How to measure emissions from Textiles

What counts as Textiles

Textiles covers purchased fibres, fabrics and finished textile materials — cotton, wool, polyester, nylon, viscose, linen, hemp, silk and elastane — along with dyeing and finishing processes applied to fabric. It's reported under Scope 3 Category 1, by weight, and fibre type is the most significant driver of accuracy, since natural, synthetic and recycled fibres carry very different production footprints per kilogram.

Fibre type is the dominant factor in this category — natural fibres like cotton, wool and hemp, synthetic fibres like polyester and nylon, and manufactured cellulosic fibres like viscose and lyocell all have distinct production processes and footprints, and several fibres have separate organic, conventional and recycled subtypes reflecting real differences in farming or manufacturing method. Dyeing and finishing are tracked as a separate processing step from the raw fibre or fabric, since colouring and treating fabric is itself an energy- and chemical-intensive process worth capturing distinctly if your supply chain data allows. This category applies to raw and semi-processed textile materials and fabric bought as an input — for uniforms, upholstery, manufacturing or retail apparel supply chains — rather than finished garments bought for staff use, which some organisations track under a separate merchandise or uniform line depending on their reporting structure. Where a fabric blends multiple fibres, split the weight by fibre percentage where your supplier's composition label allows it.

What activity data you need

Collect the most specific physical unit available. Unit definitions are in Appendix I — Description of Units.

• kg
• tonne
• $ Spend
• £ Spend

Which emission scope it falls under

Textiles activity data typically maps to Scope 3 Category 1 under the GHG Protocol. Confirm organisational boundary and ownership before reporting.

Sub-types / categories covered

• Cotton
• Polyester
• Mixed textiles

Common questions

Does organic cotton need a different figure from conventional cotton?

Yes — organic and conventional cotton are tracked as separate subtypes because farming method affects water use, fertiliser use and yield, all of which change the footprint per kilogram of fibre produced.

How do I handle a fabric that blends two fibres, like a cotton-polyester mix?

Use the fibre composition percentage from the product label or supplier specification to split the total weight between the two fibre types, applying each fibre's specific factor to its share.

Is dyeing and finishing a separate activity from the fabric itself?

Yes, where your supply chain data separates them — dyeing and finishing add their own energy and chemical inputs on top of the base fibre or fabric, so recording them distinctly gives a more complete picture where that level of detail is available.

We buy finished garments, not raw fabric — does this category still apply?

It can, if the garment's fibre composition and weight are known; many organisations track finished textile products, such as uniforms, under this category using fabric weight per garment as the activity data, provided fibre type is identifiable.

Does recycled polyester need to be distinguished from virgin polyester?

Yes — recycled polyester, whether produced mechanically or through chemical recycling routes, has a different footprint from virgin polyester, so flag recycled content if your supplier specifies it rather than defaulting to virgin.