Praise the sun – Bossa Denim and the solar panels

Since 2018, Nudie Jeans has mapped all emissions in all three scopes following the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. It covers everything from stores, offices, company cars, and emissions in production, including transport and the user phase.

An estimated 62% of Nudie Jeans' total emissions come from our supply chain. In 2021, we started discussions with our suppliers about transitioning to renewable energy. Our largest fabric supplier, Bossa Denim, are already taking steps toward a transition. We talked to Besim Özek, Strategy & Business Director at Bossa, about their climate work.

The textile industry has a significant impact on global Co2 emissions. How do you see Bossa's role in transitioning to more renewable energy use?
— At Bossa, our main sources of emissions are our direct and indirect energy uses; natural gas to generate electricity and steam, and diesel in company cars. As a result of our R&D, process & supply chain improvements, and renewable energy investments since 2017, we reduced our greenhouse gas intensity per meter by 27%.

Tell us about what methods you use to decrease emissions from your electricity use?
— We install solar panels and buy clean energy certificates. At the end of 2021, 9% of our energy came from solar panels. In 2022, we will increase our production capacity and renewable energy capacity. After finalizing our investments, 35% of the land surrounding Bossa will be covered by solar panels, which will produce 16% of our electricity use.

Any other steps to decrease negative environmental impact?
We should keep in mind that climate change also impacts water resources. At Bossa, we've achieved substantial water savings. From the 2017 figure of 80 l/m, we dropped our water intensity to 36.2 l/m by 2021. We reached these figures without significant water-reuse investments, but only through research and development.

What is the main benefit for a supplier such as Bossa to have an active climate work?
We see any investment for sustainability as a win. We would like to be a sustainable company operating on a healthy planet. Because there is no planet B. We need to save it. On the consumer side, climate awareness is increasing, and we would like to help our customers to achieve their sustainability goals while we achieve ours. We can only do it together. In the end, everybody will win.

Any suggestions for other suppliers in the textile industry on how to start the work toward decreased emissions?
Covering all available roofs with solar panels is a great start, and a no-brainer if possible. Any type of renewable energy investment that works for them is fine. Energy efficiency audits on the production side, efficiency improvements and energy capturing, and recovery investments are highly recommended.