Forecasting sustainability implications of material innovations: Lessons from an illustrative case study on photochromic textiles

A Kamali, Yazan Badour, Bertrand Laratte (), Manuel Gaudon (), Sylvain Danto () and Guido Sonnemann
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A Kamali: ISM - Institut des Sciences Moléculaires - UB - Université de Bordeaux - École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie et de Physique de Bordeaux (ENSCPB) - INC-CNRS - Institut de Chimie - CNRS Chimie - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Yazan Badour: ICMCB - Institut de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Bordeaux - UB - Université de Bordeaux - Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux - INC-CNRS - Institut de Chimie - CNRS Chimie - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Bertrand Laratte: I2M - Institut de Mécanique et d'Ingénierie de Bordeaux - UB - Université de Bordeaux - Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Arts et Métiers Sciences et Technologies, ULaval - Université Laval [Québec]
Manuel Gaudon: ICMCB - Institut de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Bordeaux - UB - Université de Bordeaux - Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux - INC-CNRS - Institut de Chimie - CNRS Chimie - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Sylvain Danto: ICMCB - Institut de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Bordeaux - UB - Université de Bordeaux - Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux - INC-CNRS - Institut de Chimie - CNRS Chimie - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Guido Sonnemann: ISM - Institut des Sciences Moléculaires - UB - Université de Bordeaux - École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie et de Physique de Bordeaux (ENSCPB) - INC-CNRS - Institut de Chimie - CNRS Chimie - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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Abstract: This study conducts one of the first future-oriented assessments that privileges prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) and scenario-based social LCA to estimate the impacts of innovations, particularly those aimed at improving user experience and product appeal. The assessment examines various levels of environmental and social challenges while considering multiple technology implementation pathways, offering a comprehensive understanding of the implications of emerging technologies. The findings support the development of actionable strategies to manage these impacts effectively and provide stakeholders with critical information. By doing so, decisionmakers are better equipped to determine whether the added value of an innovation justifies its additional impacts. Since the added value of such innovations is usually excluded when defining the functional unit in LCA, we advocate for decision-making processes aligned with sustainability goals-whether at the corporate, national, or international level. To demonstrate this approach, photochromic fabrics are used as a case study. While these fabrics are estimated to cause +10% to+20% climate change impacts compared to conventional ones, these impacts can be reduced through strategies such as extending product lifespan, using recycled materials in production (-10%), and reducing the amount of photochromic dye required for functionality (-12%). Ultimately, the decision to commercialize such innovations should depend on their alignment with sustainability targets.

Keywords: Fabrics; Carbon footprint; Corporate growth; Dyes; Economic growth; Innovations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05416355v1
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Published in Journal of Industrial Ecology, 2025, 29 (6), pp.2338 - 2352. ⟨10.1111/jiec.70118⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05416355

DOI: 10.1111/jiec.70118

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