Have you ever heard of the word carbon neutral? Global warming is caused by greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide and methane. By becoming carbon neutral we are reducing these gases to zero percent impact. Major countries along with leading companies across the globe have already began becoming carbon neutral. The Japanese government has only recently declared it will achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
So what exactly can we do? To start, most of us aren’t aware of how much greenhouse gas is emitted while making, buying, and throwing away items around us. Launched during CFCL’s first collection, VOL.1 we conducted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This was first attempt from a Japanese fashion brand within the apparel industry. (*1)
LCA is a method of calculating and visualizing how much a product affects the global environment, such as climate change, global warming and ecosystems, through its life cycle (from procurement of raw materials to disposal) based on international standards (ISO 140140, etc.). It will be an indispensable step toward the realization of a decarbonization society and a recycling-based society that carbon neutrality aims for.
4.99kg-CO2e/1pc
This is the "greenhouse gas emissions" of our pottery dress (weight of about 540 g) that appeared in our first collection, VOL. 1. There are various types of greenhouse gases, but we use a unit called "CO2e" to express all of them as figures converted into carbon dioxide. In other words, from the process of making the thread of the dress, you can see that it emits 4.99 kg of carbon dioxide before it is used habitually by customers for many years and discarded. (*2)
In fact, the “POTTERY DRESS” reuses about 18 plastic bottles that were meant to be garbage. It is said that the use of recycled yarn derived from plastic bottles reduces greenhouse gases by about 50% compared to that produced with polyester yarn derived from petroleum (*3). Currently, most fashion clothing is produced in China and Southeast Asia, but the POTTERY DRESS completes most of the process in Japan. By doing this, we decrease the amount of transportation which in turn decreases greenhouse gas emissions.
CFCL aims to reduce this emission to virtually zero (i.e., carbon neutrality) by 2030, 20 years earlier than the Japanese government aims to achieve, and will make various efforts, including the selection of materials, with the cooperation of all suppliers and partners involved in the life cycle.
In 2020, global carbon dioxide emissions declined the largest since World War II due to the spread of covid-19. However, achieving carbon neutrality requires more reductions than last year. This is not far from the fashion industry. We need to start with what we can do while redefining our awareness of "luxury" so far.
We often hear words such as "earth-friendly" and "eco", but it's somewhat ambiguous. We believe knowing the impact on the environment with specific numerical values is essential as a brand that makes and delivers clothing for modern life.
*1 The amount is calculated using IDEA version 2.3 (LCI database IDEA version 2.3, Japanese National Research and Development Agency, Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, The Research Institute of Science for Safety and Sustainability. And LCA study group, Sustainable Management Promotion Organization)
*2 Reference data: A research shows that "a single T-shirt (150g) made from conventional cotton emits 3.4kg-CO2e of greenhouse gases" (*).
* "Analysis of inventory of CO2 and water intended for clothes" Itsubo Norihiro Laboratory, Environmental Studies, Tokyo City University
*3 In-house research
So what exactly can we do? To start, most of us aren’t aware of how much greenhouse gas is emitted while making, buying, and throwing away items around us. Launched during CFCL’s first collection, VOL.1 we conducted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This was first attempt from a Japanese fashion brand within the apparel industry. (*1)
LCA is a method of calculating and visualizing how much a product affects the global environment, such as climate change, global warming and ecosystems, through its life cycle (from procurement of raw materials to disposal) based on international standards (ISO 140140, etc.). It will be an indispensable step toward the realization of a decarbonization society and a recycling-based society that carbon neutrality aims for.
4.99kg-CO2e/1pc
This is the "greenhouse gas emissions" of our pottery dress (weight of about 540 g) that appeared in our first collection, VOL. 1. There are various types of greenhouse gases, but we use a unit called "CO2e" to express all of them as figures converted into carbon dioxide. In other words, from the process of making the thread of the dress, you can see that it emits 4.99 kg of carbon dioxide before it is used habitually by customers for many years and discarded. (*2)
In fact, the “POTTERY DRESS” reuses about 18 plastic bottles that were meant to be garbage. It is said that the use of recycled yarn derived from plastic bottles reduces greenhouse gases by about 50% compared to that produced with polyester yarn derived from petroleum (*3). Currently, most fashion clothing is produced in China and Southeast Asia, but the POTTERY DRESS completes most of the process in Japan. By doing this, we decrease the amount of transportation which in turn decreases greenhouse gas emissions.
CFCL aims to reduce this emission to virtually zero (i.e., carbon neutrality) by 2030, 20 years earlier than the Japanese government aims to achieve, and will make various efforts, including the selection of materials, with the cooperation of all suppliers and partners involved in the life cycle.
In 2020, global carbon dioxide emissions declined the largest since World War II due to the spread of covid-19. However, achieving carbon neutrality requires more reductions than last year. This is not far from the fashion industry. We need to start with what we can do while redefining our awareness of "luxury" so far.
We often hear words such as "earth-friendly" and "eco", but it's somewhat ambiguous. We believe knowing the impact on the environment with specific numerical values is essential as a brand that makes and delivers clothing for modern life.
*1 The amount is calculated using IDEA version 2.3 (LCI database IDEA version 2.3, Japanese National Research and Development Agency, Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, The Research Institute of Science for Safety and Sustainability. And LCA study group, Sustainable Management Promotion Organization)
*2 Reference data: A research shows that "a single T-shirt (150g) made from conventional cotton emits 3.4kg-CO2e of greenhouse gases" (*).
* "Analysis of inventory of CO2 and water intended for clothes" Itsubo Norihiro Laboratory, Environmental Studies, Tokyo City University
*3 In-house research
