Carbon Footprint of a Handbag

Gain insights into the carbon footprint of handbags across their full lifecycle. Explore emission hotspots by manufacturing process to identify reduction opportunities. Benchmark your products using industry averages and ranges.

11.78 kg CO2e The Carbon Footprint of a Handbag Handbag Carbon Footprint
What's the Carbon Footprint of A Handbag?

What's the Carbon Footprint of A Handbag?

The average carbon footprint of a handbag is 16.29 kg CO₂e, based on data from 2043 products. Handbag emissions range from 4.34 to 42.01 kg CO₂e, indicating a wide variation likely driven by factors like materials and manufacturing processes. With an average mass of 463.32 g, handbags contribute significantly to the fashion industry's environmental impact. Understanding carbon hotspots is key for sustainability professionals to drive reductions.
  • Minimum footprint: 4.34 kg CO2e
  • Median footprint: 11.78 kg CO2e
  • Maximum footprint: 42.01 kg CO2e

Carbon Emissions by Process Step in Handbag Production

Each Handbag's footprint includes emissions from multiple manufacturing stages. The following process steps were identified as carbon hotspots for Handbag:
  • Coloration 1.39 kg CO₂e
  • Finishing 1.67 kg CO₂e
  • Preparation 0.54 kg CO₂e
Carbon Emissions by Process Step in Handbag Production

Key Insights from the Environmental Data on Handbag

High Emissions in Finishing Stages

The top emission hotspots are the coloration (1.39 kg CO₂e) and finishing (1.67 kg CO₂e) process steps, indicating significant impacts from dyeing, treatments, and final assembly of handbags.

Preparation Stage Emissions

The preparation stage, at 0.54 kg CO₂e, is the third highest contributor, suggesting the materials processing and setup before manufacturing is an area to explore for improvements.

Wide Footprint Range

With a range of 4.34 to 42.01 kg CO₂e, handbags exhibit substantial variation in their carbon footprints, likely related to factors like materials, construction methods, and transportation impacts.

Mass and Footprint Relationship

The average handbag mass of 463.32 g indicates a potential relationship between product size/weight and emissions that warrants further analysis by sustainability teams.

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References

Data sourced from Carbonfact’s proprietary database, powered by over 50 million LCAs run on textile, fashion, and footwear products. The methodology is aligned with the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) and adapted for product category specificity.

Find more information about our LCA methodology here.
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