Groundbreaking Outdoor Industry Study Sets Stage to Electrify Textile and Apparel Factories

Burton, New Balance, Patagonia, REI Co-op, W.L. Gore & Associates, and OIA come together through OIA's Climate Action Corps to Decarbonize the Textile and Apparel Sector 

BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Burton, New Balance, Patagonia, REI Co-op, and Gore's Fabrics Division (Gore) – five members of OIA Climate Action Corps – and OIA are pleased to release the results of a joint-commissioned study regarding the feasibility of electrifying the textile and apparel industry. The study outlines substantial opportunities to implement practices that save companies money and reduce supply chain emissions. Patagonia served as the main sponsor of the study which OIA helped to facilitate. This collaborative project is the latest in a series of steps the industry is taking to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis.

The study, Electrification of Heating in the Textile Industry: A Techno-Economic Analysis for China, Japan, and Taiwan, explored the potential energy savings, CO2 emissions reductions, and costs for electrification technology pathways. The main findings of the study demonstrate that shifting to industrial heat pumps can lead to substantial energy reductions, reduced CO2 emissions, and lower costs compared to conventional systems. The study also provides several key recommendations for the textile industry and policymakers to scale up electrification in the textile and apparel industry and accelerate carbon emissions reductions.

"One of the biggest issues in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our apparel and textile supply chains is thermal energy – steam and hot water for heating processes in factories. Can we use something other than coal, natural gas, or other fossil fuels? Our study demonstrates how there is an opportunity to decarbonize thermal heating processes in apparel and textile factories in a way that reduces emissions, energy, and cost over time," said Sarah Rykal, Senior Manager of OIA's Climate Action Corps. "This is the first research of its kind, and we are thrilled to now be sharing these findings with suppliers in China, Japan, and Taiwan to help increase sustainability on a broader scale. These results impact the entire fashion industry, not just the outdoor industry." 

Burton, New Balance, Patagonia, REI, Gore, and OIA worked with the industrial decarbonization consulting firm Global Efficiency Intelligence to conduct the study. The goal was to gain critical insights into reducing emissions in the apparel industry's supply chain by shifting from carbon-intensive thermal heating processes currently powered by fossil fuels to more efficient, clean electrified processes where low- or zero-carbon electricity is used. The research focused on the textile industry with a special focus on tier 2 factories – facilities where materials are produced and finished before going into finished products – in China, Japan, and Taiwan, and applies to other geographies.

"Electrification of process heating will play a vital role in the deep decarbonization of the textile industry and apparel supply chain when tied to renewable electricity. However, it seems like not many managers and engineers in the textile and apparel companies are aware of this huge opportunity. There is certainly a need for more work in this area," said Ali Hasanbeigi, Ph.D., Research Director at Global Efficiency Intelligence and lead researcher for this study.

"Our global supply chain is the source of most of our carbon emissions, so we must work with factory partners to transform how we make products and reduce the harm done in our name," said Kim Drenner, Head of Supply Chain Environmental Impact at Patagonia. "We joined REI, New Balance, Gore, and Burton to collaborate with the OIA on this study, so the researchers were able to cover a diverse range of factories and stakeholders. This research is a step forward because it provides tangible, cost-effective ways for suppliers and brands to end their reliance on fossil fuels. We look forward to helping implement these improvements."

The collaborators have also hosted stakeholder engagement activities to inform stakeholders of the research findings and empower them to adopt clean heat processes that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the textile and apparel industry. The research results have been published on GEI's website.

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SOURCE Outdoor Industry Association