Increasingly, apparel designers and buyers are asking “What is the source of our raw materials?" "Where were the materials harvested, processed, produced?" "What went into the process (inputs) and what came out (impacts)?" This mindset shift goes beyond sustainable agriculture and fair labor practices; if you're currently in the clothing business - be it design, production, or purchasing - expect carbon footprint to soon emerge as another key consideration. By Coral Rose

There are two parts to the carbon-footprint equation: Our primary footprint is the direct emissions of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation. Our secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole lifecycle of products we use - those products' manufacture and eventual breakdown. Products like clothing? You bet.

Carbon labels already appear on well-known brands in the U.K. such as Walkers Crisps, Boots Botanics shampoo, and Innocent Smoothies. EarthPositive apparel now has a carbon label as well - a first for the clothing industry.

Yet while many, if not hundreds, of companies and industrywide organizations are working to define "sustainable textiles," that is exactly the problem: Failure to collaborate has led to an industry in which myriad definitions of environmental responsibility means anything goes. It is imperative that businesses move quickly from sourcing and creating “organic and sustainable apparel products” to clothing products that are third-party certified as carbon neutral according to a set of widely recognized and agreed-upon criteria.

One sign that we may be moving in the right direction: Last week fiber manufacturer Lenzing held an eco-symposium in Paris, at which it presented the results of a study carried out by the University of Utrecht. The study considered 11 different environmental impacts including greenhouse gases the report compared over half a dozen fibers, including cellulose fibers. Fibers researched in the study were cotton-conventional cotton from both the U.S. and China. The report concluded that Lenzing Modal is the only truly carbon-neutral fiber among those studied. (Lenzing TENCEL runs a close second.)

Here are three factors to consider as we move into a new phase in which carbon claims are more expected and also more scrutinized by the market:

1. Nascent anti-consumerism. “Shopping to save the world” may  soon be a thing of the past as consumers realize overconsumption is actually one of the primary causes of the degradation of our planet. Consumers may shift to service, re-use, repair businesses. Consumers may be looking for a Carbon Neutral label.  What is your strategy for success in a world of consumers that consume less?

2. Better sourcing options. Lenzings Modal is a carbon-neutral fiber produced in a closed-loop system. That is the fiber of the 21st Century. What is your strategy for success as more third-party certified organic and sustainable fibers become available?

3. Rising production costs. The price of oil is high over $100 a barrel, and producing polyester from petrochemicals a vital non-renewable resource can also be very polluting. The price of food is rising because of crop land being used for bio-fuels. Water shortages are approaching us quickly. Cotton, a thirsty crop, it is also grown on valuable agriculture land, which someday may be needed to feed us. Cotton currently makes up 40% of all textiles (organic cotton represents less than 1% of that 40%). What is your strategy for success as land for cotton becomes more valuable?

As we continue on this road to a sustainable future it is important to be out in front at all times. Climate change - and your company's contribution to it - is an issue that won't be going away any time soon.

__________

Coral Rose has more than two decades of experience in the apparel and retail industry as a merchandise buyer and in product development. Rose is founder of Eco-Innovations, a consulting firm focused on supporting businesses with the integration of "sustainable value" into their core strategies, product design, and development.

This article has been adapted from Sustainable Action Leadership, Coral Rose's blog on eco-design and sustainable innovation.