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What’s are the CO2e emissions of Elastane?
The carbon footprint Elastane produces approximately 24.6 kg CO2e per kg (both median and average values), driven primarily by energy-intensive polyurethane synthesis from petroleum-based feedstocks. These CO2 emissions Elastane generates, along with greenhouse gas emissions Elastane releases during chemical processing, make it one of the more carbon-intensive synthetic fibers in textile production.
- Average footprint per kg: 24.6 kgCO2e
- Median footprint per kg: 24.6 kgCO2e
Emissions by Process Step in Elastane Production
The footprint of Elastane includes emissions from multiple processing stages. The following process steps were identified as carbon hotspots for Elastane production:
- Textile Formation: 44.6%
- Raw Materials And Yarn Formation: 24.7%
- Coloration: 15.3%
How Does Elastane Compare to Alternatives?
Recycled elastane production generates 21.6 kg CO2e per kg, representing a 12% reduction compared to virgin production at 24.6 kg CO2e per kg, demonstrating measurable emissions benefits from mechanical or chemical recycling processes.
- Virgin Elastane per kg: 24.6 kgCO2e
- Recycled Elastane per kg: 21.6 kgCO2e
Elastane Water Consumption
Water usage Elastane averages 16.4 m3 per kg for virgin production, while the water footprint Elastane per kg drops to 14.9 m3 when recycled, demonstrating reduced Elastane water consumption through circular practices.
- Average water use per kg: 16.4 m3
- Median water use per kg: 16.8 m3
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"The Explorer is, for sure, my favorite feature. I love the ability to look at the breakdown of the carbon footprint per product line, for processes or on a material basis. That's so dynamic that we're able to leverage it in different ways depending on the projects that we're working on or the teams that we're engaging with."
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"Carbonfact's offerings, particularly its product-level focus for footwear and apparel, ensures we can both measure our carbon footprint and actively find ways to reduce it. Carbonfact has been instrumental in helping us model different scenarios and make informed decisions that align with our sustainability goals."
Sustainability at Allbirds
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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.
