A new tool will now inform the consumers about the carbon impact of their wardrobes and steps they could take to lighten their fashion footprint.
Launched by online resale store, ThreadUp, the ‘Fashion Footprint Calculator’ asks users 12 questions such as ‘How often do you buy clothes?, ‘How many clothes do you buy in a year?’ and ‘How many items do you rent per year?’
The tool, rolled out in partnership with actress Emma Watson, calculates fashion footprints on a scale of low to high with the help of carbon study commissioned by independent research firm Green Story.
It also describes what each individual fashion footprint is equivalent to in terms of number of flights and how many pounds of carbon emission a shopper’s fashion habits contribute every year.
The users will also be able to compare their rating with that of an average consumer who contributes 1,6202 pounds of carbon emission annually.
Moreover, based on this, the tool is also designed to suggest consumers ways of minimising their fashion footprints through its links with sustainable apparel brands and retailers and a discount on a first order with ThreadUp.
The technology aims to contribute in reducing the carbon footprint of the industry. A research by international environment organization Stand.earth last year, reported that many of the top companies fail to meet the climate pollution reduction standards called for by the UN Paris Agreement.
The reason for the same is lack in key commitments to reduce the use of coal and other fossil fuel and using more of renewable energy according to the ‘Filthy Fashion Climate Scorecard’.
