Global warming is no longer a matter of debate—it is very much happening. The cause: numerous greenhouse gases, which have a direct impact on rising temperatures. Recognizing that human activities are responsible for many greenhouse gas emissions, we at Kipli wanted to take matters into our own hands. We wanted to take a closer look at what we could improve. To take our commitment to sustainability even further. To that end, we conducted our Carbon Footprint Assessment, striving to be as precise as possible. Yes, we’re used to doing things with great attention to detail.
The Earth's surface is warming...
When we talk about global warming, what exactly are we referring to? Here’s an explanation. It’s important to understand that the sun is the Earth’s primary source of heat. As for the greenhouse gases (GHGs) present in the atmosphere, they play a vital role in regulating the climate. Without greenhouse gases, the average temperature on Earth would be -18°C instead of the current +15°C, and life simply would not have emerged on Earth.
Since the 19th century and the Industrial Revolution, human activities have significantly increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These gases have a relatively long lifespan in the atmosphere (more than 100 years for CO2). The balance of the Earth’s system has been disrupted, and the Earth’s surface… is warming. This phenomenon is no trivial matter , as we break heat records every year.
Based on this observation, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns us: if we are to hope to preserve a Earth system conducive to life, we must limit the rise in global average temperature to less than +2°C above pre-industrial levels by 2050, and then work toward carbon neutrality by the end of the century. The signatory nations to the Paris Agreement, including France, have committed to this goal. The effects of climate change are already being felt (heat waves, rising sea levels, droughts, more frequent floods, more intense hurricanes, and more devastating and frequent wildfires…).We must therefore take action, because this affects us all!
What are greenhouse gases?
There are five of them. They are primarily water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (O3).
What is CO2 eq.?
The various greenhouse gases (GHGs) differ, among other things, in the amount of energy they are capable of absorbing and in their “lifespan” in the atmosphere. “CO2 equivalent” (CO2 eq. or CO2 eq.) is a unit created by the IPCC to compare the impacts of these different GHGs on global warming and to aggregate their emissions. This is the unit we used in our Carbon Footprint assessment.
Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The Top 5 Countries with the Highest Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Today, China is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, ahead of the United States and India.
Globally, although there are regional differences, certain sectors emit significantly more CO2 than others. This is particularly true of electricity generation and transportation, as well as manufacturing and construction—especially in China.
What is the situation in France?
With the first National Low-Carbon Strategy adopted in 2015, France committed to reducing its GHG emissions by a factor of four by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. Since then, the Climate Plan has set new, more ambitious goals for the country, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. This goal is now enshrined in law. If you’re wondering what carbon neutrality is, it is defined by the Energy and Climate Law as “a balance, within the national territory, between anthropogenic emissions from sources and anthropogenic removals by sinks of greenhouse gases.” In France, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 means reducing greenhouse gas emissions within its borders to one-sixth of 1990 levels! Today, the carbon footprint of the French population is approximately 11.2 metric tons of CO2 equivalent (t CO2 eq) per capita. It accounts for the greenhouse gases (GHGs) resulting from French consumption, taking into account emissions associated with the production of imported goods and services. While the level of GHG emissions per person has remained relatively stable since 1995, it is still incompatible with the goals of the Paris Agreement ( COP 21) and limiting global warming to +2°C by 2100.(Source: Ministry of Ecological Transition)
Why did we conduct a carbon footprint assessment? You surely understand why it was important to us to carry out this carbon footprint assessment. Armed with all this information and guided by our values, it was the obvious thing to do. We are indeed committed to the environment, and we are dedicated to being transparent with our customers. Currently, only companies with more than 500 employees are required to conduct a greenhouse gas assessment or carbon footprint assessment. With just 20 ( enthusiastic) employees , we fall well below that threshold, but we wanted to take our commitment to sustainability a step further and share this with you. In summary:
- Acting Responsibly
- Measuring Our Impact
- Improving Ourselves
The Keys to Understanding a Carbon Footprint Calculation
- How Did We Calculate Our Carbon Footprint?To calculate our carbon footprint, we engaged a specialized and certified auditing firm , Crowe Sustainable Metrics. Unlike some companies that do not always consider their entire production chain, our carbon footprint calculation took into account our entire value chain as well as our company’s operations.
- Our Value Chain: Ourcarbon footprint was calculated by taking into account our entire value chain, from the extraction of raw materials to the end of a product’s life.
- Sources of CO2 emissions resulting from our operations. There are four:
- electricity consumption
- commuting
- the production of fixed assets
- End-of-life management of radioactive waste
Results of Our Carbon Footprint Assessment
- Results / Kipli Operations: Kipli’s overall operations, for the scope presented, generated 1,450 metric tons of CO2 eq. in 2020. This is 12 times the average carbon footprint of a French person. The company’s operations account for less than 3% of Kipli’s carbon footprint, which represents approximately 36 metric tons of CO2 eq. (or less than two metric tons per employee).
Here’s what we can say: Kipli’s carbon footprint from its operations is very low. This is due to our internal policy that encourages the use of public transportation and bicycles. All of our facilities are also powered by “green” energy. Furthermore, whenever possible, the equipment we use comes from the secondhand market. Our computers, for example, are all refurbished! Product distribution as part of our sales operations accounts for 97% of Kipli’s carbon footprint, which represents approximately 1,410 metric tons of CO2 eq.
Results for Our Products
- The carbon footprint of the Kipli mattress ( 140x190) (230 kg CO2 eq.) = A round-trip flight from Paris to Munich (source: Ademe).
The material extraction process accounts for 76% of emissions. Transporting materials to our production facility accounts for 6% of emissions. Mattress production accounts for 12% of our emissions. Distribution accounts for 2% of emissions. Use does not generate any emissions. End-of-life disposal accounts for 4% of emissions.
Although it weighs 47 kg more than the market average (28 kg for a spring foam mattress, 34 kg for a foam mattress), the production process for the Kipli natural latex mattress is, on average:
- 5% lower emissions compared to a spring mattress
- 22% lower emissions compared to a foam mattress—a difference of 30 kg CO2 eq. per mattress compared to the market average ( ADEME figure). On a per-kilogram basis, the production process for the Kipli natural latex mattress is, on average:
- 43% lower emissions compared to a spring mattress
- 44% lower emissions compared to a foammattress🎯 Key areas for improvement in the Kipli mattress. Since materialextraction is the primary source of emissions, there are two main approaches to focus on in order to reduce the CO2-eq. cost of our mattress:
- Use of recycled materials (particularly latex)
- Reduced mattress weight (addition of recycled metal springs)
- The carbon footprint of the Kipli pillow = 13 kg CO2 eq. is equivalent to approximately 60 km driven in a gasoline-powered car. For one pillow (excluding Italy and Spain).
The material extraction process accounts for 77% of emissions. Transporting materials to our production facility accounts for 5% of emissions. Producing a pillow accounts for 13% of emissions. Distributing a pillow accounts for 2% of emissions. Using the pillow accounts for 1% of emissions. End-of-life disposal accounts for 3% of emissions.
🎯 Key areas for improvement regarding the pillow. Since the extraction of materials is the primary source of emissions, two approaches should be prioritized
- Use of recycled materials (particularly latex)
- Reduction in the weight of pillows
- The carbon footprint of the Kipli comforter (size 240x220) is 44 kg CO2 eq.
The material extraction process accounts for 80% of emissions. Transporting materials to our production facility accounts for 2% of emissions. The production of a comforter accounts for 12% of our emissions. Distribution accounts for 1% of emissions. Use accounts for 2% of emissions, primarily due to maintenance. End-of-life disposal accounts for 2% of emissions.
🎯 Key areas for improvement in the Kipli comforter. Since material extraction is the main source of emissions, one of the best ways to reduce its CO2-equivalent footprint is to use recycled cotton.
- The Carbon Footprint of the Kipli Picardie Bed: The Picardie bed is made of solid beech wood sourced from sustainably managed forests (PEFC), hardware, and a furniture protectant made from natural oils and waxes. Its solid wood construction ensures strength and durability, allowing us to offer a 5-year warranty on the bed instead of the usual 2 years. The material extraction process accounts for 65% of emissions. Transporting materials to our production facility accounts for 3% of emissions. Manufacturing a Normandie bed accounts for 4% of emissions. Distribution accounts for 9% of emissions. Its use produces no emissions.End-of-life disposal accounts for 19% of emissions.
🎯 Key Areas for Improvement in the Picardie Bed. The proximity between the French forests where the wood is sourced and our production facility keeps raw material transportation costs low. Material extraction and the product’s end-of-life phase are the two main sources of emissions. The use of fasteners also has a significant impact on the overall result. Several approaches should be prioritized to reduce the CO2-equivalent cost of our Picardie bed:
- Use of Recycled Wood
- Use of fasteners made from recycled metal
- Optimizing the Number of Screws per Bed
- Replacing the fasteners with (recycled) wooden parts
- Establishment of a repair service / replacement of defective parts
- Establishment of a secondhand market
We hope you enjoyed this article,
Of course,
The Kipli Team