Scope three emission sources of clothing companies worldwide 2023

According to a 2023 survey, the leading source of scope three emissions for fashion companies was upstream transportation and distribution. Purchased goods and services followed closely behind in second place. Business travel made up the top three most commonly cited sources.

Carbon footprint of leading brands

While Scope 3 emissions are the result of activities not controlled by a company, but affected indirectly by the company, Scope 1 deals with emissions from the company’s own sources, while Scope 2 deals with the indirect emissions where a company’s energy is produced. As pressure rises on fashion companies to report their activities transparently, more and more companies include sustainability figures in their annual reports. In 2023, Swedish retailer H&M surpassed other industry giants with roughly 55 thousand tons of Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions. 

Sustainable practices within fashion companies

As consumers become more concerned with sustainability, to the point of it being a key factor in their purchases, fashion companies are listening and increasingly putting in effort to reduce their environmental impact. One method used to increase fashion sustainability is the adoption of circular fashion platforms like ThredUp and Depop, where consumers can buy and sell second-hand clothing.