Life Cycle Assessments
Yes, we measured that. From fibre to flame-out.
At ROOTS, we’re famous for setting things on fire. On purpose, of course. It’s part of our rigorous testing programme, because when lives depend on what you wear, only the best will do.
But safety isn’t the only thing we take seriously. We’ve now turned our high standards to something less flammable, but just as urgent: the environmental footprint of our products.
That’s why we’ve done a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of our garments, an in-depth, scientific analysis of every environmental impact, from the raw cotton fields to that moment a garment gets binned, burned, or in the best case scenario recycled.
It wasn’t easy. But it was necessary. No shortcuts. No compromises. Just how we like it.
Get ready for a long but insightful read.
What On Earth Is An LCA?
A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is essentially a full audit of a product’s environmental behaviour across its entire life. In the case of ROOTS garments, that means we’ve taken into account:
- The farming, mining or synthesising of raw materials
- The production of fibres, fabrics, trims and accessories
- Industrial processes like spinning, weaving, dyeing and finishing
- Cutting, sewing, and assembling the garment
- Packaging and transporting the finished product, often around the world
- The years of use and washing that follow
- And finally, what happens when it’s thrown away
To keep it all structured and easier to follow we broke the assessment into five logical phases:
| Phase | What it includes |
|---|---|
| 1. Upstream | Everything that goes into the garment, fibres, trims, buttons, zips, labels, even the packaging. |
| 2. Core Process | The full production chain: spinning, weaving, dyeing, chemical finishing, and final assembly. |
| 3. Downstream | Distribution and transport, whether direct from China or via the route through Plymouth. Often assumed to be the main environmental villain, but in reality, it only accounts for a small slice of the total footprint. |
| 4.1 Use – Laundry | Washing during the garment’s life. Coveralls get washed a lot more than softshell jackets and parka's. |
| 4.2 Disposal | End-of-life: landfill, incineration, recycling, or reuse, including the packaging. |
But an LCA isn’t just about what happens, it’s also about how it impacts the world. So we measured several key categories:
| Impact Category | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| kg CO₂ equivalent | Measures the global warming potential, including CO₂, methane, nitrous oxide, all converted into CO₂ terms so we can compare apples to... flaming apples. |
| m³ Water Deprived | Not just how much water we used, but how much water is effectively taken out of circulation for others in that region. It adjusts for local water scarcity. A litre in Egypt isn’t the same as a litre in the UK for example. |
| Toxicity | The potential harm to human health and ecosystems from chemical exposure. |
| Fossil resource use |
How much we rely on oil, gas, and other things that don’t grow back, and can’t be washed off. |
The result? A clear, honest picture of where we stand, what we do well and where we can do better. Backed by ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards, and built the ROOTS way: no shortcuts, no spin, just facts you can build on.
No Shortcuts, No Compromises
Doing an LCA properly means going well beyond the bare minimum. Anyone can slap “eco” on a label and call it a day , but that simply isn't the ROOTS way.
We approached our Life Cycle Assessment with the same mindset we bring to garment testing: relentless scrutiny, zero tolerance for fluff. When the data didn’t add up, we didn’t smooth it over. We built a full-scale, transparent model that reflects the real-world complexity of our supply chain.
Here’s why we had to roll up our sleeves:
- Our garments come from multiple factories, each with different energy profiles, making consistent reporting challenging.
- Supplier data can be inconsistent, some good, some overly optimistic.
- Confection (cutting and sewing) data is currently limited across the industry.
- Chemical treatment details are often incomplete, but transparency is steadily improving.
But we also know that environmental reporting isn’t a universal standard yet. In many countries, regulations around energy use, carbon emissions, and chemical transparency are still catching up. The uncomfortable reality? Most companies simply don’t have a clear view of their own footprint yet let alone one they can pass on to others.
Faced with these industry-wide gaps, we had two options: wait for perfection or roll up our sleeves.
So we took the harder, smarter route:
A theoretical model, based on:
- Real garment weights
- Verified fibre content
- Industry-standard databases like ecoinvent
That approach gave us:
✔️ Consistent results
✔️ Full transparency across all products
✔️ A reliable baseline we can build on and improve
Proper data — properly used.
How We Did It (And What We Included)
We measured every garment using a clear, practical standard, also referred to as “functional unit” : one garment (size L), over one year’s typical use. We covered the full lifecycle in five structured phases:
1. Upstream
The raw ingredients: fibres, trims, buttons, zips, reflective tape, and packaging—everything before stitching begins.
2. Core Process
Fabric production and garment assembly: spinning, weaving, dyeing, flame-retardant treatments, cutting, sewing, and transport between factories.
3. Downstream
Global distribution and storage: from factory gates to our warehouses and onwards to customers.
4.1 Use – Laundry
Real-life washing scenarios: about 40 washes/year for coveralls and trousers, and around 2 washes/year for parkas and bodywarmers.
4.2 Disposal
End-of-life scenarios: landfill (34%), incineration (30%), and recycling or reuse (36%).
So yes, we even accounted for the carbon cost of washing and waste management. Because that's the level we operate at, highly relevant to us, and we suspect, pretty important to you too.
Why We Didn’t Rely Only On Supplier Data
We gave supplier data a fair shot. Honestly. But as it stands not all of it was complete or useful, there’s still room to grow:
One fabric claimed 0.018 kWh/kg in energy use.
Another time, same factory, different day said 1.21 kWh/kg.
Some production steps had little data.
And when we asked about chemicals, we were mostly met with blank stares.
Rather than wait for perfection, we got proactive. We built a robust, transparent model that gives us consistent, dependable results — right now. Based on real garment specs, proven databases, and clear assumptions.
And when suppliers are ready with detailed, verified data?
Great, we’ll plug it straight in and update our numbers.
In fact, we suspect the numbers will only improve.
This isn’t about bad data, just incomplete or, for now, not reliable enough to stand on. So we did what ROOTS always does: we set the bar ourselves.
What’s Next? (Spoiler: We're Not Done Yet)
Our LCA gave us answers, and, as expected, a longer to-do list. Because at ROOTS, once we start asking questions, we don’t stop at “close enough.” We dig in, sort it out, and keep going until we know we’ve done it properly.
Here’s what we’re working on next:
- Collecting expanded production data for every step, from fibre to finished garment:
• Energy sources (green or otherwise)
• kWh per linear metre of fabric
• Water usage and how much is recycled
• Exact chemical inputs and quantities - Challenging our producers to switch to renewable energy sources, not just talk about them.
- Investigating the switch to organic cotton, to see if it delivers meaningful impact reductions without any compromise in safety.
- Encouraging clients to reuse garments whenever feasible, because the most sustainable item is often the one you already own.
- Launching take-back pilots with clients, collecting end-of-life garments for:
• Repair and reissue
• Reuse in other contexts
• Potential re-coating with FR treatments
At the end of the day, the report’s just a piece of paper. Useful, absolutely, but only if you do something with it. It’s what we do with the contents that drives real progress. And we will — of that, there’s no question.
Want to See the Full Report?
With all the work we've done we can now provide an LCA summary that walks you through our approach, assumptions, impact data, and improvement plans. It’s perfect for:
• Procurement teams looking for evidence-based sustainability claims
• HSE and sustainability managers who hate greenwashing
• Anyone trying to make better PPE decisions without sacrificing safety
Every ROOTS garment is designed first, second, and thirdly to protect lives. That hasn’t changed — and never will. But protection goes beyond the wearer, it’s about the world they live in, too.
With our LCA work, we’ve taken the first. and very real, step toward reducing the environmental impact of our most iconic gear. It’s not a trend. It’s not a CSR checkbox. It’s part of the same no-nonsense mindset that’s always defined us.
And sure, the fact that a few regulations are coming down the line didn’t go unnoticed.
But let’s not pretend we did because we are fond of paperwork.
We did it because we believe it’s the right thing to do, and, frankly, we were already halfway there.
(Though if Brussels wants to send us a gold star, we won’t say no.)
And that’s it — our LCA journey so far.
It’s already felt like running a marathon, but we know it’s only the first stretch in the grander scheme.
We hope you found it informative, honest, and genuinely useful.
Got questions? Curious about the details? Just give us a ring.
We’re always happy to talk safety, and now, sustainability, with you too.