Logo: to the web site of Uppsala University

The production of clothing is linked directly to the degradation of ecosystems, depletion of freshwater and loss of biodiversity. It is one of the most polluting global industries and consumes high quantities of fuel, chemicals, water, and energy. One approach of the sharing economy to decrease the environmental impacts of the fashion industry is clothing rentals. This thesis was conducted to assess the environmental impacts of the clothing rental Kleiderei Köln, located in Cologne, Germany. Three research questions were formulated: (1) What are the environmental impacts of a t-shirt that is part of the Kleiderei Köln clothing rental? (2) What are potential hotspots in the life cycle of a t-shirt that is part of the Kleiderei Köln clothing rental? (3) How does the impact of a t-shirt that is part of the Kleiderei Köln clothing rental differ from a generic t-shirt? To answer the research questions, this study performed an LCA of a t-shirt and collected self-reported behaviour for an informed use phase modelling. The LCA modelled the life cycle of the t-shirt in two product systems, one in a generic use with a primary garment and one that is present in the Kleiderei Köln, a secondary garment. The functional unit was 188 days of wear. A hotspot within the company life cycle was identified as the transportation within the use phase. Comparing the two product systems showcased that the generic product system has higher environmental impacts over the complete life cycle. The use phase was higher for the Kleiderei Köln product system, where the transportation of the rented garment from and back to the store was identified main driver for the difference in impacts. This thesis contributed with a first assessment of the environmental performance of a garment within a clothing rental in the German context and collected case-specific consumer behaviour that can inform future evaluations.