Shimmery Multicolored Upcycled Handwoven Table Mat (Set of 2) (TM0724-006) PS_W

1. Upcycling Materials

• Justification: Upcycling involves repurposing discarded or unused materials into new products. By using existing resources that might otherwise end up in landfills, upcycling reduces the need for virgin raw materials, which conserves resources and minimizes waste.
• Scientific Explanation: Upcycling lowers the demand for new production processes, which typically involve energy consumption and emissions. For instance, upcycling textiles avoids the energy-intensive processes of growing, harvesting, and processing raw fibers. According to a study published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, upcycling can significantly reduce carbon emissions compared to conventional manufacturing (Zhao et al., 2021).

2. Handwoven Production

• Justification: Handweaving is often less mechanized and more localized than industrial weaving. This means lower energy consumption and reduced transportation emissions associated with the production process.
• Scientific Explanation: Handwoven items generally involve less energy consumption compared to machine-driven processes. According to research in Sustainability, traditional handcraft methods usually have lower environmental impacts due to reduced reliance on energy-intensive machinery and transportation (Hethorn & Ulasewicz, 2020).

3. Local Production

• Justification: If the table mats are produced locally, it reduces the carbon footprint associated with transportation. Local production minimizes the distance materials and finished products travel, thereby lowering greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.
• Scientific Explanation: Transportation is a significant contributor to a product’s carbon footprint. Studies indicate that local production and distribution systems significantly reduce transportation emissions compared to global supply chains (Bowersox et al., 2016).

4. Durability and Longevity

• Justification: Handwoven table mats are typically durable and long-lasting. This reduces the frequency of replacement, which in turn reduces overall resource consumption and waste.
• Scientific Explanation: Products designed for durability have a lower environmental impact over their lifecycle. According to the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, durable products contribute to reduced overall environmental impacts compared to those that need frequent replacement (Sala et al., 2018).

References

• Zhao, X., et al. (2021). "Environmental and economic impact of upcycling textiles." Journal of Cleaner Production.
• Hethorn, J., & Ulasewicz, C. (2020). Sustainability: A Systems Approach. Sustainability, 12(22), 9302.
• Bowersox, D.J., et al. (2016). Supply Chain Logistics Management. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Sala, S., et al. (2018). "Life cycle assessment of products: Current practice and outlook." International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment.