Leather footwear carries a disproportionately high environmental burden in Swedish consumption.

Why It Matters

Understanding the differential environmental impact of product categories, even within similar product types, is crucial for targeted sustainability efforts. Designers and manufacturers can prioritize material choices and production processes for high-impact items to achieve greater environmental gains.

Key Finding

Leather shoes have a significantly higher environmental impact per pair than other shoe types, and the production of materials is the largest contributor to the overall environmental footprint of footwear.

Key Findings

• Shoe consumption in Sweden increased by 20% between 2000 and 2010.
• Leather shoes accounted for up to 50% of the environmental impact in 2010, despite comprising 24% of consumption.
• Material production accounts for 80% of the total life cycle environmental impact.
• Leather, wool, nylon, aluminium, synthetic rubber, PET plastic, PU plastic, and viscose were identified as high-impact materials per kilogram.

Research Evidence

Aim: To quantify the environmental impacts of shoe consumption in Sweden between 2000 and 2010, focusing on the contribution of different shoe materials and types.

Method: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) combined with Product Flow Analysis and Material Flow Analysis.

Procedure: The study defined shoe consumption as the net inflow of shoes into Sweden. Shoes were categorized using the CN system into six groups (waterproof, rubber & plastic, leather, textile, others, and shoe parts). Environmental impacts (acidification, eutrophication, global warming, POCP) were assessed for the period 2000-2010, with a focus on 2010 data. Material production impacts were also analyzed.

Context: Consumer product consumption and environmental impact assessment in Sweden.

Design Principle

Life cycle thinking must extend beyond material volume to consider the inherent environmental intensity of specific materials and product types.

How to Apply

When designing footwear, conduct a comparative analysis of the environmental impacts of different materials and construction methods, paying close attention to leather and other identified high-impact materials.

Limitations

The study did not consider the lifespan of shoes, focusing solely on inflow. The analysis was specific to Sweden's consumption patterns and import sources.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: Even though people buy fewer leather shoes than plastic ones, leather shoes cause much more pollution. This is because the materials and how they are made are worse for the environment.

Why This Matters: This research shows that not all products have the same environmental impact, even if they seem similar. Understanding these differences helps you make better design choices for a more sustainable outcome.

Critical Thinking: Given that material production is the largest contributor to environmental impact, how can design innovation focus on improving the sustainability of raw material extraction and processing, rather than solely on end-of-life solutions?

IA-Ready Paragraph: Research indicates that material production is a significant contributor to the environmental impact of footwear, with leather shoes exhibiting a disproportionately high burden compared to other types. This highlights the importance of material selection in design, as choices like using leather can lead to substantial environmental consequences in categories such as global warming and acidification, even if the product is not the most frequently consumed.

Project Tips

• When researching materials for a design project, look beyond just cost and aesthetics to consider their environmental impact.
• Consider the entire life cycle of your product, from raw material extraction to disposal, not just the manufacturing stage.

How to Use in IA

• Reference this study when discussing the environmental impact of material choices in your design project, particularly if leather or similar materials are involved.

Examiner Tips

• Demonstrate an understanding of how different material choices can lead to vastly different environmental consequences, even for functionally similar products.

Independent Variable: ["Type of shoe material (leather, rubber/plastic, textile)","Year of consumption (2000-2010)"]

Dependent Variable: ["Environmental impact categories (acidification, eutrophication, global warming, POCP)"]

Controlled Variables: ["Geographic location (Sweden)","Consumption definition (net inflow)","Shoe categorization system (CN system)"]

Strengths

• Combines multiple analytical methods (LCA, PFA, MFA) for a comprehensive view.
• Provides specific data on consumption trends and impact contributions for different shoe types.
• Focuses on a real-world consumption scenario.

Critical Questions

• How would the results change if the lifespan of the shoes was considered?
• What are the implications of these findings for global supply chains, given the high import of shoes from Asia?

Extended Essay Application

• An Extended Essay could investigate the environmental impact of a specific material used in a chosen product category, comparing it to alternatives using LCA principles.
• Students could explore the feasibility of implementing circular economy principles for footwear, focusing on material recovery and reuse.

Source

Environmental impacts of shoe consumption, Combining product flow analysis with an LCA model for Sweden · Chalmers Publication Library (Chalmers University of Technology) · 2015