Per T-shirt – Carbon footprint

Carbon Footprint = 1.74kgCO2

Carbon Footprint Saving = 2.64kgCO2

Average Carbon footprint for a T’shirt = 3.2-5.5kgCO2 (Average 4.35)

Full Production (2kpcs) – Carbon footprint

Carbon Footprint = 3,480kgCO2

Carbon Footprint Saving = 5,220kgCO2

Average Carbon footprint for this production would be 8,700kg (8.7 Metric Ton)

These results are calculated by C-Free, with direct contact to our supply chain they verified and calculated our data to provide us with this carbon footprint. This Carbon Footprint is Cradle to Grave, using all our data from our production and mixing this with the average washing and exit point impact for the lifetime of the garment.

We believe at The Rubbish Fashion Company that our impact is not momentary, it is relative to the lifetime the garment we have produced.

• Carbon offset.

We at TRFC offset the carbon we could not reduce. This production produced 3,480 (3.480 Metric Ton) – According to the current Carbon price - by donating £27.84 we can offset the carbon we have used. However, based on 1 tree absorbing on average 30kg of CO2 a year, we need to plant 116 trees to absorb the carbon we have created. This actually means that by donating £83.52 to One tree Planted and planting approximately 116 trees will absorb 3,480kgCO2 and make this production Carbon Neutral.

*£8 Per Tonne is based on the current price to offset carbon as of June 2021. Cost to plant one tree with our non-profit partners ‘One Tree Planted’ is $1 (£0.72). One adult tree absorbs 10-50kgCO2 each year, approximately 1 Tonne over 100 years.

*ecotree.green/en/ Onetreeplaneted.org/ tenmilliontrees.org

Per T-shirt – Water usage

Water usage: 3.4 litres

Water Saving: 178.6 litres

We use 11.60 litres of water for per kg fabric production. Roughly 11.60/4=2.9 lt

Oxwash garment washing added 0.5 litres to the water usage.

Average water usage in dying process is 182lts

Full Production (2kpcs) – Water usage

Water usage: 5,800 litres

Water Saving: 358,200ltrs

Average water usage in dying process is 182lts = 2k = 364,000lts

The average amount of water to dye/finish a garment is 182litres. This does not include the water used to grow the cotton. 80% of organic cotton is primarily rainfed, this percentage is based on climate and water availability. We have considered our use of organic cotton in our carbon footprint, but due to the unreliability of data collection from the farm we have only used our data from dying. This is to prevent us from claiming a figure which is higher - therefore more in our favour - than what we can factually prove.

*Average water amount is referenced from Ellen Macarther Foundation. Organic cotton data referenced to GOTS.

Synthetic Chemical usages: 0

Organic Cotton.

GOTS certified cotton, sourced from Turkey. This is important when talking about chemical usage as the pesticides used to grow cotton are very harmful of which 70% are still cyanide based. Nearly 1,000 people die every day from pesticide poisoning and many more suffer from lifelong health issues.

Our cotton is certified and tracked by GOTS.

*Referenced from Pesticide Action Network. Pan_uk.org

Dying process.

Out of more than 900,000 metric tons of dyes produced annually, more than 70% belong to the Azo group. Azo dyes have been linked to health problems such as cancer and birth defects. Many chemicals in Azo dyes are banned in many countries but due to little transparency and the demand for cheap clothing, the chemicals are easily finding their way into supply chains.

We have used our innovation for dying, using food waste dyes and only natural minerals, no synthetic chemicals are used.

Impact reduction KPI 4

The innovation is spread across each area. The importance of the innovation and the rating it receives will change depending on the technology used and the impact is has created.

INNOVATION OVERVIEW.

This production is one of the first to use the new food waste innovation. This concept we at The Rubbish Fashion Company and TOBEFRANK have been developing for over 24 months. The first development stage was garment dyes with food waste such as tea leaves, flower roots and turmeric. After tests showed we could not pass the UV light tests, we partnered with a dying house in Istanbul to work together of fixing solutions while at the same time using cold water dying to reduce our energy use.

This innovation is still a development and will continue to be improved. Currently the washing standards for some colours are lower than conventional dyes.

However, this Innovation reduces our impact in every aspect.

Water usage

Energy

Chemical usage

Waste

No Poverty KPI 1

AUDITS.

All factories/suppliers have an up-to-date Sedex audit. All suppliers and factories have agreed to our internal FRANK Code of Conduct and all have an active Workers Union or Committee.

Our on-ground Turkey team work with all Turkish suppliers and factories. We carry out unplanned visits during production time to assess the implementation of our FRANK Code of Conduct (see Appendix)

Head of Production was present at the factory every other day during production.

Covid restrictions meant the delivery date was pushed 8 weeks over target.

We will not condone overtime work.

FAIR PAY.

All suppliers and factories have a Minimum Wage Certification, however, living wages is the internal goal with all labour costs being predicted before production begins.

Our factories could seek Living Wage Certificates however, the cost for accreditation adds/increases overall costs to production and the uncertainty that the living wage is in fact correct. To counterbalance the non-necessity for this Certification cost, our on-ground team works with the factories workers union/committee to ensure what workers require as a fair living wage and ensuring the garment price/COGs results in living wages and will not negotiate prices to minimum.

We have visibility to the cost sheets and pay checks if requested. This is not to negotiate but to ensure fair wages are being paid.

Impact reduction KPI 4

It is important to see our journey to work out our impact, to monitor its process and to then improve.

Our own inhouse team work with our supply chain partners to reduce our impact at every step.

This production is the first of its kind for this way of working.

During this production the colour fastness of the dyes was lacking in Percival’s internal requirements.

From this feedback we will continue to improve this process.