Sectors → Fashion & textiles
From March 2025, GOTS v8 requires every certified facility to publish a GHG inventory and reduction plan. The EU's ESPR digital product passport, France's AGEC and direct demands from H&M, Inditex and Kering mean carbon measurement is now table stakes for selling clothing in 2026.
These are the regulatory and commercial pressures already landing on businesses in your sector. Carbon measurement is no longer a marketing project, it is a procurement and compliance requirement.
The Global Organic Textile Standard version 8, published March 2024 and enforceable from March 2025, requires every GOTS-certified facility to maintain a Scope 1, 2 and material Scope 3 emissions inventory and a documented reduction plan. Without it, certification can be suspended at the next audit cycle.
Global Standard – GOTS Version 8.0The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) makes textiles a priority category. Every garment sold in the EU will require a Digital Product Passport disclosing carbon footprint, recycled content, durability and end-of-life information. UK brands selling into the EU are not exempt.
European Commission – ESPRFrance's AGEC law already requires environmental labelling on textiles sold in France. Combined with H&M, Inditex (Zara) and Kering's published supplier sustainability requirements, UK manufacturers and brands without verified emissions data are being squeezed out of European retail and luxury supply chains.
Ministère de la Transition écologique – AGECIn fashion and textiles, raw fibre production (cotton, polyester, viscose) and dyeing & finishing typically account for the vast majority of a garment's footprint. On-site emissions are usually the smallest part, but they're the only part most brands currently measure.
Scope 1: direct
On-site dyeing, finishing and steam generation; gas heating in warehouses and stores; refrigerants in retail HVAC.
Scope 2: purchased energy
Electricity for production, dyehouses, distribution centres, e-commerce warehouses and retail stores.
Scope 3: value chain
Raw fibres and yarns (Cat 1, often 50–70% of total); cut, make and trim manufacturing (Cat 1); inbound sea and air freight (Cat 4); customer washing and drying (Cat 11); end-of-life disposal of garments (Cat 12).
Read our full guide to Scope 3 emissions for UK businesses.
Full Scope 1, 2 and 3 measurement using textile-specific emission factors (Higg MSI, Ecoinvent, BEIS), the data GOTS auditors and ESPR Digital Product Passport actually require.
Carbon Footprint AssessmentWe build the documented reduction plan that GOTS v8 mandates, covering fibre choice, dyehouse efficiency, freight mode shift and end-of-life programmes.
Carbon Reduction PlanFor consumer-facing fashion brands, ISO 14068-aligned certification supports defensible 'carbon neutral' claims under the CMA Green Claims Code.
Carbon Neutral CertificationRecommended tool
Fashion supply chains span fibre, mill, dyehouse and CMT, often across multiple countries. The portal collects the primary data GOTS and ESPR will require.
Explore the Supplier Engagement PortalOr explore our full toolkit for SMEs working towards net zero.
Real fashion & textiles achieving measurable carbon reductions and net zero compliance with our expert carbon consultancy.
Consumer brand built on sustainability-first principles. We delivered a full Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon footprint, a documented reduction plan and the verified emissions data needed to substantiate marketing claims under the CMA Green Claims Code, giving the brand defensible language for product packaging, e-commerce and retail buyer conversations.
From 1 March 2025, every GOTS-certified facility must maintain a documented greenhouse gas inventory covering Scope 1, 2 and material Scope 3 emissions, plus a reduction plan with quantified targets and progress tracking. The inventory and plan are reviewed at every annual GOTS audit and non-conformity can result in certification suspension.
If you sell garments into the EU, directly, via wholesale or via marketplaces, yes. The ESPR Digital Product Passport will require disclosure of carbon footprint, recycled content, repair information and end-of-life options for every product placed on the EU market. Textiles and footwear are in the first wave (expected 2026–2027).
We use a cradle-to-gate methodology covering fibre production, yarn spinning, fabric production, dyeing & finishing, cut-make-trim and freight to your warehouse. For ESPR-aligned reporting we extend to cradle-to-grave with use-phase (washing, drying) and end-of-life. Emission factors come from Higg MSI, Ecoinvent and BEIS, the sources brand sustainability teams (H&M, Kering, Inditex) accept.
Only if you can substantiate it under the CMA Green Claims Code and ASA guidance. The CMA's 2024 actions against several fashion brands made clear that vague claims will be challenged. We deliver a verified footprint, published reduction plan and offset evidence pack so the claim survives a regulatory complaint.
It depends on the system boundary. Conventional cotton has high water and land impacts but lower energy in fibre production; virgin polyester has higher fossil fuel use but uses less water and land. Recycled polyester typically has the lowest cradle-to-gate carbon footprint of the three. We don't pre-judge, we calculate it for your specific supply chain so the answer reflects reality, not narrative.
We work with UK SMEs across fashion & textiles on consultant-led Carbon Footprint Assessments, PPN 006-aligned Carbon Reduction Plans and ISO 14068 carbon neutral certification, every output reviewed by our team, not auto-generated.
Contact our team today and join hundreds of organisations already reducing their carbon footprint and achieving net zero compliance with expert guidance.