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Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of MWool ® Recycled Wool Fibers

Author

Listed:
  • Isabella Bianco

    (Politecnico di Torino, DIATI, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy)

  • Raffaella Gerboni

    (Politecnico di Torino, DENERG, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy)

  • Giuseppe Picerno

    (Manteco SpA, Via della Viaccia, 19, 59013 Montemurlo, Italy)

  • Gian Andrea Blengini

    (Politecnico di Torino, DIATI, Corso Duca Degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy)

Abstract

Textile industries are in the spotlight due to the heavy environmental impacts along their products’ life cycle and, at the same time, they are a priority sector in the new circular economy action plan of the European Commission. In this framework, the Italian company Manteco SpA has developed a value chain based on the recycling of pre- and post-consumer discarded textiles, wh0se output is a secondary wool fiber named MWool ® . This study develops an environmental analysis of recycled wool fibers through the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, mainly using primary data. A parallel LCA is developed of virgin wool fiber, mostly based on literature data. Sensitivity analyses have been carried out: (i) to capture the uncertainty associated with virgin fibers’ impacts and (ii) to evaluate how MWool ® impacts vary according to the origin and treatment of recycled textiles. Finally, the Circular Footprint Formula (CFF) has been applied to consider also a possible decay in quality typically affecting recycled fibers. Results show that recycled wool fibers have significantly lower environmental impacts than virgin fibers, even when the most unfavorable scenarios are considered. As climate change is concerned, 1 kg of MWool ® has a carbon footprint of 0.1–0.9 kg CO 2 eq., while producing virgin fibers releases 10–103 kg CO 2 eq. Using the CFF, it emerges that recycled wool fibers can save about 60% of the impacts of virgin fibers. This study contributes to filling data gaps regarding LCAs applied to the textile sector, which is more and more in the spotlight and needs to address these environmental issues.

Suggested Citation

  • Isabella Bianco & Raffaella Gerboni & Giuseppe Picerno & Gian Andrea Blengini, 2022. "Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of MWool ® Recycled Wool Fibers," Resources, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:11:y:2022:i:5:p:41-:d:797783
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nynne Marie Bech & Morten Birkved & Fiona Charnley & Louise Laumann Kjaer & Daniela C. A. Pigosso & Michael Z. Hauschild & Tim C. McAloone & Mariale Moreno, 2019. "Evaluating the Environmental Performance of a Product/Service-System Business Model for Merino Wool Next-to-Skin Garments: The Case of Armadillo Merino ®," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-21, October.
    2. K. J. Watson & S. G. Wiedemann, 2019. "Review of Methodological Choices in LCA-Based Textile and Apparel Rating Tools: Key Issues and Recommendations Relating to Assessment of Fabrics Made From Natural Fibre Types," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-16, July.
    3. Kenichi Kashiwagi & Erina Iwasaki, 2020. "Effect of agglomeration on technical efficiency of small and medium‐sized garment firms in Egypt," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 32(1), pages 14-26, March.
    4. Stephen G. Wiedemann & Leo Biggs & Simon J. Clarke & Stephen J. Russell, 2022. "Reducing the Environmental Impacts of Garments through Industrially Scalable Closed-Loop Recycling: Life Cycle Assessment of a Recycled Wool Blend Sweater," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-13, January.
    5. Katarina Lindström & Therese Sjöblom & Anders Persson & Nawar Kadi, 2020. "Improving Mechanical Textile Recycling by Lubricant Pre-Treatment to Mitigate Length Loss of Fibers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-13, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Isabella Bianco & Alice De Bona & Mariachiara Zanetti & Deborah Panepinto, 2023. "Environmental Impacts in the Textile Sector: A Life Cycle Assessment Case Study of a Woolen Undershirt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-13, July.

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