life cycle assessment study was performed in order to inform the public about the environmental impacts of a typical cotton t-shirt and the relevance of consumer behavior (i.e., washing and drying) on the overall impacts along the entire life cycle of such a t-shirt. The aim was to provide hints, allowing users to reduce the impacts of their t-shirts. While the production phase was based on global data, the use phase focused on Switzerland as the study was established in the context of an exhibition in the Textile Museum in St. Gallen (Switzerland). With this study, it was found that users have various choices in order to make their t-shirt more sustainable. Wearing the t-shirt throughout its entire life expectancy was found to be the most important factor influencing the overall environmental performance of such a clothing item. The relevance of filling the washing machine to maximum capacity, washing at a lower temperature, or using a tumbler was also illustrated. In addition, choosing materials other than cotton or choosing textiles labelled for lower environmental impacts during production could further improve the environmental performance of t-shirts.

Highlights

The production of clothing items is known to use large quantities of non-renewable resources and to have high environmental impacts [1]. These impacts happen during the production phase of garments, but throughout their entire life cycle including during the use phase
The use phase contributed more or less to the impact depending on the impact category
The impact increased by 8% for the carbon footprint, by 28% for the nr-CED, by 2% for the water footprint, and by 4% for the ecological scarcity

Summary

Introduction

The production of clothing items is known to use large quantities of non-renewable resources and to have high environmental impacts [1]. These impacts happen during the production phase of garments, but throughout their entire life cycle including during the use phase (e.g., washing and drying). In the goal and scope, the system boundaries and the functional unit are described. The latter is the basis for defining the emissions and extractions to be included in the model

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