Honoring Earth Month is a great reminder of why sustainability and circularity are so important to implement year-round.
Since our founding back in 1999, FASHIONPHILE has always been committed to making a positive impact, leading to our B Corp certification last year. Our goals include giving back to the community, fostering a positive work environment for employees, and prioritizing efforts to protect the environment. When it comes to sustainability and circularity at FASHIONPHILE, it’s essential for us to identify and improve upon all areas where we can make a positive impact. Here’s a summary of what we’ve gathered for the 2023 calendar year regarding the environmental impact of our growing company.
FASHIONPHILE’s Solar Impact
In 2021, we made a conscious decision to install solar panels on the roof of our San Diego Flagship location in Carlsbad, CA. This decision was driven by two primary reasons: the environmental benefits it brings and the savings on energy and utility bills. And with San Diego’s abundant sunlight, solar power became an obvious choice for us.
Electricity Use
In San Diego, we used a total of 232,562 kWh of electricity, and 80% of that came from solar power. Meanwhile, in NYC, we used a total of 533,135 kWh of electricity, and we’re proud to say that 100% of it was offset through the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).
We consistently monitor and report on the electricity generated from our solar panels. This not only helps us track cost reductions but also the amount of CO2 emissions saved from entering the atmosphere, based on San Diego’s grid emissions intensity profile (SDGE).
To date, our solar installation has prevented over 325,000 pounds of CO2-equivalent emissions from being released into the atmosphere. Solar energy production sometimes exceeds our needs, delivering surplus carbon-free electricity to our neighbors, as well!
For perspective: 325,000 lbs of CO2 equates to approximately 362,500 miles driven. This is roughly equivalent to driving around the Earth’s equator about 14.5 times!
FASHIONPHILE’s 2023 Emissions Impact
As impressive as solar power is alone, our efforts extend beyond reducing electricity usage. We also actively prioritize reducing emissions intensity in all aspects of our operations. Here’s what we mean by that:
Reducing Emissions Intensity
When it comes to emissions from our energy use in San Diego, the portion not covered by solar amounted to 23,100 lbs of CO2 or 10.5 metric tonnes for the calendar year.
Fortunately, emissions from energy used at our NYC Flagship location totaled zero for the year, thanks to our commitment to offsetting 100% of our energy use through RECs, which is an offsetting strategy certified by B Lab. At FASHIONPHILE, we pride ourselves on not just meeting but exceeding B Corp standards
On top of that, interestingly enough, emissions last year from our operating owned vehicles accounted for 16.93 tonnes of CO2 for the year, based on driving distance data.
Altogether, FASHIONPHILE’s total emissions for the 2023 calendar year came to approximately 26 tonnes of CO2 which is close to a fraction of a fraction of the emissions generated by a traditional fashion company selling the same volume as FASHIONPHILE.
Note: these numbers reflect only Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. They guide us in our ongoing efforts to minimize our environmental footprint and move towards a more sustainable future. By focusing on efficient waste management and energy consumption, we strive to implement everything in our power to minimize our carbon footprint.
FASHIONPHILE’s Product Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
In 2023, we also conducted an internal comprehensive product Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to quantify our environmental footprint. This assessment enables us to estimate the amount of waste we generate, how much energy we use, and the emissions that result from every item that we authenticate. It also helps us identify areas for improvement and make positive changes across our operations. Key areas of focus include energy consumption, waste generation, and greenhouse gas emissions.
The 2023 data from our environmental impact assessments has been instrumental in helping us achieve many of our sustainability goals and is now guiding us in setting new ones. FASHIONPHILE remains committed to achieving an even greater positive impact in the future. Our immediate focus is achieving our 2025 environmental goals and always keeping sustainability in mind as we grow and expand our brand.
