Abstract
Wool recycling has been practiced commercially for more than 200 years. This study used data from established, commercial processes with the aim of determining the environmental impacts of a recycled wool blend garment and the contribution of recycling to reducing impacts on the market for wool sweaters, in comparison to other emission reduction approaches relating to garment use. A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment showed impacts of 0.05 kg CO2-e, 0.63 MJ, 0.58 L H2O-e and 0.95 L per wear of a recycled wool blend sweater for climate change, fossil energy demand, water stress and freshwater consumption, respectively. Impacts predominantly arose from garment manufacturing and consumer practices (retail and garment care). When a recycled wool blend sweater was maintained with best practice garment use and care, impacts were reduced by 66–90% relative to standard maintenance of a virgin pure wool sweater. Increasing the closed-loop recycling rate to 50% had the potential to reduce impacts for the wool sweater market 7–24%, depending on the impact category. Brands and consumers hold the key to increasing recycling rates and reducing environmental impacts via increased donation of garments for recycling and increased adoption of garments containing recycled wool.
Highlights
Circularity has been proposed as a major solution to the environmental impacts of consumerism [1]
Manufacturing accounted for 54% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, 58% of fossil energy demand, 29% of water stress and 20% of freshwater consumption
The use phase accounted for 43% of GHG emissions, 40% of fossil energy demand, 72% of water stress and 81% of freshwater consumption
Summary
Circularity has been proposed as a major solution to the environmental impacts of consumerism [1]. The textiles sector has been criticised for increasing demand for garments, and raw materials [2,3], leading to the exploration of circularity and recycling as means to reduce environmental impacts [4,5]. While this thought is primarily conceptual, as such recycling practices are seldom practiced [6], wool is an exception. In this process, recycled wool fibre is blended with virgin wool or other fibres (to aid processing efficiency and to meet the required performance specifications of the final product) and spun into yarn, before being woven or knitted into new fabrics suitable
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