LCA by Felicitas - Velor-cycling

Understanding Our Impact: Life Cycle Analysis at Velor

To create truly sustainable cycling apparel, we must understand every step of our value chain. That’s why we’ve partnered with Felicitas, a sustainability researcher and life cycle analysis expert. Since 2020, she has been a PhD student at Maastricht University, specializing in sustainability assessments of plastics in textiles and packaging.

Together, we conducted an in-depth life cycle analysis of a Velor jersey, evaluating its environmental footprint from production to end-of-life. This research has helped us identify areas for improvement and explore innovative strategies to enhance the sustainability of our jerseys. Felicitas’ expertise has already led to tangible reductions in our environmental impact, bringing us closer to our goal of truly circular and eco-friendly cycling apparel. Watch the video below to get to know Felicitas:

Understanding the Challenges of Textile Recycling

Recycling sports textiles presents significant challenges due to the mixed materials used, such as polyester, polyamides, cotton, wool, and elastane. Mechanical recycling processes require single-material waste streams, making them unsuitable for most sportswear. Additionally, the quality of recycled materials often isn’t sufficient for high-performance apparel. Components like zippers and other non-textile parts add to the complexity and labor intensity of recycling. As a result, much of today’s sportswear is made from virgin plastics or repurposed plastics like bottles, which cannot be looped back into their original form. End-of-life options are often limited to incineration or unpredictable exportation outside the EU. Recognizing the value of textile waste is essential for advancing a circular economy. In the video below Felicitas explains more:

What is LCA and Why It Matters in the Textile Industry? In the Video below Felictas explains it all

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a tool used to quantify the environmental impacts of a product from raw material extraction to its end of life. In the textile industry, where processes are highly complex and resource-intensive, LCA is invaluable for identifying hotspots such as energy use, water consumption, and waste generation. By providing measurable data on a product’s carbon footprint, water usage, and chemical impact, LCA enables brands like Velor to optimize their processes and integrate more sustainable materials. Ultimately, LCA is key for setting and achieving meaningful sustainability goals.

In the next video the most critical environmental impact categories are explained:

Our LCA study of the Velor jersey focused on three environmental impact categories:

Global Warming Potential (GWP): This measures the carbon footprint of the jersey across its life cycle. Production and use phases are the biggest contributors. Compared to conventional jerseys, Velor has reduced GWP by over 60% through the use of renewable energy and efficient processes.
Fossil Depletion Potential (FDP): This quantifies reliance on non-renewable resources like oil and coal. By opting for recycled plastics instead of virgin materials, Velor significantly lowers FDP. Energy-efficient practices in the use phase also contribute to further reductions.
Water Consumption Potential (WCP): Sublimation printing and efficient wet processing steps reduce water usage during production. Consumer care, including mindful washing habits, also plays a crucial role in minimizing water consumption.

These focus areas highlight our commitment to improving the environmental performance of every jersey and engaging consumers as active participants in sustainability.

VELOR’s Competitive Edge in Sustainable Practices

Velor stands out in the market by adopting innovative and sustainable production techniques:

Sublimation Printing: Unlike conventional dyeing processes, sublimation printing consumes significantly less water and prevents the release of harmful chemicals into wastewater. This method transfers ink directly onto the jersey using specialized paper, ensuring minimal environmental impact.
Recycled Fabrics: By incorporating recycled plastics into our fabrics, Velor reduces reliance on virgin resources, curbing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving finite materials.
Fully Recyclable Jerseys: Our vision is to create jerseys that are entirely recyclable, including components like zippers, simplifying the recycling process and reducing waste.
European-Based Supply Chain: By maintaining a transparent, European-centered supply chain, we minimize shipping distances, reducing our carbon footprint and ensuring ethical practices throughout production.

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