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Global warming potential of textile services
Climate change due to emission of greenhouse gases presents a serious challenge for responsible business leaders in the 21st century. Most scientists now agree that rising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs), particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), will have a serious impact of many activities of societies and natural ecosystems around the globe. Besides an overall increase in temperature, these impacts may include more intense rainfall, storms, flooding, drought, an increasing sea level, etc..
Take the first step - Be aware of your footprint
Impact of CO2
It is recognised that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are the main agent behind changes in the earth's climate.
As a responsible industry committed to a sustainable future, we believe in maintaining a low carbon footprint.
Common methodology
The calculation of our CO2 footprint is based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol methodology. This protocol sets the global standard for how to measure, manage, and report greenhouse gas emissions.
The scope of CO2 emissions
The GHG Protocol classifies greenhouse emissions into three 'scopes'.
- Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.
- Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy.
- Scope 3 emissions are all indirect emissions (not included in scope 2) that occur in the value chain of the reporting company, including both upstream and downstream emissions.
The image shows the greenhouse gas (mostly CO2) emissions for each phase of textile services.
Download the full report 'Assessment of global warming potential of two textile services', which summarises how ETSA has used the global standard to assess its own impact on the environment.
Taking the lead together
ETSA has established a methodology for calculating the potential global warming impact of two of its main services:
Providing one worker with workwear for one year.
A worker whose employer rents his workwear from a textile service company can expect clean clothes (typically trousers/overalls, jacket and t-shirt) to be delivered to his workplace every week of the year, and his soiled garments to be collected for laundering.
To deliver workwear for one worker for one year, the textile services industry has a total carbon footprint of 46kg of CO2 emissions. This takes into account the full cycle of supplying and servicing the workwear.
On average, this workwear will go through 47 laundering cycles before it needs to be replaced. By comparison, the environmental impact of supplying new workwear textiles is 22 higher than the impact of laundering these garments once.
By comparison:
Operate a 90cm plasma TV for 6.5 hrs per day for 1 year
Providing one hotel bed with linen for one
year
On average, a hotel can expect to change sheets, duvet covers, pillow covers and towels 200 times per room per year. With a rental contract, the textile service company is responsible for laundering and maintaining these textiles.
To deliver bed linen for one hotel bed for one year, the textile services industry has a total carbon footprint of 90kg of CO2 emissions. This takes into account the full cycle of supplying and servicing the bed linen.
On average, this linen will go through 119 laundering cycles before it needs to be replaced. By comparison, the environmental impact of supplying new hotel textiles is 33 higher than the impact of laundering this linen once.
By comparison:
1 way flight from London to Munich
ETSA: Representing textile rental companies
To find out more about our members including suppliers, national associations and research institutes click here.
ETSA: In partnership with suppliers of detergents, fabrics and machinery
To find out more about our members including textile rental companies, national associations and research institutes click here.
ETSA: Coordinating national textile service associations and working with research institutes
To find out more about our members including textile rental companies and suppliers, click here.