Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is widely used to measure environmental impacts, but its limits are often misunderstood or misused in the apparel sector. Textile Exchange’s Beth Jensen offers a clear perspective on how “LCA+” can help the industry make smarter, more credible decisions.

Design meets data: a shift in the apparel industry

The outdoor and broader apparel and fashion industry has long been rooted in creativity, artistry, and design innovation. However, the evolution of sustainability within the industry in recent years has also required the industry to develop and deepen its understanding of the data and science needed to unpack the ongoing question: what is “sustainable?”

In the context of Textile Exchange’s work, this question is specifically focused on materials. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a well-known framework used by the outdoor and apparel industry and beyond to measure certain environmental impacts of materials (and products) across their life cycle – especially, and most often, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Why traditional LCA falls short

Using LCA in this way can offer useful insights, but the method has many limits that need to be carefully understood. Textile Exchange promotes an “LCA+” approach to measuring the impact of materials – a broader view that goes beyond what standard LCA methods cover. It includes other impact areas such as biodiversity, soil health, animal welfare, and livelihoods.

Although the industry’s overall ability to use and understand LCA data in a scientifically accurate way has improved in recent years, and while intentions are often good, misuse of LCA is still common. This happens across the board – from journalists and influencers to brands, retailers, suppliers, and producers.

Textile Exchange’s call for integrity

In our recently published paper, Ensuring Integrity in the Use of Life Cycle Assessment Data, Textile Exchange shares a call for industry-wide responsibility in using LCA data, including the following:

Do not:

• Compare data between LCA studies that have not been adjusted for differences.
• Compare data between fiber or material types or regions – these are not “apples to apples” comparisons due to differences in production systems.
• Decide to stop working with sourcing regions or producers based only on LCA data.

Do:

• Use LCA data to find ways to improve production systems in your current supply chains. Try to fix these through teamwork and direct investment.
• Use emission numbers from LCA studies to estimate GHG impact and model the potential impact of changes, but only if done with a solid scientific approach.
• Follow an “LCA+” approach to understand impact in a complete way.
• Make sure that anyone in your company who works with LCA data has enough scientific skill to do it properly.

Why LCA+ leads to better decisions

Textile Exchange is clear: the industry needs to go further than just traditional LCA. Understanding the full picture of impact means including more than just emissions – especially when those numbers are used to make big decisions.

By improving how LCA is used, and by embracing LCA+, companies can move from basic reporting to real, informed action.

By integrating LCA with other impact indicators, the LCA+ approach ensures that sustainability claims are not only more credible, but also more aligned with the real-world needs of ecosystems and communities.

Further reading: LCAs still don’t fit natural fibers. Digital Product Passports may inherit the problem

Lead photo: Carl Van Der Linde | Textile Exchange