Carbon Footprint of Socks

This page provides an in-depth analysis of the carbon footprint of socks, offering sustainability professionals valuable insights into emissions hotspots and opportunities for improvement. By understanding the impact of key manufacturing stages, brands can prioritize reduction strategies.

1.83 kg CO2e The Carbon Footprint of Socks Socks Carbon Footprint
What's the Carbon Footprint of Socks?

What's the Carbon Footprint of Socks?

The average carbon footprint of socks is 3.46 kg CO₂e per product. This value is based on an analysis of 28,868 socks with an average mass of 84.54 g. The emissions range from 1.64 to 9.25 kg CO₂e, indicating variation across different sock types and manufacturing processes.
  • Minimum footprint: 1.64 kg CO2e
  • Median footprint: 1.83 kg CO2e
  • Maximum footprint: 9.25 kg CO2e

Carbon Emissions by Process Step in Socks Production

Each socks's footprint includes emissions from multiple manufacturing stages. The following process steps were identified as carbon hotspots for socks:
  • Finishing 0.29 kg CO₂e
  • Raw Materials 0.24 kg CO₂e
  • Yarn Formation 0.15 kg CO₂e
Carbon Emissions by Process Step in Socks Production

Key Insights from the Environmental Data on Socks

Finishing Dominates Emissions

The finishing stage contributes 0.29 kg CO₂e, the highest among all process steps for socks production. Improving efficiency in this stage presents an opportunity to reduce the overall footprint.

Raw Material Impacts

Raw material extraction and processing account for 0.24 kg CO₂e per sock on average. Sustainable sourcing of materials could lower emissions at this step.

Yarn Formation Emissions

Forming yarn releases 0.15 kg CO₂e per sock. Optimizing this process has the potential to decrease the product's carbon intensity.

Emissions Variability

The range of 1.64 to 9.25 kg CO₂e suggests substantial variation in the carbon footprints of different sock products, likely influenced by factors like materials and manufacturing methods.

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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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