Fabric
Polypropylene
Petrochemical plants; common in sacks and geotextiles
Impact score
35/ 100
High Impact
A blended indicator of water, carbon, chemical load, durability and recyclability.
Measured impact per kg of fibre
Water footprint50 L / kg
Carbon footprint7.1 kg CO₂e / kg
Process energy102 MJ / kg
Microfibre sheddingHigh shedding
BiodegradableNo
Durability4 years typical wear
Recyclability30 / 100
Data confidence
lowLow confidence — limited published data, treat as indicative
Sources: Higg MSI 2023
Figures are cradle-to-gate averages per kilogram of fibre or fabric, not measurements of your specific garment. A typical adult shirt weighs roughly 0.2 kg.
Qualitative ratings
Water useLow
Carbon footprintModerate
Chemical loadModerate
DurabilityModerate
RecyclabilityPoor once blended
What is it
A light plastic fibre used in packaging, sacks and cheap non-wovens.
Why it matters
Low production energy for a plastic, but rarely collected and quick to fragment.
Water Carbon Chemicals End of life
What you can do
Avoid in clothing; reuse existing PP sacks rather than buying new.