Determination of the carbon footprint of a fabric production facility and improvement suggestions

Globally, countries are conducting various studies to identify the effects of global warming, assess their magnitude, and minimize these impacts. These factors include identifying energy-consuming and carbon-emitting activities, calculating carbon emissions, and taking measures for improvement. The textile industry is considered one of the sectors contributing to carbon emissions worldwide. Textile products are used in many different industries and release various gases into the atmosphere during production processes. These gases include greenhouse gases that contribute to emissions. The environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions is measured through "carbon footprint" calculations. In this study, carbon footprint calculations for a textile company in Adana province, which involves production stages in weaving and garment manufacturing, were performed using the Tier method, evaluated, and alternative methods for reducing the carbon footprint were developed. The company's operational and institutional activities were examined in detail, and processes that could be evaluated in terms of the carbon footprint were identified. Calculations of Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions were conducted based on the "ISO 14064-1 Greenhouse Gas Standard." During the calculations, the carbon dioxide equivalent factors of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) were utilized. According to the data obtained from the research, the carbon footprint emitted into the atmosphere was determined to be 6.26 tons CO2e per ton of product produced. Keywords: Textile Industry, Carbon Footprint, Greenhouse Gases