Environmental impact of circular e-businesses in the clothing sector : A life cycle assessment

This study assesses the environmental impacts of using online-based reuse, rental, and repair services for clothing in Sweden over the course of one year, compared to not using these services. Using three life cycle assessment case studies – each centred around a fictional user – the study considers climate impact, water deprivation, and primary energy use. For each case study, we study the consequences of using the service: the environmental impact of the service as such (transports, packaging, etc.) and the reduced environmental impact of avoiding new clothing purchases. The case studies were informed by user interviews and literature data. Key findings: - Reuse and repair: Both services led to clear environmental benefits. Reuse reduced climate impact by ~80 kg CO₂ eq. (about 25% of the average Swede’s annual clothing-related impact), while repair saved ~37 kg CO₂ eq. (11%) and cut water-deprivation impact by about 15%. - Rental: The environmental benefit of the rental service was less certain. Most of the benefits of avoided new clothing purchases were offset by the impacts from using the service, especially the impact from production and waste treatment of packaging. The results suggest that while all three services can reduce environmental impact, reuse and repair offer more reliable and substantial benefits. The environmental benefits of rental services to a higher extent relies on the specific service and how it is used: to what extent the rented garments are used and replaces new clothing purchases, and the efficient use of packaging. The study thereby highlights the importance of ensuring that rental services complement rather than replace more impactful circular strategies like reuse and repair. Future research on reuse, rental, and repair services for clothing should account for key factors identified in the present study, like logistics, replacement rates and packaging, and try to generate more primary data (e.g., on replacement rates).