This category assesses how brands set targets and take action to reduce emissions from upstream shipping and advocate for zero-emissions vessels and infrastructure.
The sprawling global supply chain of the fashion sector is already an important driver in the growth of emissions from ocean freight and air cargo shipments, sectors that are heavily dependent on fossil fuels. Ocean and air transportation are each responsible for 2% to 3% of global GHG emissions and their total emissions are rapidly increasing.[1] Container ships also contribute significantly to air pollution due to their reliance on toxic heavy fuel oil. Ocean-going ships, which carry more than 80% of world trade goods by volume, could contribute 17% of human-caused carbon emissions by 2050 if no action is taken.[2]
Worse, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in global air freight – which is over 100 times more carbon intensive than slower shipping methods[3] – growing by a massive 40% in 2020, and by an additional 15% in 2021.[4] Prices to ship by air-dropped by more than half compared with pre-pandemic levels.[5] Apparel and textiles remained among the largest market segments in both ocean and air shipping in 2021, making up 11% of freight volume from East Asia to North America.[6] As global exports continue to rise, so will the sector’s transportation footprint.
Considering the increasing emissions from transportation in the fashion sector, the 2023 Scorecard evaluated brands’ shipping sustainability strategies and found that the overall performance of the fashion industry is far from satisfactory. Brands continue to focus their sustainability efforts on their Scope 1 and 2 emissions, while their own reported data shows that upstream shipping emissions (being between suppliers and from suppliers to the brand company) are often far higher. In 2021, one fast fashion retailer’s (Boohoo) upstream transportation emissions were up to 47 times higher than its Scope 1 and 2 emissions combined.[7]