Denim Jeans

Material Composition Assumptions

The default reference product is a standard pair of denim jeans weighing 750 grams (approximately 26.4 oz total weight), manufactured from 13.5 oz/yd² denim fabric (460 g/m²), representing medium weight denim that offers the best balance of quality, durability, breathability, and comfort.

Material composition breakdown:

1.6 yards (1.4 meters) of denim fabric at 13.5 oz/yd² (460 g/m²)

• Cotton fiber content: 98% cotton, 2% elastane blend

Metal components: 12-15 grams including rivets, buttons, and zipper

Indigo dye: 6-8 grams for medium wash finish

• Sewing thread: 180 meters polyester-cotton blend

Packaging materials: 75 grams including hang tags, plastic bags, and labels

The functional unit represents a typical mid-weight pair of jeans as sold at retail, excluding use-phase care and end-of-life treatment.

Manufacturing Geography

Bangladesh is the second-largest global exporter of ready-made garments after China, contributing 7% to global finished product assembly. China remains the largest global producer of textiles and garments, with the apparel industry being the sixth-largest industry sector in terms of energy consumption.

The default manufacturing region combines weighted average impacts from:

Cotton cultivation: India (45%)

Fabric production (spinning, weaving, dyeing): China (60%), Turkey (25%), Bangladesh (15%)

Garment assembly: Bangladesh (50%), China (30%), Southeast Asia (20%)

China’s grid carbon intensity is approximately 565 gCO2e/kWh in 2024, with projected decline to 505 gCO2e/kWh by 2026. Bangladesh relies heavily on natural gas and fossil fuels, with less than 2% renewable energy in the energy mix.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
China	565 gCO2e/kWh	17 kgCO2e	Baseline
Bangladesh	420 gCO2e/kWh	15 kgCO2e	-12%
India	720 gCO2e/kWh	20 kgCO2e	+18%
Turkey	420 gCO2e/kWh	15 kgCO2e	-12%
Vietnam	470 gCO2e/kWh	16 kgCO2e	-6%

Regional variations primarily reflect differences in electricity grid carbon intensity affecting energy-intensive textile processing operations, particularly wet processing for dyeing which involves direct use of coal or natural gas for steam generation (46% of energy consumption) and drying operations (30% of energy consumption).

Provenance Override Guidance

Suppliers can provide the following data types to override the default CCI score with higher precision:

1. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) - ISO 14025 compliant declarations covering fabric and garment manufacturing stages with verified LCA data
2. Energy consumption data - Actual electricity and thermal energy usage (kWh/kg fabric) for spinning, weaving, dyeing, and finishing operations with grid source documentation
3. Material sourcing documentation - Specific cotton origin with agricultural emissions factors, fiber blend percentages, and organic/recycled content certifications
4. Manufacturing process specifications - Detailed finishing processes, water treatment systems, dyeing chemistry, and waste management practices with quantified impacts
5. Transportation data - Actual shipping distances and modes between cotton origin, fabric mills, garment factories, and distribution centers

Methodology Notes

• The CCI score represents cradle-to-gate embodied carbon from raw material extraction through manufacturing and packaging, excluding use-phase care (washing, drying) and end-of-life treatment

Scope 1 emissions (3.2 kgCO2e) include direct combustion for steam generation and facility heating primarily from textile manufacturing

Scope 2 emissions (4.8 kgCO2e) reflect electricity consumption across spinning, weaving, dyeing, cutting, and