| Abstract [eng] |
This thesis evaluated the environmental significance of digital platform electricity consumption in clothing lifespan extension through swapping. The research used a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach in OpenLCA. Two models were created: a baseline LCA model for a cotton T-shirt and an integrated LCA model that accounted for electricity demand from user devices, network activities, and backend server infrastructure. The findings indicated that including digital platform operations increased environmental impacts, especially regarding climate change and the scarcity of fossil resources. Scenario analysis revealed that using the platform, extending the lifespan of garments, and behaviour around substitutions greatly affected the environmental results of the swapping system. When reuse periods were short and substitutions were low, the environmental savings from reducing garment production did not offset the extra burden related to ICT. However, longer reuse of garments, along with effectively replacing new garment production, resulted in lower overall environmental impacts compared to the baseline garment system. Overall, the study demonstrated that digital clothing swapping can offer environmental benefits when garments are actively used for long enough and effectively replace new clothing purchases. |
