Life cycle analysis of a cooking apron made in Quebec from 100% cotton canvas and recycled leather like the one from Atelier Lapasse.
What is a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)?
The life cycle analysis is a method to evaluate the environmental and social impact of the fabric throughout its life cycle, from the production of the raw material to its end of life. Here are the main steps of this analysis that we will do on the 100% cotton canvas:
Extraction of the raw material: Cotton
The first step is to identify the raw material of the fabric, such as cotton, linen, polyester or silk. This information can be found on the garment label. We then evaluate the environmental and social impacts of the extraction of this raw material, such as the use of natural resources like cotton fields, pollution caused by pesticides, conditions of workers, as well as the place of exploitation (USA, China, India, etc.)
Production of the fiber
The fiber is then produced from the cotton flower. We then evaluate the impacts, such as energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions from the industrialized machinery, the use of chemicals and the transportation of the raw material to the manufacturer of the fiber, i.e. the cotton yarn that will be used to woven the canvas of the apron.
Production of the fabric
The fabric is then produced from the spun cotton fiber. The fiber may be transported again to be woven. The environmental and social impacts of this production are assessed. Little or no chemicals are used for cotton. It is very difficult to obtain information on this stage of transformation, but we know that some processes such as the transformation of bamboo into viscose requires a lot of chemicals and water to be transformed.
Dying and printing of the materials used for the apron
The fabric can be dyed or printed to obtain the desired colors or patterns. The impacts of this step, such as water consumption and pollution, are then evaluated. Some developing countries have very little regulation for the protection of their rivers and therefore serve as a place to dye fabrics from around the world! It is very difficult to get information on this step of transformation, but we know that some processes such as leather dyeing require a lot of chemicals and water to be transformed. This is why only leather from scrap is used in the production of Lapasse leather aprons. There are an increasing number of natural and "vegetable" dyes for leather, but also for different fabrics.
Making the apron from cotton canvas and recycled leather
The fabric is then used to make the apron on which leather trim will be added. We then evaluate the environmental and social impacts of this step. The fact that an apron is made in Quebec ensures better working conditions for workers in most cases. In addition, we try to reduce the transportation of goods as much as possible, even though this is a challenge in this field. Atelier Lapasse sources its aprons from Montreal and surrounding areas, makes them in Quebec and sells them locally.
Use and care of the apron with leather
And no, it's not over yet! The cotton and leather apron is then worn and maintained by the consumer. The consumption of water and cleaning products is an aspect that we evaluate as well as the environmental impacts due to the repetitive washing of a kitchen apron for example. The life span of the apron is also an important aspect and that is why we are proud to offer free repair of leather aprons. It will be important to wash your apron in cold water and let it dry flat as much as possible most of the time to take care of the apron with leather.
End of life of the apron
The kitchen apron reaches the end of its life and is no longer usable. The environmental and social impacts of this stage are evaluated, such as the amount of waste produced, the recovery of the material, etc. Cotton is a biodegradable material containing cellulose that feeds micro-organisms, but it must be made of 100% cotton.
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