Design Life-Cycle

Tony Radtkey

Group: Andrea Giannini

DES 040A

Prof. Cogdell

12/2/21

Raw Material Analysis of the Sheep Inc. Hoodie

Many products are created without the environment in mind while in the design stage. The company Sheep Inc. took a novel approach when designing their first product, a hoodie; instead of designing the product and then deciding on the materials which can lead to poor carbon emissions, Sheep Inc. chose the material first: wool. They chose wool due to its low carbon impact as well as its abundance in New Zealand. At the time of writing, this hoodie is the only clothing product that is marketed as “carbon negative,” meaning that the life cycle of every hoodie that is produced captures more carbon than it emits; This is a bold statement but is there research that backs this up? This paper aims to assess the overall environmental impact of the raw materials that comprise this product by looking at each step that the materials must go through from sourcing to manufacturing. This environmental impact assessment will include carbon emissions as well as land use/impact and water use/impact.

Wool is an animal-based textile from the coat of sheep and it was first used in Central Asia around 1000BCE when iron shears were first invented (International Wool Textile Organization 2021). The wool for the Sheep Inc. hoodie is sourced from “regenerative” New Zealand farms. This is an important factor because some farms in other areas of the world have been attracting criticism due to overgrazing and destroying landscapes where the farms are set up (Cao 2019). According to a study published in the Rangeland Ecology & Management journal continuing climate change combined with overgrazing of livestock (to compensate for the harshening conditions), which includes a large industry of sheep and wool farms, has led to significant grassland ecosystem degradation on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

These conditions observed in other regions are contrasted by the “regenerative” farms in New Zealand. These farms are cultivated in a way that sequesters carbon (Lal 2008) which, when combined with wool being 51% carbon, collects a significant amount of carbon and reduces the lifetime emissions of the product (Parsons 2021). According to some research done on New Zealand regenerative farms, 0.51 kg-CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions is removed from the atmosphere per kilogram of wool produced on a farm which offsets the 0.43 kg-CO2e emissions that sheep produce per kilogram of wool produced which is before accounting for the natural sequestration of carbon that trees and other plants around the farm perform. However, this cycle is extremely fragile and has been very difficult to verify on a large scale with different studies demonstrating different data depending on the particulars of the farm and the sheep. Additionally, there is an issue with the idea of this kind of product becoming more mainstream; the product right now sells for $190 and sources completely from New Zealand which contributes to that cost. This product, and the novel way of sourcing textiles it uses, may not be able to break out of the niche it has found unless this form of farming becomes more ubiquitous throughout the world.

Once the wool has been sourced from New Zealand, it is shipped out to the rest of the world for refining and manufacturing. It is first sent to be scoured, a process that cleans the wool of dirt and oil, in China. This first step requires a lot of water to do properly which can have a devastating impact on the local water systems (Muthu 2015); most corporate emission reports neglect to include this impact under the justification that it can not be considered carbon emissions or “carbon-equivalent” emissions and, thus, is hard to find empirical data regarding this specific step of the life cycle. After this process is complete, it is shipped to Italy where it is milled and spun into yarn. Normally, this process takes a lot of energy, and the fossil fuels that are burned to produce that energy release a lot of carbon. However, the mill that Sheep Inc. has partnered with runs off of 100% solar energy (APREN 2021), which significantly reduces the total carbon emissions (Sheep Inc. 2021). The hoodie is then woven in Spain and hand-detailed using leftover yarn waste from previous hoodies, which simultaneously reduces the overall new raw material needed and reduces the waste of the product’s life cycle.

The other key part to manufacturing this product is the dyes that are used to color the yarn: For this part, Sheep Inc. has opted to use dyes that are Oeko-Tex “STANDARD 100” verified dyes. According to Oeko-Tex, if a product carries this certification it has been tested for “over 100 harmful substances” and is “harmless to humans” (Oeko-Tex 2021). This is a well- respected certification in the fashion industry and is important to health-sensitive customers but does not inherently mean that the dyes used are good or bad for the environment. However, according to a study published in the Research Journal of Textile and Apparel in 2002, natural dyes when used “in conjunction with natural mordants” is “highly environmentally biodegradable and treatable” which is in sharp contrast to other, acid-based dyes that have been used in the wool industry for most of modern history (Chan 2002). Additionally, this new way of dyeing wool allows the wool to retain its natural antibacterial properties: according to a study published in the Journal of Cleaner Production in 2014, wool that was dyed with natural dyes retained “100% antibacterial activity” after being mordanted, as previously mentioned (Ghaheh 2014).

By choosing to use new technology in the wool industry, Sheep Inc. adds to the overall narrative of this product’s “environment first” approach as well as providing a product that delivers on the environmentally-friendly promise that other companies have struggled with. This is product shows the world that such a product exists and can be marketed and can be desirable. Unfortunately, it is hard to see how this form of product can be made at the mass market that the world still demands while retaining the carbon negative badge that it worked so hard for, with cheaper dyes available at the cost of local water ecosystems and cheaper wool available at the cost of the local land ecosystems and carbon emissions. Furthermore, Sheep Inc. relies on carefully cultivated farms in New Zealand that are constantly monitored to absorb as much carbon as possible. All of this creates a vast issue of scale that might be solved by tighter regulation and government pushes for ecosystems to be restored and preserved in a state that allows for better carbon sequestration and more respectful land use but it is hard to say at the early stages of this new movement whether this will catch on to be a new normal or if it slowly fades into another green façade for upper-class people to enjoy. There are a few other models in the fashion industry of sustainable, wool, garments. The most successful, of which, is AllBirds Inc. which made its name by creating long-lasting, comfortable wool tennis shoes using most of the techniques that Sheep Inc. has expanded on. AllBirds recently went public on the NASDAQ stock exchange after expanding their business to include more active-wear clothing and partnering with Adidas so there is precedent for eco-friendly startups to become full-fledged businesses and “valid” in the international economy but the road is long for this new venture and only time will tell if more companies and countries follow the new trail that Sheep Inc. and New Zealand have blazed.

Works citied

APREN - Production. https://www.apren.pt/en/renewable-energies/production. Accessed

24 Oct. 2021.

Bhatt, Akul, and Bassim Abbassi. “Review of Environmental Performance of Sheep

Farming Using Life Cycle Assessment.” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 293, Apr. 2021, p. v126192, doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126192.

Cao, Jianjun, et al. “Grassland Degradation on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: Reevaluation of Causative Factors.” Rangeland Ecology & Management, vol. 72, no. 6, Nov. 2019, pp. 988– 95, doi:10.1016/j.rama.2019.06.001.

Chan, P. M., et al. “The Effect of Natural Dye Effluent on the Environment.” Research Journal of Textile and Apparel, vol. 6, no. 1, Feb. 2002, pp. 57–62, doi:10.1108/ RJTA-06-01-2002-B006.

International Wool Textile Organization. History of Wool. https://iwto.org/wool-supply- chain/history-of-wool/. Accessed 29 Nov. 2021.

Lal, Rattan. “Carbon Sequestration.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, vol. 363, no. 1492, Feb. 2008, pp. 815–30, doi:10.1098/ rstb.2007.2185.

Muthu, Subramanian Senthilkannan, editor. Handbook of Sustainable Apparel Production. 1st ed., CRC Press, 2015, doi:10.1201/b18428.

OEKO-TEX. STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®. https://www.oeko-tex.com/en/our- standards/standard-100-by-oeko-tex. Accessed 28 Nov. 2021.

Shahmoradi Ghaheh, Fatemeh, et al. “Assessment of Antibacterial Activity of Wool Fabrics Dyed with Natural Dyes.” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 72, June 2014, pp. 139– 45, doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.02.050.

Sheep Inc. NFC – Sheep Inc. https://us.sheepinc.com/pages/nfc? nfc=n7265162495&currency=USD. Accessed 24 Oct. 2021.

Wools of New Zealand. SUPER LOW CARBON | Insights | Wools Of New Zealand. 14 June 2021, https://www.woolsnz.com/insights/post.php?s=super-low-carbon.

Andrea Giannini

Tony Radtkey

DES 40A

Professor Cogdell

Life Cycle Project: The Sheep Inc.

Energy embodied

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Introduction

Currently, environmental sustainability has become an issue of great concern across the globe. Pollution or ecological degradation from all sectors of life, including fashion, has become a public health issue across the world. A study conducted by Ellen MacArthur Foundation showed that the world textile industry emits approximately 1.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year (Davis n. p). Such massive emissions have made the textile industry among the significant causes of pollution, triggering climatic changes across the globe. As a result of the issue, textile organizations are using technology as well as innovation to reduce the impact of the fashion and textile industry on the environment. However, attaining carbon neutrality, as well as sustainability is not enough to address the existing issues. Thus, brands such as Sheep Inc. are using more advanced methods to contribute positively and gain competitive advantage (The World Staff n. p). 

Sheep Inc. is a knitwear brand renowned for being the world’s first carbon-negative fashion brand (Davis n. p). Since its inception, the brand has invested in research and development that has helped to improve its products and processes to promote environmental sustainability continuously. It is argued that the brand provides sustainable clothing into the market, showing that brands can achieve the zero carbon and zero waste objective if they use the right tools and technologies. However, arguments and questions are often raised on whether the brand is entirely sustainable in its product lifecycle or not. The question is whether the brand reduces energy and emission equivalent to using the whole life cycle. The paper seeks to identify and analyze the sustainability of the Sheep Inc. product cycle to determine whether it is entirely sustainable or not. Therefore, it argues that Sheep Inc. products are sustainable because they reduce energy, waste, and emission more than they contribute to it in their entire life cycle.

The entire lifecycle of Sheep Inc. hood is based on reduced energy consumption, zero waste, and emission. For instance, at the raw materials acquisition stage, the brand has proven sustainable in its processes and practice using energy-efficient and environmentally friendly approaches. For example, the brand sources merino wool for regenerative sheep farms in New Zealand to ensure the environmental sustainability of its sourcing practices (The World Staff n. p). Merino wool is described as a softer as well as finer material than regular wool and is used to make smooth and fine fleece (Danila and Antonela 510). The regenerative land where the sheep are kept, utilizes innovative land management technologies, feeding, as well as grazing techniques that contribute to carbon-negative wools. Studies indicate that practical sheep farming has a positive impact on energy consumption and environmental sustainability. 

Growing and maintaining a productive pasture ground and use of effective grazing methods of sheep helps to reduce emission intensity to the environment (Bell, Richard, and Brendan 127). For instance, sheep help maintain the soil’s health by eliminating the need for fertilizers and closing the nutrient loop. The firm works in collaboration with stakeholders who are focused on sustainability, such as the farmers, who use effective grazing methods to reduce overgrazing, soil erosion while enhancing water infiltration rates, as well as the storage of carbon in the soil. However, the counterargument argues that from a lifecycle point of view, rearing sheep may have more negative outcomes to the environment than positive outcomes (Bhatt and Bassim n. p). For instance, the manufacturing of meat and sheep products may trigger energy depletion and environmental degradation (Bhatt and Bassim n. p). However, these arguments are not so strong because manufacturers are using renewable energy sources and other sustainable processes to reduce emissions.

Additionally, after the sourcing, the wool is manufactured to provide knitted wear, a process that is also carbon negative. The manufacturing phase uses sustainable energy by utilizing solar power knitting machines to reduce the impacts of the manufacturing process on energy use and the environment (Nguyen n. p). Additionally, the devices are three-dimensional to ensure zero waste and reduced energy consumption during the processing phase. The end products of the manufacturing process are hoodies made from merino wool that have self-cleaning features, as well as zero odor retention and are biodegradable.

Wool is odor resistant, which contributes positively to enhancing air quality by reducing odor-related pollution (Danila and Antonela 510). Distribution and transportation processes in the life cycles are also significant causes of energy depletion and environmental degradation. Statistics indicate that between 1990 and 2019, ships and boats emitted an estimated 40.4 million greenhouse gases in the United States (Tiseo n. p). Increased carbon emission from shipping containers is attributed to the fact that ships burn dirty fuel that pollutes the environment (wired.com).

Non-renewable sources are high emitters and are mainly used to fuel ship engines as they transport people and goods (Condon and Tim n. p). For instance, the fashion industry exporters use ships to transport wool to different parts of the world hence increasing emissions in the logistics process. However, there have been recent delays in shipping to China and Europe by wool exporters, which is affecting business and could lead to more emissions once the delay has been addressed (Condon and Tim n. p).

However, in the case of Sheep Inc., the transportation and distribution are done through Airbox, which is powered by a renewable source of energy that is solar power. Therefore, the transport or logistic process is fuel efficient because it uses solar and electric energy to ensure that the raw materials and products reach their intended destination while emitting zero carbon to the environment. Studies indicate that the brand uses renewable sources of energy in the entire supply chain, thereby reducing energy waste and environmental impacts in the long term (Davis n. p). They work closely with suppliers, who are sensitive to the environment hence engaging in increased sustainability efforts.

Sheep Inc. hoodie plays a critical role in boosting efficiency in energy consumption, as well as zero-waste by ensuring reusing and recycling of wool term (Davis n. p). Reusing the sweaters reduces the manufacturing of new hoodies, thereby saving on energy by reducing the production rates of the organization. Additionally, recycling helps to reduce waste by ensuring that once the sweaters reach the end of life, they are not damped to the environment. Instead, they are used to make new products. Therefore, it helps to reduce the amount of energy and resources used to begin the lifecycle from gathering the wool from New Zealand until the sweaters reach the market.

In addition to reducing energy consumption, recycling helps to reduce landfill pollution and ensures zero waste and environmental sustainability. Studies indicate that sustainable brands in the fashion industry reduce waste, emission, and energy consumption through reusing and recycling products in the long term (Russell et al. 415). Sheep Inc. products are also 100% biodegradable, which helps to reduce their impacts on the environment by reducing waste. Once the sweaters are no longer in use, they degrade into the ground hence in return, leaving no debris behind. 

The sweaters last for a long time before they can become less valuable, thereby saving on energy that could be used to produce new sweaters to replace the old ones.  Additionally, the firm uses 5% of each purchase of its product to environmental projects to reduce energy waste and environmental degradation (Davis n. p). Questions raised against Sheep Inc. include whether the brand uses greenwashing to attract customers and gain an improved brand reputation. However, this is not true because the firm engages in transparent practices and reporting that shows that it is highly sustainable in each step of its product life cycle. For instance, each of their sweaters has an NFC tag that shows the whole product lifecycle and the carbon footprint of the product (Nguyen n. p). 

The tag helps individuals track the product back to the sheep that provided the wool and allows them to understand the sustainability of the entire process until the product reaches the markets. However, the tag is not made from a biodegradable material but from EcoPaxx that is bio-based and a complete carbon-neutral polyamide (Nguyen n. p). It is recyclable when the sweeter is no longer in use, thereby reducing depletion of energy and waste to the ground. Recycling allows the firm to reduce waste in the environment as a part of its corporate social responsibility to enhance its competitive advantage.

Conclusion

From the above discussion, it can be concluded that Sheep Inc. provides sustainable fashion products to the market. The brand has not attained zero-emission, energy consumption, and waste but its impacts on the environment are minimal compared to other brands in the fashion industry. Therefore, while the lifecycle process such as transportation, manufacturing, recycling, and others produce carbon and deplete energy from the environment, it is not as much as they positively impact it.  It can be argued that the product life cycle of Sheep Inc. reduces carbon depletion in its processes than it utilizes in its life cycles. The use of renewable sources of energy helps the firm to reduce its impact on energy depletion while promoting environmental sustainability.  

Furthermore, it eliminates more carbon than it emits to the environment, making it sustainable in the long term. However, despite the current success, the firm will need to invest more in research and development to ensure continuous improvement of its lifecycle to ensure zero waste and emission to the environment. Additionally, in the future, as fast fashion trends emerge, more sustainability trends are likely to occur. Therefore, the firm will need to keep up with trends in sustainability by integrating technology and other resources into its practices. The story of Sheep Inc. has implications for other brands since it sends a clear message that fashion styles, as well as sustainability can be easily achieved at the same time. Thus, it encourages more brands to invest more in becoming sustainable while providing quality products.

Work cited

Bell, M. J., R. J. Eckard, and B. R. Cullen. "The effect of future climate scenarios on the balance between productivity and greenhouse gas emissions from sheep grazing systems." Livestock Science 147.1-3 (2012): 126-138.

Bhatt, Akul, and Bassim Abbassi. "Review of environmental performance of sheep farming using life cycle assessment." Journal of Cleaner Production (2021): 126192.

Condon, Michael, and Tim Fookes. “Wool Exporters Face Credit Squeeze as Shipping Delays Add up to 40 Days on to Export Times to China and Europe.” ABC, 23 Mar. 2021, www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2021-03-23/wool-shipping-delay-to-europe-and-china/13203370.

Davis, Dominic. “The 3-Part Plan Luxury Brand Sheep Inc. Uses to Reduce Waste and Carbon Emissions — and Get Customers to ‘adopt’ a Sheep with Every Purchase.” Insider, 13 May 2021, www.businessinsider.com/she

Danila, Victoria, and Antonela Curteza. "Sustainable materials recomanded for making clothing for premature babies." (2021).

Nguyen, Amy. “S & S Spotlight: Sheep Inc.” Sustainable &Social, 4 Oct. 2020, sustainableandsocial.com/spotlight-sheepinc-sustainable-knitwear.ep-sustainability-in-fashion-carbon-out-of-the-atmosphere-2020-12?r=US&IR=T.

The Cargo Industry’s Quest to Curb Carbon-Belching Ships.” Wired.Com, 4 Jan. 2020, www.wired.com/story/cargo-industry-decarbonize-carbon-belching-ships.

The World Staff. “You’re Not Being Fleeced: This Carbon-Negative Sweater Comes with Sheep Included.” The World, 16 Oct. 2019, theworld.org/stories/2019-10-16/you-re-not-being-fleeced-carbon-negative-sweater-comes-sheep-included.

Tiseo, Ian. “Annual shipping and boating GHG emissions in the U.S. 1990-2019”. Statista, Apr 23, 2021. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1120541/us-shipping-ghg-emissions/

Russell, Stephen, et al. "Review of wool recycling and reuse." Natural Fibres: Advances in Science and Technology towards Industrial Applications. Springer, Dordrecht, 2016. 415-428.