Green Assamese Cotton Saree
17.20kg CO₂eEstimate · medium confidence
Carbon footprint of a saree
The median saree in our catalogue has a carbon footprint of 17.2 kg CO₂e over its whole life, from growing or making the materials to disposal. Half of the 629 sarees we have footprinted, from 19 brands, fall between 17.2 and 71.4 kg CO₂e.
17.2kg CO₂e, median whole life
11.7kg CO₂e, median cradle to gate
17.2–71.4kg CO₂e, middle half
629sarees in the catalogue
Where the footprint of a saree comes from
In the typical split, production makes up about 50% of the total, followed by use at about 30%. The split shows where a maker's own data changes the result most: replacing published averages for the largest stages with your own figures moves the footprint far more than refining the small ones.
The split is the median share of each stage across the catalogue's sarees, rescaled to add up to 100%. Read cradle to gate versus cradle to grave for what each stage covers.
- Raw materials 17%
- Production 50%
- Packaging 1%
- Distribution 1%
- Use 30%
- End of life 2%
What sarees are made of
The main material is the biggest single choice in a saree's raw-material footprint. These are the main materials of the sarees in our catalogue, by share of products:
What lowers it
For each product, our calculator tests common changes and reports the one with the largest saving. For sarees, the changes that come out on top most often are:
Share of sarees for which each change gives the largest saving.
Sarees in the catalogue
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REGAL STRIPES SAREE
17.20kg CO₂eEstimate · medium confidence
Palm Leaf Saree & Utility Box Small Red
14.54kg CO₂eEstimate · medium confidence
Golden Yellow Fish Scale Semi Silk Kanjeevaram Saree
71.36kg CO₂eEstimate · low confidence
Wild Bloom Saree
16.26kg CO₂eEstimate · medium confidence
Pure cotton solid saree with contrast border and contrast tassels
17.20kg CO₂eEstimate · medium confidence
The Silk Saree
71.36kg CO₂eEstimate · low confidence
Sunehri Sari
71.36kg CO₂eEstimate · low confidence
How these figures are made
Each product's footprint is a screening estimate: we read the materials and weight from the product listing, apply emission factors from cited public sources, and follow the ISO 14067 method with every source shown. Without the maker's own energy and supplier data, these are typical values, not measurements of a particular factory.
To footprint your own saree, start with a free estimate from a product link, or enter your own factory data. See our methodology for the method and sources.
Questions
What is the carbon footprint of a saree?
Across 629 sarees in our catalogue, the median footprint is 17.2 kg CO₂e per item over its whole life, and half fall between 17.2 and 71.4 kg CO₂e. These are screening estimates from product listings; your own product's figure depends on its materials, weight and factory.
Which stage of a saree's life has the largest footprint?
In the typical split, production is the largest stage at about 50% of the total, followed by use at about 30%.
What is the cradle-to-gate footprint of a saree?
Counting only raw materials, production, inbound transport and packaging, up to the factory gate, the median is 11.7 kg CO₂e per item. Buyers often ask for this figure for their Scope 3 inventory.
How can a maker lower the footprint of a saree?
The change our calculator most often finds with the largest saving for sarees is “run the factory on solar electricity”. The best change for your product depends on your own materials and energy.
Can I use these figures for my own saree?
Use them to see the size of the footprint and where it comes from. For a figure to send a buyer, footprint your own product with your materials, weight and factory energy, so the result describes what you make.
Get buyer-ready product carbon footprintsISO 14067 method, a PACT v3 data file and a PDF report with every source. Join the waitlist for launch prices in your region.
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