Mobile World Non Woven Box Bag W 10” x H 10” x G 4”

1. Material Composition

• Non-Woven Fabric: The bag is made from non-woven polypropylene (PP), a type of plastic that is durable, lightweight, and recyclable. Non-woven fabrics require less energy to produce compared to woven fabrics because they are created by bonding fibers together using chemical, mechanical, or thermal processes rather than weaving.
• Recyclability: Polypropylene is recyclable, meaning the bags can be reprocessed into new products, reducing the need for virgin materials. This recycling potential contributes to the sustainability of the product.

2. Manufacturing Process

• Energy Efficiency: The production of non-woven materials generally requires less energy than the production of traditional woven materials. The absence of weaving or knitting processes reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions during manufacturing.
• Reduced Waste: Non-woven manufacturing processes often produce less waste compared to other fabric production methods. This reduction in waste directly contributes to a lower environmental impact.

3. Product Longevity and Reusability

• Durability: Non-woven box bags are designed for repeated use, which reduces the need for single-use plastic bags. The long lifespan of these bags means they can replace hundreds or even thousands of single-use bags, significantly reducing plastic waste and the overall environmental impact.
• Lightweight Nature: Being lightweight, the bags have a lower transportation footprint. This means less fuel is needed to transport the same quantity of bags, reducing carbon emissions during distribution.

4. Carbon Footprint Analysis

• Lower Emissions During Production: As previously mentioned, non-woven polypropylene bags have a lower energy requirement during production, leading to fewer carbon emissions. According to a study by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (2018), non-woven polypropylene bags can have a much lower carbon footprint than cotton or traditional plastic bags if used multiple times.
• Transportation Impact: The lightweight nature of these bags reduces the carbon footprint associated with transportation, as more bags can be shipped per load compared to heavier alternatives like cotton or jute bags.
• End-of-Life Management: If recycled properly, non-woven polypropylene bags can further reduce their carbon footprint. Recycling the bags helps to avoid the emissions associated with incineration or landfill disposal.

5. Scientific Justification

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): A life cycle assessment (LCA) is a scientific method used to evaluate the environmental impact of a product from cradle to grave. Studies show that non-woven polypropylene bags, when used multiple times, have a significantly lower environmental impact compared to single-use plastic bags and even cotton bags, due to the lower energy requirements in production and reduced waste generation .
• Sustainability Metrics: The use of fewer resources, lower energy consumption, and reduced waste during production contribute to the overall sustainability of non-woven polypropylene bags. These factors align with the principles of sustainable design, which aim to minimize environmental impact while maximizing product utility.

1. Raw Material Extraction

• Non-Woven Fabric Production: Non-woven bags are usually made from polypropylene (PP), a type of plastic derived from fossil fuels. The carbon footprint of producing polypropylene includes the extraction and processing of crude oil, refining it into polypropylene, and converting it into non-woven fabric.
• CO2e Emissions: The production of 1 kg of polypropylene typically results in about 1.9 to 3.0 kg of CO2e emissions, depending on the efficiency of the production process.

2. Manufacturing

• Bag Production: The process of converting non-woven polypropylene fabric into a box bag involves cutting, stitching, and sometimes printing. The carbon footprint here includes the energy consumed by machinery (usually powered by electricity) and the emissions from any chemicals used in printing or treating the fabric.
• CO2e Emissions: The energy consumption in manufacturing can vary, but for non-woven bags, it might add around 0.5 to 1.5 kg CO2e per kg of bags produced.

3. Transportation

• Shipping Materials and Finished Product: The transportation of raw materials to the manufacturing site and the distribution of finished bags to retailers or consumers involves fuel combustion, which emits CO2e. The emissions depend on the mode of transport (e.g., truck, ship, plane) and the distance traveled.
• CO2e Emissions: Transportation can contribute significantly to the carbon footprint. For example, shipping 1 ton of goods 1,000 km by truck could emit approximately 62 kg CO2e.

4. Usage Phase

• Reusable Nature: Non-woven box bags are designed to be reusable, which can reduce their overall carbon footprint compared to single-use plastic bags. The more a bag is reused, the more its carbon footprint is spread out over multiple uses, making it lower on a per-use basis.
• CO2e Emissions: The carbon footprint per use decreases with increased reusability. If a non-woven bag is reused 50 times, the impact per use is significantly reduced compared to a single-use plastic bag.

5. End-of-Life Disposal

• Recycling and Disposal: The disposal method of the bag—whether it is recycled, incinerated, or sent to a landfill—affects its carbon footprint. Recycling reduces the overall carbon footprint by offsetting the need for virgin materials, while incineration or landfill disposal typically increases it due to emissions from waste treatment.
• CO2e Emissions: If recycled, the emissions could be reduced by up to 30-50% of the original production emissions. If incinerated, additional emissions could range from 0.5 to 1 kg CO2e per kg of polypropylene, depending on the energy recovery process.

Approximate Carbon Footprint Calculation:

Let's calculate a rough estimate assuming the bag weighs 100 grams (0.1 kg):

1. Raw Material (Polypropylene): $$\text{0.1 kg}\times \text{2.5 kg CO2e}=0.25\text{ kg CO2e}$$
2. Manufacturing: $$\text{0.1 kg}\times \text{1.0 kg CO2e}=0.10\text{ kg CO2e}$$
3. Transportation (average distance, mixed modes): $$\text{0.1 kg}\times \text{0.1 kg CO2e}=0.01\text{ kg CO2e}$$
4. End-of-Life Disposal (if incinerated): $$\text{0.1 kg}\times \text{0.7 kg CO2e}=0.07\text{ kg CO2e}$$

Total Estimated Carbon Footprint:

$$0.25+0.10+0.01+0.07=0.43\text{ kg CO2e per bag}$$

Key Considerations:

• Reusability: The actual carbon footprint per use decreases if the bag is reused many times. For example, if reused 50 times, the footprint per use would be: 0.43 kg CO2e50 uses=0.0086 kg CO2e per use\frac{0.43 \text{ kg CO2e}}{50 \text{ uses}} = 0.0086 \text{ kg CO2e per use}50 uses0.43 kg CO2e​=0.0086 kg CO2e per use
• Recycling: If the bag is recycled at the end of its life, the carbon footprint could be lower, potentially reducing the total impact by around 15-30%.

Conclusion

The Eco Mobile World Non-Woven Box Bag is sustainable due to its use of recyclable materials, efficient manufacturing processes, and the potential for multiple uses. The lower energy requirements during production, reduced transportation impact due to its lightweight nature, and recyclability contribute to a lower carbon footprint. These factors make it a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional single-use plastic bags.