Organizational life cycle assessment: A case study in the fashion industry small and medium enterprises

Organizations are increasingly committed to reducing their environmental footprints, a process fraught with the complex challenge of identifying and mitigating unique environmental impacts and hotspots without merely shifting burdens elsewhere. This study applies Organizational Life Cycle Assessment (OLCA) methodology using ISO 14040/14044 and ISO/TS 14072 guidance, mapped gate-to-gate flows for the firm's entire 2023 output. Inputs and emissions were compiled on-site and modelled in SimaPro 9.1.1 with the Ecoinvent 3.3 “allocation, cut-off” database, applying ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint (H) across 18 impact categories. The results show that electricity use is the main environmental hotspot, contributing 43.5 % to total climate impacts, while cotton fibre accounts for 87.3 % of freshwater eutrophication and 37.8 % of water consumption; combined measures on renewable electricity and recycled fibres could reduce the organisation's overall climate footprint by up to 34.6 %. To address these impacts, the adoption of renewable energy sources like solar energy systems to reduce electricity consumption is recommended. This analysis pinpoints concise improvements: transition to renewable electricity, favour green suppliers of water-efficient cotton and recycled polyester and replace brass with different materials. The analysis conducted aims to be transferable to peer fashion companies in Italy and beyond, favouring the spread of Life Cycle based methodologies. • OLCA enables MSMEs to assess and improve their environmental performance. • Electricity mix, cotton, brass and polyester were the most impactful. • Marine and Freshwater ecotoxicity resulted the most impacted categories.