Dive Brief:
- Sustainable apparel brand Reformation reported an increase in its carbon footprint, both in terms of direct emissions and overall greenhouse gas emissions produced through its operations, according to the company’s most recent sustainability report released last week.
- The company generated 45,867 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2023, up from the 36,822 metric tons it generated in 2022. Reformation also overshot science-based targets it set for annual direct emissions, producing over 700 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2023, up from around 600 metric tons the previous year.
- Additionally, the women’s clothing company, known for championing sustainable practices, missed a target to reduce the carbon intensity of its products. Reformation products emitted 31 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent per unit, exceeding the 24 pounds per unit target it had set for 2023, according to the report.
Dive Insight:
Reformation attributed the increased carbon intensity of its products to a rise in production for certain garments — such as cashmere sweaters — and a change in methodology adopted last year, which updated its baseline year to 2021 and resulted in its 2023 target being lower than expected.
The updated methodology, which the company calls “RefScale,” tracks Reformation’s environmental footprint by combining the approximate amount of carbon dioxide and water consumed by its operations. This information is then used to calculate how much the company conserves compared to most clothes purchased in the United States. Per RefScales’ calculations, the company’s products saved 69% in carbon dioxide usage and 49% in water usage in 2023, compared to the footprint of other brands’ comparable apparel products.
Reformation has set science-based targets to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% and scope 3 emissions by 48% per value added by 2030, compared to 2021 baselines. Though the company had a spike in direct emissions generated last year, its scope 3 emissions generated per unit of activity remained nearly the same as 2022 levels. Scope 3 emissions comprise over 98% of the company’s total emissions.
Despite setting 2030 reduction targets for scope 1 and scope 2, the company acknowledged that achieving this goal would be “hard” in conjunction with its plans to open 8-10 new stores a year. But the company said it would utilize its new EV shuttle, prioritize energy efficiency across its facilities and electrify as much infrastructure in new stores as possible. The company previously committed to sourcing 100% renewable energy through the end of the decade — a goal it already started to fulfill in its baseline year of 2021.
Such strategies, according to Reformation, will allow the company to reduce its overall emissions and achieve its 2030 targets.
