CLIMATE ACTION WEEK: Will energy benchmarks for apparel change the game? Kurt & Phil think so.

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5d ago 41:14

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Experts working with the Apparel Impact Institute are developing the first quantitative performance evaluation benchmarks for apparel and textiles in order to clearly compare the performance of one facility vs another in the areas of energy and emissions. Kurt Kipka, Chief Impact Officer at Apparel Impact Institute, and Phil Patterson, founder of Colour Connections, are optimistic that this approach can dramatically accelerate decarbonization in the supply chain because it will reward better performing companies and give worse performers the feedback they need to improve. They explain that this approach has been used in chemicals and water management and is having a positive effect. Kurt and Phil are confident that this initiative will help brands and suppliers, especially 1800 of the biggest carbon emitting factories, accelerate decarbonization. They also argue that ultimately this may be a more effective approach than relying on the enforcement of fragmented legislation now emerging in different parts of the world. Will these benchmarks be the game changer they are hoping for? Listen to Kurt and Phil make their case.

“A quantitative benchmark sounds a little bit wonky, but ultimately what we feel we're putting into position is the ability to give a clear comparison of one facility or producer of products performance from an energy and emission standpoint against another. And that isn't necessarily to pick favourites or to be able to downplay work that one supplier is doing compared to another. More than anything, it's to give credit where credit is effectively due, something that's been elusive in this sector for quite some time.”

For more information about this podcast and our guest experts, or to listen to other Climate Action Week 2025 podcast conversations, please visit https://sustainablefashionacademy.org/stica/climate-action-week-2025/

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