SUMMARY
Carbon footprint measurement provides us with the opportunity to provide concrete data on climate change, which is one of the important problems of our age, as well as providing important benefits in issues such as being controlled in resource use, directing policies and regulations in a way that prioritizes environmental awareness, and increasing energy efficiency by analyzing internal operational processes within companies. Parameters such as energy production, consumption and the resulting carbon footprint are the most important issues of today, and it is obvious that the impact of the amount of carbon footprint produced has become the most important building block of today's world. (Başoğul Y., Göksu T., Baran F., 2021, p-147)
Carbon footprint measurement in the textile sector is an important step to evaluate the environmental impact of the sector and to make improvements in terms of sustainability. This measurement helps to take measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as increasing energy efficiency, promoting the use of renewable energy, and considering environmental impacts when selecting raw materials.
Within the scope of the KYOTO protocol against global warming and the Paris Climate Agreement, the carbon footprint calculation, which causes global warming, has gained great importance and carbon footprint assessments have been made in many areas. The most important of these are factories such as food, textile, etc. (Başoğul & Göksu, 2021). The importance of carbon footprint measurement and the position of the textile sector in this regard is obvious. In this context, carbon footprint measurement has become extremely important and essential for textile sector companies.
Keywords: Textile, Ready-to-Wear, Sustainability, Carbon Footprint, Greenhouse Gas.
INTRODUCTION
Thanks to the digital transformation activities carried out in design and collection processes in textile enterprises, it is aimed to present the fit samples of the designs made for customers with compatible infrastructure in digital environment using three-dimensional pattern preparation software and to reduce the production of physical samples in models whose final form is decided on the digital platform. This will save raw materials, energy, labor and time.
The textile industry is one of the most important sectors worldwide as it provides raw materials for many sectors such as ready-to-wear clothing, home textiles, decoration, packaging and automotive. The garment sector is one of the sectors that causes the most damage to the world's resources, especially due to the fast fashion phenomenon that has dominated the sector since the 2000s. By 2030, global clothing consumption is estimated to increase by 63%, which is equivalent to 500 billion new t-shirts (Coşkun & Doğan, 2021, p. 29).
The climate crisis, which is one of the world's biggest problems today, has led to a change in management models and the development of sustainable management practices with a philosophy based on sensitivity. In this direction, departments with this name that carry out sustainability studies have started to exist within the organization of each company.
The sustainability department is responsible for monitoring sustainability performance and deciding on actions to improve it. Accordingly, it oversees the alignment between sustainability priorities, company strategy and business objectives, monitors progress towards sustainability goals, determines the sustainability responsibilities of the company's senior management and monitors performance, evaluates sustainability policies, strategies and work programs.
METHOD
Within the scope of the study, greenhouse gas inventory was determined as the method for measuring the carbon footprint. These inventories contribute to the development and implementation of policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A greenhouse gas inventory is a method used to identify the sources and quantities of greenhouse gas emissions of a country, company or organization. Greenhouse gas inventories play an important role in policy making and carbon footprint calculations in the fight against climate change. In this context, the greenhouse gas inventory method has been preferred to measure the carbon footprint in the textile sector, the sector in which we operate.
Since the GHG inventory offers a more specific and comprehensive calculation, it was the preferred method in the study. GHG inventories are important for decision makers as they provide comprehensive information. Making visible the extent to which sectoral contributions to combat climate change contribute to national and global goals is very important in terms of taking necessary actions in the light of the data provided by the inventory. The following steps were followed in the implementation of the method-
- Determination of boundaries,
- Making inventories,
- Calculation and reporting,
- Identification of mitigation activities,
- Identification of actions and activities aimed at improvement
CARBON FOOTPRINT MEASUREMENT STUDIES IN THE READY-TO-WEAR SECTOR
Product development, the first stage in the apparel value chain, constitutes the first step towards achieving sustainability. At this stage, it is mainly the responsibility of the brands in the buyer role. The European Commission aims to set new eco-design requirements in accordance with product groups and taking into account the stages of the product life cycle. In this context, it is expected to regulate the durability and reliability of products, the possibility of maintenance and renewal, the use of resources in the production process and the requirements for product recycling. Arrangements in line with these requirements are intended to be completed by 2024. (Turkish Apparel and Apparel Sector Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan, 2023, p-3)
In this context, it has identified 6 material topics and their sub-topics: Climate Change, Human Values, Business Continuity, Occupational Health and Safety, Circular Economy, Business Ethics, Transparency and Legal Compliance. The material issues identified for FB Textile also reflect the company's overall sustainability priorities.
DESIGN AND CREATION OF A CARBON FOOTPRINT MEASUREMENT SYSTEM BASED ON FB TEXTILE
The most up-to-date method for determining the carbon emissions that may cause greenhouse effect as a result of human activities is the "carbon footprint" (CF) calculation. The CF calculation includes greenhouse gas emissions resulting from raw material production, product production, product use and product waste. (Patel, 2006, p. 32) Due to the fact that Turkey is one of the signatories of the Kyoto Protocol and the conditions of the green agreement, it will be inevitable in the coming period to calculate the CF amounts of production facilities.
The design and creation of FB Textile's carbon footprint monitoring and measurement system was realized with this foresight and sensitivity. While the work on the creation of this systematization was initiated, the current situation of the company was analyzed and the reasons for the study were determined.
-The textile sector will also be evaluated within the framework of the Green Deal in 2026. Therefore, company-specific sustainability efforts need to be accelerated.
-FB Textile, which operates in the garment sector, did not have a system to regularly monitor emission values. Product-based information was provided in line with customer requests.
-Identifying and tracking the sources of emissions, monitoring the maintenance of machinery and equipment, calculating carbon footprints, writing environmental targets, policies and procedures, and creating sustainability reports were not carried out.
-There is a need to ensure reduction by regularly monitoring emission values. This requires preventing leakages and increasing the use of circular energy.
-In this context, it is necessary to ensure that technological innovations are integrated into the firm.
-Machinery and equipment within the company should be replaced with new models that consume less energy and water.
-With carbon footprint monitoring, energy costs, which constitute the company's emission items, should be reduced.
Within the scope of the studies carried out with the determination of these reasons, firstly, the operating processes were examined and the machinery and equipment that constitute a source of emission were determined. The items and amounts of energy consumed within the enterprise were determined. As a result of the data obtained, the company's short and long term sustainability targets were established. In line with these objectives, a carbon footprint measurement systematic design that best describes and monitors the company was realized. This systematic has been prepared as a monitoring system where all emission data is processed on a monthly basis.
Carbon footprint calculations were made according to ISO 14060 Standards and Greenhause Gas (GHG) Protocol. Company-level GHG calculations have been successful in identifying the following:
- Determination of boundaries,
- Making inventories,
- Calculation and reporting,
- Identification of mitigation activities,
- Identification of actions and activities aimed at improvement
Identifying Greenhouse Gas Emission Sources and Inventory is the most important stage of the carbon footprinting methodology.
Direct greenhouse gas emissions - refers to greenhouse gas emissions from greenhouse gas sources owned or controlled by an organization.
Indirect GHG emissions - GHG emissions from greenhouse gas sources that occur as a result of an organization's operations and activities but are not owned or controlled by the organization. The GHG Emission Factor is a coefficient that translates activity data into GHG emissions.
- Emission= Activity data* Emission Factor (EF,NKD etc)
- Net Calorific Value (NKV) is part of the emission factor.
**Net Calorific Value - The amount of energy released by fuels according to their consumption.
In this system, first of all, the emission source factors of the company are placed in a tabular system. These factors are water, wastewater, electricity, natural gas, diesel fuel, paper, plastic and fabric. Following this determination, consumption data as of the beginning of 2023 were regularly entered into the table on a monthly basis.
Globally, the methodologies of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) are used as quantitative calculation methods for measuring carbon footprints. As FB Textile, emission factors were selected according to DEFRA method and calculations were made accordingly.
In the Carbon Footprint calculations table; while calculating the emissions emitted from the facility to the atmosphere due to electricity consumption, natural gas, fuel oil in CO2e;
PV (Photovoltaic) - consumption quantities are indicated in kwh, m3, L.
EF (Emission factor) represents the average amount of emission of a pollutant per unit value of volume, mass, time etc. Calculations were made from the Defra emission factors table.
EP : the equivalent of carbon dioxide in tons, t:ton.
The resulting greenhouse gas emissions were converted into tons of CO2 eq units and total carbon footprint calculations were made.
As a result of all these studies, the carbon footprint of FB Textile for 2023 was calculated. With this calculation, it is seen that the most greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the activities of service vehicles. The highest emission source was service vehicles with a total of 80.50 tCO2 eq, followed by greenhouse gas emissions from electricity consumption totaling 65.16 tCO2 eq and the lowest greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas consumption totaling 21.19 tCO2 eq.
RESULT
Considering the conditions of the Green Deal, FB Textile's sustainability plans aim to reduce its carbon footprint by 2030 by using full capacity service vehicles and preferring electric service and company vehicles, and using renewable energy sources instead of obtaining energy from fossil fuels throughout the company. Simultaneously, it is aimed for the company's subcontractors and suppliers to realize the same transformation.
However, regular maintenance of the machines used in the enterprise and the use of energy-efficient lighting elements will contribute to the reduction of the carbon footprint. In recent years, when zero waste management has gained importance, sustainability in production can be achieved by targeting "zero carbon footprint" in the textile industry. This is a preliminary study for FB Textile's sustainability planning. It does not include all carbon footprint measurement and mitigation tools. As is well known, this process requires long-term work. For this purpose, FB Textile has started the necessary work to create the ideal and most accurate measurement systematics by the end of 2023. The preparation of company-level GHG emission inventories establishes a comprehensive, global and standardized framework.
As a result of the studies;
1-Determining the environmental impacts of the business within the scope of climate change,
2- Identifying the risks posed by direct and indirect emissions and creating an action plan,
3-Providing the information and documents requested by customers in the SKDM process in the export of products, thus increasing the export share,
4- To be able to compete in exports by carrying out emission reduction activities,
5- Contribution to sustainability,
6- Contributed to the image of FB Textile.
The highest carbon footprint result appears to come from the use of service vehicles. This is followed by electricity and natural gas consumption, respectively. As a result of the calculation of the carbon footprint, the environmental impacts of the company were determined. The company has set environmental targets to reduce these impacts and its carbon footprint. The targets for 2024 and 2030 are as follows. Currently, fuel oil is calculated as 80.51 tCO2 eq, electricity as 65.16 tCO2 eq, and natural gas as 21.20 tCO2 eq. In 2024, it is targeted to reduce these consumptions by 5% and in 2030 by 30%.
2024 reduction target is 76.48 tCO2 eq for fuel oil, 61.90 tCO2 eq for electricity and 20.14 tCO2 eq for natural gas; 2030 reduction target is 56.36 tCO2 eq for fuel oil, 45.61 tCO2 eq for electricity and 16.96 tCO2 eq for natural gas.
REFERENCES
I-Basogul, Y., & Goksu, T. T (2021) ‘’Carbon Foot Print Evaluation of an Industrial Enterprise Producing Flour- A Case study of Adıyaman Province’’ MAS Journal of Applied Sciences, 7(7),
https-//doi.org/10.52520/masjaps.40
II-Başoğul, Y., Göksu, T.T., Baran, M.F. (2021) ‘’Assessment of the Carbon Footprint of a Textile Factory’’ European Journal of Science and Technology, (31), 146-150
III-Coşkun, S., Doğan, N.A. (2021) ‘’Determination of Carbon Footprint in Textile Industry’’ Journal of Süleyman Demirel University Institute of Science and Technology, Volume 25, Issue 1, 2s- 8-35
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VI-Patel, J. (2006) ‘’Green Sky Thinking’’ Environment Business, 122, 32.
VII- ‘’Turkish Ready-to-Wear and Apparel Sector Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan’’ 2023, Ankara-Istanbul.
