Client
Arpe is a family-owned textile company located in Arenys de Munt (Barcelona, Spain) that does everything it can in-house. “We brainstorm, design, prototype, weave, laminate, cut, print, sew, manufacture, and package in our factory, and what we can’t do ourselves, we source from local manufacturers who share our values,” they explain. Their products are made from polyester thread derived from post-consumer rPET bottles, a decision driven by the desire to use existing waste and give it a second life. Plastic bottles are melted to create a very soft microfiber fabric, the polyester thread, which is then woven into large pieces of cloth.
Furthermore, all their products are eco-designed following circular economy criteria and use 100% renewable energy. They seek the most optimal sizes and cut the fabric to generate minimal waste. They ensure that their products are recycled and recyclable (most of them are monomaterials) and apply the same principles to packaging: the less there is, and the more recycled it is, the better.
Their goal is to achieve carbon neutrality. A first step was calculating the carbon footprint of their products, such as the microfiber towel, as well as that of the company; these metrics serve as the basis for making decisions and reducing their carbon footprint.
The challenge
To develop a Climate Action Plan for the period 2019-2030 that contributes to reducing the company’s carbon footprint.
What was done?
The calculation of Arpe’s carbon footprint, based on 2019 data, revealed the critical points to focus on with the aim of reducing this footprint, and these served as the basis for the 2019-2030 Climate Action Plan.
Results
4
Lines of action: raw materials, energy, mobility, and waste.
7
Actions: reducing the impact of suppliers, reuse and valorization of materials, energy transition, reducing mobile combustion, reducing the impact of commutes, sustainable logistics, and reducing production waste.
12
Sub-actions, among which are promoting the return of gym towels to make rags, using photovoltaic energy for self-consumption, renewing internal vehicles, hiring an electric carpooling service, establishing a new fabric cutting process, or valorizing textile waste for foam manufacturing.
-33%
is the potential reduction in carbon footprint compared to 2019, which would result in a decrease of 429 tons of CO2 equivalent. The most impactful action, accounting for 31%, is the reduction of the suppliers’ impact.
The next step will be to implement this Climate Action Plan.
Conclusions
Arpe’s main course of action to reduce its carbon footprint will be to develop lighter fabrics made from recycled materials, an evolution that must be undertaken jointly with its suppliers. To go beyond the potential reduction in emissions, it will be crucial to explore other actions focused on recovering and reusing textile products and waste beyond the specific cases already considered, such as foam manufacturing from waste, the return of gym towels, and store boxes, as well as making more efficient use of raw materials, aligning with the implementation of a new fabric cutting system.
Actions related to mobility and energy directly used by Arpe do not have a significant potential for emission reduction, but they are essential to raise awareness and involve the company’s employees in a sustainable transition, as well as aligning the organization’s operations and daily practices with its values and purposes.
All the cases