IMPACT+ environmental Index Measures Promoting Assessment and Circular Transparency in fashion
Lead Research Organisation:
Northumbria University
Department Name: Fac of Arts, Design and Social Sciences
Abstract
Significant challenges lie in the collation, analysis and assessment of data generated to determine the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of products, processes and behaviours throughout the fashion and textiles value chain. The root cause of these problems lies in the absence of standardised test methods when quantifying impact and has led to a lack of industry trust, with many brands developing their own ways of measuring impact. Adding further, is the development of The Green Claims Code in 2021 by the UK government which implements governance to avoid companies making unsubstantiated or inaccurate environmental claims, often leading to accusations of greenwashing. Kering for example, have developed their own Environmental Profit and Loss tool that relies on self-reporting methods of primary data from brands and suppliers to relate impact to financial progress. In comparison, Pangaia in collaboration with Green Story (project partner) adopt a lifecycle analysis (LCA) approach using 13 impact metrics. These diverse measurement methods further add to the blurred boundaries of EIA and prohibits comparability across the industry. Furthermore, data generated is being utilised to inform policy development, industry action and consumer behaviour, meaning reliable, authentic, and useable EIA data is paramount.
Critical issues encountered with current EIA methods include:
- Collation: data generated being siloed by stages within the value chain resulting in fragmented measures and preventing comparability; methods of data collection relying on self-reporting from brands/suppliers with a lack of verification; accessibility to EIA tools requiring financial buy-in, limiting transparency and data accessibility
- Analysis: a lack of standardised test methods to determine and categorise environmental impact; small or limited data sets being scaled up and applied in unsubstantiated contexts; vested interest from funding sources or board members creating biases with the generation and interpretation of data
- Assessment: no consideration of the collinearity between measured factors, failing to acknowledge primary, secondary, and tertiary impacts; disparate efforts from stakeholders and disciplines resulting in the lack of collective action; an absence of accepted baselines and thresholds for environmental impact; the invalid use of sustainability scales impeding understanding and comparability
In response, the IMPACT+ Network aims to: 1) assemble critical knowledge from the scientific (environmental, forensic and data) and fashion design communities to examine the reliability, authenticity and usability of current EIA methods (e.g., The Higg Index, EU Ecolabel, Good on You); 2) build a world-leading, multi-stakeholder network (brands, manufacturers, retailers, textile recyclers, consumers) to build a greater level of transparency and accuracy in the EIA of products, processes and behaviours.
This will be achieved through the delivery of a collaborative programme of activities, across the 24-month project duration and structured across 4 methodological phases (P): P1 - IMPACT+ Symposium; P2 - Impact Analysis; P3 - Discipline Hopping; P4 - Beyond IMPACT+. Central to this will be NetworkPlus funded projects that will explore environmental impact through discipline hopping activities in 4 different areas: materials; manufacturing; consumer use; end-of-life. Critical dialogue between projects and disciplines will develop circular knowledge systems to generate innovative insights and new knowledge.
Impact will be generated across 4 critical areas (scholarship, industry, consumers, policy), each contributing to the advancement of knowledge to improve the collation, analysis, and assessment of EIA metrics. This will be reflected in key project outputs including: cross-disciplinary hybrid methodologies; a stakeholder co-created framework; new knowledge demonstrated through publication; the legacy of the IMPACT+ Network.
Critical issues encountered with current EIA methods include:
- Collation: data generated being siloed by stages within the value chain resulting in fragmented measures and preventing comparability; methods of data collection relying on self-reporting from brands/suppliers with a lack of verification; accessibility to EIA tools requiring financial buy-in, limiting transparency and data accessibility
- Analysis: a lack of standardised test methods to determine and categorise environmental impact; small or limited data sets being scaled up and applied in unsubstantiated contexts; vested interest from funding sources or board members creating biases with the generation and interpretation of data
- Assessment: no consideration of the collinearity between measured factors, failing to acknowledge primary, secondary, and tertiary impacts; disparate efforts from stakeholders and disciplines resulting in the lack of collective action; an absence of accepted baselines and thresholds for environmental impact; the invalid use of sustainability scales impeding understanding and comparability
In response, the IMPACT+ Network aims to: 1) assemble critical knowledge from the scientific (environmental, forensic and data) and fashion design communities to examine the reliability, authenticity and usability of current EIA methods (e.g., The Higg Index, EU Ecolabel, Good on You); 2) build a world-leading, multi-stakeholder network (brands, manufacturers, retailers, textile recyclers, consumers) to build a greater level of transparency and accuracy in the EIA of products, processes and behaviours.
This will be achieved through the delivery of a collaborative programme of activities, across the 24-month project duration and structured across 4 methodological phases (P): P1 - IMPACT+ Symposium; P2 - Impact Analysis; P3 - Discipline Hopping; P4 - Beyond IMPACT+. Central to this will be NetworkPlus funded projects that will explore environmental impact through discipline hopping activities in 4 different areas: materials; manufacturing; consumer use; end-of-life. Critical dialogue between projects and disciplines will develop circular knowledge systems to generate innovative insights and new knowledge.
Impact will be generated across 4 critical areas (scholarship, industry, consumers, policy), each contributing to the advancement of knowledge to improve the collation, analysis, and assessment of EIA metrics. This will be reflected in key project outputs including: cross-disciplinary hybrid methodologies; a stakeholder co-created framework; new knowledge demonstrated through publication; the legacy of the IMPACT+ Network.
Organisations
- Northumbria University (Lead Research Organisation)
- Newcastle Gateshead Initiative (Project Partner)
- J Barbour & Sons Ltd (Project Partner)
- NEWCASTLE CITY COUNCIL (Project Partner)
- ASOS Plc (Project Partner)
- WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Prog) (Project Partner)
- Agogic (Project Partner)
- This is Unfolded (Project Partner)
- The Microfibre Consortium (Project Partner)
- Green Story (Project Partner)
- Montane Ltd. (Project Partner)
- Fashion Revolution (Project Partner)
- Jardec Limited (Project Partner)
Description | IMPACT+ Blog Posts |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Monthly blog posts are being developed to discuss issues pertinent to the IMPACT+ project. These include coverage from relevant events or news related activities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://hosting.northumbria.ac.uk/impactplusnetwork/resources/ |
Description | IMPACT+ Symposium |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | 85+ representatives from academia and industry engaged in a one-day symposium event (national and international). The event generated 20 hours of qualitative workshop data (10 themed tables x 2 hours each), with extensive discussion and networking throughout the day. Additionally, the event included two keynote speakers and a panel discussion of industry experts. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://hosting.northumbria.ac.uk/impactplusnetwork/news-and-events/ |
Description | IMPACT+ Symposium Podcasts |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The discussion from the IMPACT+ Symposium were summarised and publicised in two podcasts. They engaged industry and business attendees at the event engaging them in thought provoking discussions sparked during the event. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://hosting.northumbria.ac.uk/impactplusnetwork/resources/ |
Description | IMPACT+ Website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | A dedicated project website has been developed to provide information regarding the project, team, lates publications, events and resources. The functionality of the webistte also allows visitors to register their interest in the project and provision of details to receive newsletters. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://hosting.northumbria.ac.uk/impactplusnetwork/ |
Description | Industry Field Trip |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | 65+ industry international representatives attended a one-day workshop at Kings College London. The event highlighted microfibre fragmentation from textiles and garments as a key environmental pollutant. The team demonstrated how and why fragmentation occurs, provided evidence of fibres in freshwater samples and demonstrated a standardised test method for quantification of microfibre fragmentation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://hosting.northumbria.ac.uk/impactplusnetwork/news-and-events/ |
Description | National Textile University, Pakistan |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | IMPACT+ Director, Dr Alana James delivered a 30 minute invited keynote speech on the project at the National Textile University, Faisalabad, Pakistan. 100+ attendees were present and the event received extensive national and international coverage in the press and social media. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://conference.knowtex.pk/ |
Description | Project Partner Event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | 11 industry representatives from 9 project partners attended the inaugural meeting of the Independent Advisory Board. Further detail on the delivery of the project was shared and a future ways of working framework was co-designed between the project team and the project partners. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://hosting.northumbria.ac.uk/impactplusnetwork/news-and-events/ |