Introduction

The fashion industry contributes an estimated 4 to 10% of carbon emissions and so we know that a part of those emissions lay at the feet of consumers. But how do you calculate your own carbon footprint? How does your shopping habits contribute to global warming?

The answers may shock you so buckle up while we take you through how to find out!

A shopper’s carbon footprint

These factors determine your shopping carbon foot print: 

1. How often do you buy new?
2. How often do you wash your clothes?
3. Do you dry clean?

All these questions play a role and determining your carbon footprint when shopping. US resale site ThredUp has launched its new online Fashion Footprint Calculator to help simplify the process. From how often you buy new clothes to how much you wash and dry clean them, the tool guides you through 10 questions, before calculating the carbon footprint of your shopping habits annually and how this compares to the average consumer. 

ThredUp partnered with third-party life cycle assessment (LCA) specialists Green Story Inc to create the tool, which draws on existing studies and data, including a report published in November 2022 that looked at the global warming potential of 15 garments – including tops, dresses and coats – based on specific assumptions around material composition and the production process. According to the research, coats – often made from resource-intensive materials such as wool – have the highest product footprint, followed by sweaters and pants and jeans. (British Vogue)

No surprise that coats have the highest production carbon footprint because wool has the one of the highest carbon footprints of natural fibers.

So you took the quiz..Now what?

Hare are some tips to reduce your carbon footprint:

1.Buying a garment secondhand reduces its carbon foot print by 24%.

2.Limiting how much new clothes you buy can help as well. 5 new pieces are the current advice.

3.Shop locally as much as possible. The further your clothes has to travel to reach you, the higher the carbon footprint. 

4. Think before you buy because returns can end up in a landfill.

5. Resale clothes you no longer want.

6. Wash your clothes a little as possible.

Still not sure what a carbon footprint is? Check out our breakdown on our previous blog.