How impact estimates work

The calculation

We multiply ADEME’s modeled new-item fabrication emissions by WRAP’s resale displacement rate (64.6%). EPA supplies an optional tree comparison; it does not calculate clothing emissions.

Fabrication includes raw materials, manufacturing, assembly, and distribution in ADEME’s model. We exclude use and end of life, and do not subtract secondhand shipping, cleaning, or returns. A secondhand purchase only avoids new production when it replaces a new purchase.

Garment and material

When a stylist imports a marketplace link, Rackmuse checks the product’s structured fields, title, and description for garment and material clues. Plurals, common garment names, material blends, and imitation-fabric terms are considered. Product recommendations and navigation are not treated as item details. These are editable suggestions, not verified facts.

Supported material models include cotton T-shirts and shirts, jeans, cotton/viscose/polyester dresses, wool or recycled-cotton sweaters, leather shoes, and fabric shoes. Each piece links to its reference model.

When material is missing or has no matching model, we use a labeled garment-category comparison. A linen shirt or blended shirt can use the cotton-shirt reference without claiming it is cotton. Jackets use a broad coat reference; trousers and shorts use the jeans reference as a rough comparison. Cut and garment weight can make these estimates substantially different from an actual product’s footprint.

Scarves, jewelry, and other categories without a suitable reference remain unestimated. Conflicting listing details and multi-garment bundles need review. No item weight, manufacturing country, or material percentage is guessed from a photo, price, brand, or size.

The number beside the price

We add the included pieces’ potential avoided emissions. “Whole outfit” means every listed piece is included. If some pieces cannot be estimated, the number says how many it covers, such as “3/4 pieces only.” Excluded pieces are not assumed to have zero emissions. Category estimates are identified beside the total.

This is potential production avoided by buying secondhand instead of new. It is not the measured footprint of the secondhand transaction. The item price remains separate, and neither price nor emissions includes secondhand shipping, cleaning, or returns.

Tree comparison

EPA’s current calculation gives 60 kg CO₂ per urban tree per year, averaged across its first ten years. We divide the look estimate by that annual amount. We do not convert fractions into an age or claim trees were planted.

Sources

• ADEME clothing models (each supported piece also links to its exact model).
• WRAP: Displacement Rates Untangled
• EPA calculations and references