6 Shirts, 3 Countries: Analyzing the Carbon Footprint of Clean Fashion

Last year, Material Factors did a deep dive into some of the world’s cleanest t-shirts. Made from undyed, unbleached, organic cotton, these garments are free from the hazardous chemicals that are too often found in clothing.

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These products might be clean for the users, but what about the environment? Are some clean shirts cleaner than others?

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To answer these questions, we collaborated with Material Factors, known for its contributions to design and sustainable materials. Material Factors combined its expertise with Arbor's analytical capabilities to measure the emissions of T-shirts made from conventional biomaterials.

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Clean fashion’s carbon footprint

Clean fashion is not just a trend but a necessity. As consumers become increasingly aware of the environmental impacts of their purchases, the demand for clean fashion has skyrocketed. Here, we compare the carbon footprints of six shirts from four different countries, offering insights into how choosing eco-friendly clothing can significantly reduce our carbon footprint.

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72% of global consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products

Source: NielsenIQ

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The global shift towards sustainable clothing is a response to the growing evidence of the textile industry's vast environmental impact, which ranges from excessive water usage to pollution from dyeing processes. This pivot reflects a collective desire to mitigate environmental damage and support a more sustainable future. As such, consumers are actively seeking out brands that prioritize eco-friendly materials and processes, underscoring the urgent need for the fashion industry to adopt more sustainable practices.

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Understanding carbon footprint in fashion

This carbon footprint analysis looks at the total carbon dioxide emissions through the beginning of the garment's life cycle, from the raw material extraction to production, and in our study, up to the point where the product is ready to leave the factory. This approach, known as cradle-to-gate, is instrumental in shedding light on the environmental impact of fashion items before they reach the consumer. 

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There are many ways to do a lifecycle analysis, and with all these different methods, it is challenging to compare the results. This means that it can be nearly impossible to compare the impact of similar products from different companies accurately. Our goal is to align the methodology across different brands to understand better how products compare across different brands.

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Our analysis, it's crucial to note, is based on publicly available data and does not delve into the specifics of each brand's supply chain or proprietary practices. The carbon emissions calculated encompass only the production and transportation activities associated with creating the shirt, excluding packaging or any accessories that might accompany the final product and transportation to the customer. Carbon offsets have not been considered in the calculations. Read our full disclosure here. This method allows us to maintain a focus on the core activities responsible for the majority of emissions during the early stages of a garment's life. 

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Location can be everything in fashion's carbon footprint

The origin of a garment's materials and its manufacturer's location(s) are major factors for environmental impact. Different countries have varying regulations, resources, and technologies related to sustainable fashion and farming, influencing their products' carbon footprint. By analyzing shirts made in the United States, India, Peru and Portugal, we can see the significant impact of location and local practices on sustainability performance.

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Transportation is the other big factor in a garment's carbon footprint. Some garments are made near where the raw materials are grown, but too often, the raw materials and each step of manufacturing, from ginning to yarn spinning, knitting, and sewing, can all be done in different places worldwide. When you add dropshipping into the equation, the environmental cost of a garment produced around the globe can be higher.

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The carbon footprint of undyed t-shirts from 6 different brands

The six shirts selected for our analysis represent some of the best examples of cotton t-shirts made to minimize the environmental costs of fashion. By examining each brand's materials, production processes, and sustainability initiatives, we offer a comprehensive overview of how different approaches to clean fashion contribute to the industry's overall goal of reducing its carbon footprint. Let’s start with the highest-emitting shirts first!

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ISTO - 4.60 kg CO₂e

ISTO is a Portuguese clothing brand that uses organic and recycled materials. Their products are GOTS-certified and produced in Portugal using materials from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. ISTO offers a ton of supply chain transparency. You can see where their materials come from and the factories where they are produced.

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Highlights of the Classic T-Shirt:

• GOTS certified
• Made in Portugal

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Rawganique - 2.56 kg CO₂e

Rawganique is the OG organic clothing brand. In 1997, it specialized in undyed and natural fibre clothing, including cotton, linen, and hemp. Rawganique's undyed organic t-shirts are grown, spun, and sewn in the USA (Texas and South Carolina) with no sizing or stabilizing chemicals. Rawganique also offers many products sans elastic that would otherwise include spandex or latex.

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Highlights of the Sonoma Crewneck T-Shirt:

• Uses organic cotton grown on a small farm in Texas.
• Cotton is ginned and spun in North Carolina and sewn in South Carolina
• No sizing or stabilizing chemicals

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The Big Favorite - 2.30 kg CO₂e

The Big Favorite's relaxed, quality pieces are made in Peru, saving significant water, energy, and CO₂e emissions from dyeing while providing fair wages. Vogue and The Strategist recommend The Big Favorite's ultra-soft undyed tees as a versatile wardrobe staple. TBF also has some awesome naturally dyed pieces in colours that are bright enough to defy any natural stereotypes.

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Highlights of the Undyed Relaxed Crew:

• Grown and manufactured in Peru
• Take-back program via ForDays

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Harvest and Mill - 2.13 kg CO₂e

The only producer on this list that makes coloured garments without dye, Harvest and Mill is unique for its use of heirloom-coloured cotton, which grows with colour built-in. They also have plenty of undyed products in the natural colour you expect from undyed, unbleached cotton.

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Highlights of the Men's Organic Crew Tee:

• Organic cotton grown in the USA, yarn spun and knit in the USA, sewn in the San Francisco Bay Area
• Undyed and unbleached

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Industry of All Nations - 1.93 kg CO₂e

The coolest brand on this list has a supply chain based in a single province in India, Tamil Nadu, a global textile and garment manufacturing center producing 2-3% of the world's garments. IOAN offers a wide range of undyed, unbleached organic cotton garments. They use naturally fermented indigo to dye a handful of their products if you want some colour. They also offer “wild” cotton garments from naturally pigmented cotton in Peru.

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It’s worth noting that Tirupur, Tamil Nadu’s nexus of garment production, was notorious for its polluting dye and bleach houses until 2012, when, after a court order, the producers achieved zero wastewater discharge (this has mostly been maintained since then).

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Highlights of the Clean Crewneck T-Shirt:

• Undyed and unbleached
• Grown and manufactured within Tamil Nadu, India.

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Aya - 1.88 kg CO₂e

Like The Big Favorite, Aya makes all of its organic cotton clothing entirely in Peru, from sourcing to sewing, and ships directly to the US and Europe to minimize environmental impact. Aya also features some natural dyes, including indigo and eucalyptus (gray).

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Highlights of the Men’s Organic Pima Cotton T-Shirt:

• Grown and manufactured in Peru
• OEKO-TEX Finishing, GOTS ink on labels

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What makes the difference?

Across the board, most of a t-shirt's impact comes from the material and growing practices, and transport can be a key factor if the materials are being shipped and processed in different places around the world. Transportation from the factory and distribution to customers can also reflect significant carbon, but we’re not calculating that here. Our takeaway is that products combining best practices in cotton growing with local supply chains have the smallest carbon footprints.

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Aya and Industry of All Nations are the winners, combining low-impact organic growing practices with local production. Aya does everything in Peru, and IOAN keeps growing, with production in one province in India. 

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Harvest and Mill, The Big Favorite, and Rawganique are not far behind. Heavier t-shirts mean more material, which creates small increases for what can be more durable products. 

ISTO is the most transparent in sharing its supply chain, including specific suppliers for each material and fabric it uses. Unfortunately, their international supply chain from India to Turkey to Portugal nearly doubles the impact of their materials. However, it is still a much better opinion than conventional options.

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Arbor x Material Factors

Material Factors collaborated with Arbor to provide insights into the carbon emissions of these products, aiming to enhance the understanding of their environmental impact. Recognizing the significant carbon footprint of the fashion industry, this initiative focuses on the emissions throughout the production and transportation of t-shirts. 

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Want to measure the carbon impact and get detailed insights into your products? Try Arbor’s platform for free.