Nowadays, the workwear industry is facing increasing demands globally for more sustainable products, with manufacturers now prioritising their ecological impact as a critical focus.
The need for change is further emphasised by the fact that if the fashion industry continues its current trajectory, it could consume 26% of the global carbon budget by 2050, as estimated by the Ellen McArthur Foundation.
Fristads, a Swedish workwear manufacturer available in the UK market, has placed sustainability at the forefront of its operations with demand for these offerings rising, and with this in mind, introduced the Green Calculator.
The Green Calculator is a digital tool that quantifies the environmental impact of workwear by measuring factors like carbon emissions, water usage, and energy consumption throughout a garment’s lifecycle. Its calculations are made from Fristads’ environmentally declared garments, all of which are 3rd party verified and have achieved EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) status.
This transparency allows customers to make informed decisions about their material purchases across industry, service and profile, building and construction and high visibility garments, promoting sustainability throughout the market space.
By highlighting the ecological footprint of each product, the calculator encourages both manufacturers and consumers to prioritise eco-friendly materials and processes.
Fristads’ tool aims to drive the industry towards more sustainable practices, giving workwear stakeholders and customers a simple method for reducing their own overall environmental impact, and setting a new standard for corporate responsibility.
David Snelling, Managing Director of Fristads UK and Ireland, explained: “The calculator works by selecting a Fristads product across one of four industry areas, and entering the number of wearers.
“This accurately calculates the reduction in environmental footprint, based on combined impact of the water consumption & greenhouse gases emitted generated by the production of a garment, & converted to H2O & CO2 equivalents.”
This data, being 3rd party verified, can be used in a business’ own carbon emission statements.
The calculator works by selecting a Fristads product across one of four industry areas, and entering the number of employees a consumer would be purchasing for. This then calculates the amount to which a purchaser would be reducing their environmental footprint based on water scarcity and global warming potential.
Looking ahead, Fristads remains committed to developing its sustainable workwear range. Last month, the company introduced the world’s first circular workwear product to market, a sweatshirt made partially from worn-out Fristads garments.
