Maria José Ferreira

Abstract

One important step towards sustainability in footwear is to measure and tune the environmental impact a product makes throughout its life cycle. By assessing products impact, using a life cycle analysis (LCA) approach, the footwear value chain can produce and sell footwear more responsibly, economically and in an eco-friendly way, towards carbon neutrality in 2050.

Now, companies need to choose between LCA methods that give different results, leading to mistrust. In this context, the European Commission proposed the product environmental footprint (PEF), a standardized LCA methodology, that aims at ensuring that environmental information is comparable and reliable and can be used confidently by businesses and consumers.

CTCP, coordinated LIFEGreenShoel4All project to study and deploy the PEF methodology to footwear. More than 60 studies were done. The PEF method and results will be shared with the audience, along with practical innovative strategies to reduce materials, components, or footwear environmental footprint.