| Abstract [eng] |
The textile industry significantly impacts the environment, which has led to an increasing focus on product analyses using life cycle assessment methodologies. In this work, an environmental impact assessment was carried out on three types of T-shirts: cotton, polyester and blended fabrics. The analysis also includes additional elements such as thermal stickers. The inventory analysis was carried out based on defined system boundaries covering all stages of the life cycle. The assessment was carried out using the SimaPro 10.1.0.4 software, using the Environmental Footprint 3.1 method. The life cycle analysis covered all stages of the life cycle from raw material extraction to product disposal. Environmental impacts were assessed in 27 categories, of which 9 were analysed in detail. The analysis evaluated different scenarios related to the energy source – mixed or renewable electricity – and waste management – landfill or recycling. Analysis of the results showed that polyester T-shirts with a sticker had the highest impact on climate change when produced using mixed electricity and disposed of in a landfill. Their environmental impact was 6.35 kg CO₂/eq., while when mixed energy was replaced by renewable energy, this impact was reduced to 4.09 kg CO₂/eq. A large part of this impact is related to the use of fossil fuels in the extraction phase. Meanwhile, cotton T-shirts have a high water consumption, which is related to the need for irrigation during the cotton growing phase. Their climate change impact was lower at 1.65 kg CO₂ eq. with mixed electricity, while this was reduced to 0.996 kg CO₂ eq. with renewable energy. Mixed-composition T-shirts had intermediate results in most categories, but their environmental impact is due to their more complex recycling process. The climate change implications of changing the type of energy used changed only slightly from 3.32 kg to 3.22 kg CO₂ eq. Mixed materials are currently rarely recycled and their waste is more likely to be landfilled or incinerated, which may increase the impact in the long term. Uncertainty analysis using the Monte Carlo method showed that all scenarios with renewable energy and recycling are statistically more environmentally friendly than those with mixed energy and landfill. The analysis showed that the confidence intervals between the compared scenarios do not intersect, which confirms the reliability of the results and the stability of the analysis. Based on the analysis, recommendations are made. It suggests choosing lower impact materials, using renewable energy in production, increasing recyclability and extending the lifetime of products. It should also be mentioned that even minor components such as stickers should be included in the analysis as they have a significant impact in some environmental impact categories. |
