How to calculate and declare the carbon footprint per garment unit using the EU's Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology. The LCA standard South African textile exporters must meet.
The EU's Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) for Apparel and Footwear defines the standardised methodology for calculating the environmental footprint of garments. The PEF score covers 16 environmental impact categories, but the primary metric for DPP compliance is the climate change impact expressed in kg CO2 equivalent (CO2e) per unit of product. The calculation covers the full lifecycle: raw material extraction, fibre processing, yarn spinning, fabric production, garment manufacturing, distribution, consumer use (washing, drying, ironing), and end-of-life. South African manufacturers are not expected to conduct full lifecycle assessments immediately — the registry provides sector-average default values for each production stage that can be used as a starting point.
For most South African textile SMEs, the most significant carbon data points are electricity consumption at the manufacturing facility (converted to kg CO2e using Eskom's published emission factor), transport distance from factory to port of departure, and the carbon intensity of the primary fibre (cotton, polyester, or wool — each has a published default value in the PEFCR). The National DPP Registry provides a guided carbon calculator that walks manufacturers through these inputs and produces a compliant PEF score. The calculator uses IPCC-aligned emission factors and the PEFCR default values, producing a defensible estimate that satisfies EU customs requirements without requiring a full ISO 14040 lifecycle assessment.
From 2026, the EU Green Claims Directive prohibits vague environmental marketing claims ('eco-friendly', 'sustainable', 'green') without substantiation. Any South African garment exported to the EU with environmental marketing claims must have those claims substantiated in the DPP. The PEF score in the DPP is the substantiation mechanism. A manufacturer claiming 'low carbon' must show a PEF climate change score below the sector average. The National DPP Registry automatically benchmarks each manufacturer's PEF score against the PEFCR sector average and flags any claims that are not substantiated by the data.
Upload your lca tracking document to the Minting Station. The SHA-256 hash is computed client-side in your browser — the raw file never leaves your device unprotected. The hash is your forensic fingerprint: tamper-evident and legally non-repudiable under ECTA 2002.
Go to Minting StationWe use essential cookies to keep you logged in and functional cookies to personalise your DPP experience. No advertising or tracking cookies. Ever. Cookie Policy · Privacy Policy