Definition
"Cradle to Grave" refers to an approach in life cycle assessment (LCA) in which all environmental impacts of a product are systematically recorded and evaluated — from raw material extraction through manufacturing, transportation, and the use phase to final disposal or landfilling. The term describes the complete life path of a product, without including recycling or reuse scenarios after end of life. The methodological basis consists of standardized life cycle inventory procedures that enable the quantitative evaluation of resource consumption, emissions, and other environmental impacts.
Use in the textile industry
In the textile industry, the cradle-to-grave approach is used to determine the ecological footprint of textile products along their entire supply chain — from fiber production (e.g., cotton cultivation or man-made fiber manufacturing) through spinning, weaving, dyeing, and garment assembly to the use and disposal of the finished garment. Companies apply this assessment method to identify environmentally intensive production stages and as a basis for sustainability reports. Since textiles are frequently landfilled or incinerated at the end of their service life, the cradle-to-grave perspective highlights in particular the consequences of linear material flows.
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The free learning platform teaches textile fundamentals step by step in interactive online courses. Each online course includes its own glossary with the most important terms of the respective topic. Across all courses, more than 600 textile terms with narrated explanations are available.
textil trainer is developed together with the Chair of Textile Technologies at Chemnitz University of Technology, chemmedia AG, and companies and educational institutions from the textile sector.