Snickers Workwear, Solid Gear Footwear and EripioWear first protective wear brands to partner with Carbonfact

Maria Schartau, Sustainability Manager at Snickers Workwear & Solid Gear:

“Carbonfact will be a significant asset in pursuing our climate targets as it enables us to both measure and proactively identify carbon reduction potentials. Traditionally LCAs have been complex and labor-intensive to compile, but by integrating Carbonfact's automated and industry-specific Life Cycle Assessment with our ERP and PLM systems, we get precise, real-time input of product data which makes it easier to meet regulatory demands as well as see how different material choices affect the overall carbon footprint of our collections, so we can make better decisions every day.”

Snickers Workwear, Solid Gear Footwear and EripioWear are part of Hultafors Group, a house of premium brands that offers high-performing and durable products to professionals in the areas of personal protection equipment and hardware. Hultafors Group is committed to the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) with a high ambition to reduce the environmental footprint, targeting compliance with upcoming regulations such as FR Eco-Score for even more effective decarbonization plans in the future.

This partnership exemplifies several initiatives by different brands within Hultafors Group. It underscores our commitment to minimizing the environmental impact of our products across the entire value chain. As an industry pioneer, we strive to adopt advanced sustainability practices.

Marc Laurent, CEO and Co-founder of Carbonfact:

“At Carbonfact, our mission is to help apparel brands such as Snickers Workwear, Solid Gear and EripioWear to shift their focus from tedious data collection to reducing carbon. Our platform is specifically tailored for the apparel and footwear sectors, automating the consolidation and analysis of data. This approach transforms disjointed and partial product data into actionable insights in real-time, enabling a focused implementation of decarbonization strategies.”

Carbonfact's software automates the complex and expensive process of life cycle assessments (LCA) for products, which is critical for apparel brands to understand the carbon footprint of their products from raw material extraction and production to transportation, use, and disposal. 

Carbonfact syncs with a company's internal systems to provide real-time insights. For Snickers Workwear, Solid Gear Footwear and EripioWear, this means the Carbonfact’s software automatically pulls data from the company's orders with suppliers, for example, on items like material type and weight to calculate carbon impact.

By automating the life cycle assessment (LCA) process, Carbonfact addresses the industry's challenge of collecting accurate and primary data from multiple supply chain tiers. We employ advanced machine learning algorithms to systematically fill in any missing details and provide apparel brands with reliable footprint calculations, even when data is incomplete.

It enables companies to calculate, simulate, and estimate their carbon impact, rather than only knowing it retrospectively (the former precedent). This can allow brands to understand how changes in design and other processes can affect the carbon footprint before products are made. Rather than focusing on offsetting emissions (which is a controversial practice), the company empowers companies to lower carbon emissions in the first place.

Carbonfact's team of experts, with backgrounds in data science and life cycle assessments, have spent 20 months developing software that can streamline the data collection process for LCAs. By focusing on the most impactful data points for primary and using industry average data where appropriate, Carbonfact enables fashion brands to run LCA’s for hundreds of products at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional methods.

Snickers Workwear develops innovative, technical workwear for active work. Durable comfort is combined with advanced functionality and an outstanding fit. We lead the industry in style and design by emphasizing safety, functionality, longevity and comfort. Stylish, quality work clothing and accessories aim to inspire professionals to a smarter and safer work life. The wide selection of work clothes for both men and women ranges from work trousers and work jackets to knee pads, tool belts and much more.

Solid Gear Footwear is the front-running manufacturer of high-performance, zero-compromise, athletic safety footwear. We strive to continuously raise the bar through progressive design, premium materials and the latest technologies. Our products are made to last, keep workers safe and enable them to comfortably perform at their peak for a long time to come. Our assortment ranges from safety shoes and boots to occupational shoes and accessories for both men and women.

In close collaboration with ambulance and emergency services professionals, EripioWear develops ambulance clothes and firefighter station wear. The result is quality workwear and protective clothing produced with a focus on functionality, comfort and quality.