1. Content Guidance Overview

The Higg Product Module content guidance is structured to mirror the normal process flow of assessing a product in the Higg Product Module.

The Settings section provides guidance on establishing account-level custom seasons and company defaults that replace the default product options in the Higg Product Module.

The New Product Assessment section provides guidance on assessing and categorizing new products in the Higg Product Module and includes the definitions of all product types and product categories.

The Previously Used Product Assessment section provides additional guidance on assessing used products that are on their second or subsequent lifecycles.

The Adding Product Certifications section provides guidance on manually adding product certifications. These certifications are only an attribute to the product, and do not make any change to the impact values.

The Completing Distribution Info section provides guidance on customizing distribution and retail pathways for known distribution channels.

The Completing the Bill of Materials section provides guidance on selecting and adding materials, trims, and packaging to the Bill of Materials and on how representative they should be. Guidance on entering the correct amounts and updating the net use is also provided. The section also covers how to customize shipping information (inbound transportation).

The Completing the Finished Goods Manufacturing section provides guidance on selecting from the process choices and specifying amounts in the Higg Product Module Finished Goods Manufacturing section.

The Completing Packaging section provides guidance on selecting and adding additional packaging to the product, including both primary packaging not covered in the Bill of Materials section and secondary packaging.

The Completing Logistics section provides guidance on customizing shipping information from the Finished Goods Manufacturer to the Distribution Center, Retailer, and customer.

The Completing Retail section provides guidance on customizing the distribution center and retail impacts for known distribution channels.

The Completing Product Care section provides guidance on selecting the appropriate product care scenario and modeling alternative care scenarios.

The Completing End of Use section provides guidance on customizing the end-of-use pathways through repairability, re-wear, and product takeback programs.

The Completing Duration of Service section provides guidance on adjusting the product’s duration of service (usable lifetime) using intrinsic quality tests.

2. Settings

Seasons

Custom seasons can be defined at the account level. This function allows users to track product cohorts according to their companies’ internal structures. As such, the naming of seasons should generally follow the same structure as that used for a company’s product development cycle. Four default seasons are included in the Higg Product Module; users can choose to edit or delete default seasons, or to add custom seasons if desired.

Company Defaults

The Company Defaults page allows customization of three areas of impact related to excess production and disposal modes. The Company Defaults page establishes the company-level defaults for the following areas of impact:

Manufacturing Waste

The Manufacturing Waste setting allows users to specify the ratio of manufacturing production waste that is recycled or downcycled instead of landfilled or incinerated. Unless this information can be provided by the Finished Goods Manufacturing facilities, the defaults should not be changed. When updating the account default value, at least 90% of manufacturing facilities (weighted by volume of production) should be factored into the updated values.

Excess Finished Goods Rate for this Product

This setting indicates the amount of finished goods that are produced versus the amount that are sold to consumers. When updating the account default value, the overall production and sales volume of products should be considered. For instance, if 1 million units are sold to consumers and 1.1 million units were purchased from finished goods manufacturers, the excess finished goods rate is: (1.1 million units produced – 1 million units sold = 100,000 excess units) / (1 million units sold) = 10%. The disposal pathway for these excess units can also be specified. The recycled / downcycled disposal mode applies to any recycling or downcycling of the excess products. Landfill / incineration applies to any landfilling or incineration of the excess goods.

Sample Rate for this Product

This setting indicates the amount of prototypes and samples that are produced versus the amount that are sold to consumers. When updating the account default value, the overall number of non-commercial samples (prototypes, fit samples, and salesman samples) and sales volume of products should be considered. For instance, if 1000 samples are created and the total amount sold is 100,000 units, then the sample rate is: (1000 non-commercial sample units) / (100,000 units sold) = 1%. The disposal pathway for these sample units can also be specified. The recycled / downcycled disposal mode applies to any non-commercial samples that are recycled or downcycled. Non-commercial samples that remain in use should also be added to this category. The Landfill / incineration mode applies to any non-commercial samples that are landfilled or incinerated.

3. New Product Assessment

In order to assess a product, certain mandatory information is required—specifically, a unique product name, a product type, and a product category. It is also possible to add optional information, such as the model/style number and the product season.

Product Type

A product can be assessed as one of four product types:

• Apparel should be selected when the product is an article of clothing or an accessory that is intended to be worn to cover the body.
• Footwear should be selected when the product is intended to be worn on the foot to protect and provide traction against the ground.
• Home Textiles should be selected when the product is a fabric or cloth that is intended to furnish the house, including bedding and upholstery.
• Other should be selected when assessing the product manufacturing footprint of a product that is not categorized as any of the other product types.

Product Category

Each Product Type contains several possible Product Categories. Product Categories are used to benchmark performance against similar products, so it is important to select the closest applicable category.

Apparel Product Categories

The following Product Categories are available for Apparel products:

• Apparel Accessories should be selected for wearable apparel accessories that are intended to cover the waist, head, neck, or hands. This category includes belts, ties, beanies, hats, toques, scarves, and gloves.
• Base layershould be selected when the product is a layer that is intended to be worn next to skin under additional clothing layers. Baselayers can be used to manage moisture and to protect other clothing layers from frequent washing.
• Dress should be selected when the product is a one-piece garment that covers the torso and extends down the legs. Jumpsuits, rompers, and jumper dresses should all be considered dresses.
• Hosiery should be selected when the product is tight-fitting sheer legwear that covers the feet and legs (at minimum, the calves) and is intended to be worn with an additional over-garment. This category includes sheer and fishnet stockings and pantyhose.
• Jacket should be selected when the product is outerwear that is intended to cover the torso and protect the user from the elements, such as wind and precipitation.Suit jackets and winter jackets (providing additional protection to the cold) are considered jackets.
• Jersey should be selected when the product is a sports shirt that aids in wicking sweat away from the skin to allow it to evaporate. Jerseys often identify an affiliation with a team and/or team sponsors. Bicycle jerseys and bibs should also be considered jerseys.
• Legging / Tight should be selected when the product is tight-fitting opaque legwear that covers the waist, legs, and feet. Leggings and tights may or may not be worn with an additional over-garment.
• Pants should be selected when the product is a loose-fitting (i.e. not body fit) outer garment that is intended to cover the waist and legs. Short pants, also called shorts and covering only the waist and upper legs, should also be considered pants.
• Shirt should be selected when the product is an outer, non-protective garment for the upper body, except where the definition oft-shirt or sweater is met. This category includes button-down dress shirts and blouses.
• Skirt should be selected when the product is a garment that covers from the waist downward. A skirt can be fitted to the waist or hips, but not to the legs.
• Socks should be selected when the product is a pair of garments that cover the feet and (optionally) the ankles and calves. In contrast to hosiery, socks are thick enough to manage moisture by absorbing some perspiration and are opaque.
• Sweater should be selected when the product is a garment for the upper body that provides thermal protection. Sweaters are usually not worn directly nextto skin and are typically an over-layer. In contrast to jackets, sweaters do not provide protection from wind or precipitation.
• Swimsuit should be selected when the product is primarily intended for watersports activities. This category includes one-piece swimsuits, bikinis, board shorts, and rash guards.
• T-Shirt should be selected when the product is a garment for the upper body, consisting mainly of knitted fabric and without a full-length opening at the front. T-shirts can be either short or long-sleeved. This category includes t-shirts, polo shirts, tank tops, and activewear tops. Heavyweight garments (with a main fabric above 270 grams per square meter) should be selected as a sweater due to the thermal protection they provide.
• Underwear should be selected when the product is intended as a next-to-skin garment that protects outer garments from being soiled and lessens the friction of outer garments against the skin. This category includes bras, panties, thongs, briefs, and boxers.

Footwear Product Categories

The following Product Categories are available for Footwear products:

• Boots Non Steel Toe should be selected when the product is footwear that covers the foot and extends up to at least the ankle, but does not have a protective toe cap. This category includes hiking boots, rubber boots, and cowboy boots.
• Boots Steel Toe should be selected when the product is protective (safety) footwear that has a protective reinforcement (often steel) in the toe to protect the foot from falling objects and compression. All certified safety footwear that provides toecap protection should select this category.
• Cleats should be selected when the product is footwear with protrusions from the sole of the shoe that provide additional traction during sporting activities. This category includes football shoes, running cleats, and clipless pedal cycling shoes.
• Court should be selected when the product is footwear designed for indoor sports. Court shoes are designed to provide excellent traction with good lateral support and a low profile.
• Dress Shoes & Heels should be selected when the product is designed for formal and smart casual events. Examples of dress shoes and heels include oxfords, monk shoes, loafers, pumps, wedges, stilettos, and other high heels.
• Other Athletic Shoe should be selected when the product is athletic footwear that is not otherwise categorized.
• Sandals should be selected when the product is open-toe footwear or footwear with a protective toe but open sides for breathability and water drainage.
• Sneakers should be selected when the product is footwear intended primarily for athletic use, with a sole and/or midsole that is designed to absorb impact during activities such as running or jumping. Running shoes are considered sneakers and should select this category.

Home Textiles Product Categories

The following Product Categories are available for Home Textiles products:

• Blanket should be selected when the product is a large single-layer piece of fabric that is often used as a bed covering to provide warmth.
• Comforter should be selected when the product is a thick bed covering comprised of multiple fabric layers that sandwich insulation (including down or synthetic fill) to provide warmth. Comforters can be stitched but are not ornately embroidered.
• Cushion should be selected when the product is a filled case of fabric that is primarily intended to provide an accent of color or texture to the room.
• Duvet should be selected when the product is a plain (often white) thick bed covering that is comprised of multiple fabric layers that sandwich insulation (including down or synthetic fill) to provide warmth and is intended for use with a removable duvet cover.
• Duvet Cover should be selected when the product is a fabric envelope that fits over a duvet and closes down the open side with a zipper, buttons, or ties.
• Kitchen Towel should be selected when the product is a cloth that is intended for washing or drying dishes in the kitchen.
• Lighting Shade should be selected when the product is a cover for a lamp to help soften or direct the light.
• Mat should be selected when the product is a small floor covering, often near entryways, that is intended to stop dirt, water, or mud from getting onto the floor.
• Mattress Pad should be selected when the product is a fitted fabric covering that covers and protects a mattress.
• Napkin should be selected when the product is a piece of cloth used at a meal to protect garments and wipe the fingers or lips.
• Pillow should be selected when the product is a filled case of fabric that primarily is intended to support the head and/or body while sleeping. Body pillows should select this category.
• Place Mat should be selected when the product is a small cloth or pad placed under an individual place setting on a dining table or other dining surface.
• Quilt should be selected when the product is a thick bed covering comprised of multiple fabric layers and insulation in the middle. The top layer is ornately patterned, often with different pieces of fabric.
• Rug should be selected when the product is a moveable floor covering, often a heavy fabric with a nap or pile, that can provide warmth and noise reduction on a hard flooring surface.
• Sham should be selected when the product is a decorative pillowcase, often used as an accessory to a bedding set.
• Sheet Set should be selected when the product is fabric that is intended to be used as bedding. Sheet sets often have a bottom fitted sheet and a top flat sheet.
• Shower should be selected when the product is a suspended piece of material which prevents water from splashing out of the shower (i.e. shower curtain).
• Slipcover should be selected when the product is a removable fitted cloth that covers and protects furniture, such as a chair or a sofa.
• Table Cloth should be selected when the product is a cloth that covers an entire dining table or surface.
• Towel should be selected when the product is a thick absorbent cloth used by a person to dry the body. Hand towels should select this category.
• Upholstery should be selected when the product is furniture that has soft coverings, such as fabric and padding.
• Window Curtain should be selected when the product is a suspended piece of material mounted in front of a window, blocking light and sound from entering the room.

Other Product Categories

The “Other” Product Type is not broken down into different Product Categories and the only Product Category selection option is “Other.”The “Other” Product Type and Product Category is intended to enable users beyond the apparel, footwear, and home textiles industries to assess the cradle-to-gate manufacturing environmental impacts of their products. The Finished Goods Manufacturing processes for “Other” products are the same as those available for products in the Apparel Product Type. As such, there may be gaps for processes used in other industries. Additionally, no product use or end-of-life impacts can be added to “Other” products(product manufacturing impacts only). This approach still enables users from other industries to estimate their Scope 3 impacts.

4. Previously Used Product Assessment

Previously used products are products that have already had a previous owner and require refurbishment or renewal to convert back into sellable condition. These products can be assessed in the Higg Product Module in a similar manner to any other new product. After filling in the required fields for a New Product Assessment, checking the “Previously Used Product” box will open up additional information fields that need to be completed.

Weight of Incoming Used Product

The weight of the incoming used product is a required field. Only the weight of the incoming previously used product should be entered here, as any new materials needed for repair or refurbishment should be added to the Bill of Materials. Materials that have not been previously used in a product, such as roll ends or deadstock fabric, are considered new materials and should be added in the Bill of Materials stage. Fabric scraps that have been cut from previously used products can be entered as incoming used product.

Transport of Incoming Used Product

The transportation of the incoming used product requires the user to complete the shipping mode and shipping distance. This functionality works in the same way as Editing Shipping Info. If the transportation details of incoming used product are not known, then a default shipping distance of 500km and shipping mode of truck should be used.

5. Adding Product Certifications

The product module has a certifications feature available to all product module users which serves as a space to input (i.e. placeholder) ‘self verified’ product certificates. The certifications are simply an attribute to the product, and do not make any changes to the impact values. Adding certifications to a product, facilitates using the Higg Product Module as a central repository for all sustainability information related to that product.

The following list of product certifications are currently available. Additional certifications can be added in the future based on user requests.

bluesign® PRODUCT

Cradle to Cradle Certified® (C2C)

Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard – Platinum

Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard – Gold

Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard – Silver

Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard – Bronze

Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)

Lenzing Product License

ECOVERO™ e-branding traceability solution

TENCEL™ e-branding traceability solution

OEKO-TEX® MADE IN GREEN

TextileExchange

Content Claim Standard (CCS)

Organic Content Standard (OCS)

Recycled Claim Standard (RCS)

Global Recycled Standard (GRS)

Responsible Down Standard (RDS)

Responsible Wool Standard (RWS)

Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS)

Responsible Alpaca Standard (RAS)

Certifications can be added directly when creating or editing a product. There is also a product certification library where users can manage the certifications for products.  Users can select multiple products in the library to add certifications to multiple products at a time. Step-by-step guidance on how to add a certification can be found here.

6. Completing Distribution Info

The Distribution Info section provides the ability to customize distribution and retail pathways.

When entering the percentage of product that is sold through your own distribution, the percentage should reflect the percentage (by unit count) of the product that is sold through your known distribution channels. Default values are provided and should only be updated if supporting documentation is available.

The percentage entered here will determine what percentage of logistics impacts (inbound/outbound shipping distances and modes) and retail impacts (energy and water use for distribution centers and retail locations) are based on your known data. The remaining percentage of logistics and retail impacts will be measured using default industry averages.

The Distribution Info section also allows for the customization of the following three parameters:

• Percentage of this product sold [Online / In Store]. Default values are provided based on industry averages. Orders placed through telephone customer service that are shipped direct to consumer should be considered part of “online” sales. The percentage selected for “in store” sales should include, where possible, products that are ordered online but picked up in store. It is recommended to use a standard brand-wide annual rate for all of a brand’s product assessments.
• Rate of Products Returned [Online/ In Store]. The rate of return can be specified for online and in store sales separately. Default values are provided based on industry averages. It is recommended to use a standard brand-wide annual rate for all of a brand’s product assessments.
• Restock Rate [Online / In Store]. The restock rate is the amount of returned products that are returned to inventory and are then resold. A default value of 50% is applied for all products. It is recommended to use a standard brand-wide annual rate for all of a brand’s product assessments.

7. Completing the Bill of Materials

The Bill of Materials represents the list and amounts of the physical materials needed to manufacture a product. All materials that are part of an individual product, including materials, trims, hangtags, and individual product packaging should be included in the Bill of Materials. Sewing thread does not need to be included unless it makes up over 1% of the final product weight.

Selecting and Adding Materials, Trims, and Packaging

To construct a product’s Bill of Materials, users can include any Example Material, Acquired Material, Custom Material, Trim/Component, or Packaging that has been created in the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (Higg MSI).

For products about which an external brand-to-brand (B2B) or brand-to-consumer (B2C) claim is intended to be made, at least 90% of the materials used in the product (by weight) should use specifically modelled materials that are representative of what is known, following the guidelines from the Higg MSI Content Guidance.

Examples (Selecting Materials)

A woven cotton shirt with 7 buttons is going to be assessed using the Higg Product Module and an external claim regarding the product carbon footprint is intended to be made. It is not sufficient to model this product using the Example Material “Cotton Fabric,” since the material is known to be woven and the default is a knit. In this case, a custom woven cotton fabric needs to be created and used. If the buttons represent less than 10% of the product weight, then a default selection from the Trims& Components Library can be used.

A nylon windshell is going to be assessed using the Higg Product Module and an external claim regarding the product footprint is intended to be made. The product page references that a “lightweight 30D (denier) fabric” is used. It is not sufficient to model the main windshell fabric as a woven nylon fabric without also updating the yarn size from 200DTEX to 45DTEX, since it is clearly known and these impacts should be included in the customized material.

A t-shirt containing 96% cotton / 4% spandex is going to be assessed using the Higg Product Module. The product impacts are only intended to be used as part of internal Scope 3 greenhouse gas accounting. In this case, using the Example Material “Cotton Fabric” is acceptable, as no external claims will be made. If this was to change in the future, a custom blended material would need to be created in the Higg MSI. It is always best to try and use the most representative material that matches composition and processing. However, when first estimating a Scope 3 baseline, using more generic options can help scale across an entire portfolio of materials and products. Over time, users should aim to be more accurate with their environmental impacts by providing more specific customization.

Specifying Amounts of Materials, Trims, and Packaging

After selecting the materials, trims, and packaging for the Bill of Materials, the amounts of all components need to be added. It is important to note that it should be the gross amount that is specified (the amount needed to make the product) and not the net amount (the amount that ultimately ends up included in the final product).

Products that come in a range of sizes but have a single Bill of Materials (where the difference in gross amount between the sizes is accounted for in pattern grading and size curves) are not required to break out each size separately and can share the same product assessment. If products have separate Bills of Materials, then they should be set up as separate product assessments.

The default unit for specifying amounts of materials is kilograms. This unit can be changed to other mass units (grams, milligrams, pounds, ounces). When using Custom Materials that have been created with customized Units of Measure and Yield Conversions, additional units of measure can be selected (such as yards, square feet, and cubic inches).

The default unit for trims and packaging is “units.” This means that the unit of measure is built into the Trim or Packaging option itself. For instance, for a product like a button, a unit would be a piece (i.e., a single button). For shoelaces, a unit could represent a pair of laces. For zipper tape, a unit could represent one linear centimeter. It is important to specify the unit type quantifying theTrim or Packaging. An easy way to ensure recognition for all users is to add the unit type into the Trim or Packaging name. For instance, “Zipper Tape (per cm)” or “Shoelace (pair).”

Examples (Specifying Amounts)

A garment requires 2 yards of fabric to accommodate the pattern pieces. Even though the end product doesn’t use all 2 yards (since there is cutting waste), the Bill of Materials should specify 2 yards, as that is the gross amount of material needed.

A pair of sneakers requires 250 grams of rubber to make the outsole. After trimming, the outsole only weighs 200 grams. The Bill of Materials should specify the gross amount of 250 grams of rubber.

A t-shirt comes in a range of sizes from extra-small to extra-large. Even though the final products have different weights, there is only one Bill of Materials that specifies 1.5 yards of material per t-shirt. Only one product assessment is needed for this product and the Bill of Materials should specify 1.5 yards of material.

Updating Net Use

Once all materials are added to the Bill of Materials and the amounts are specified, the net use may need to be adjusted to ensure an accurate product net weight. An accurate net weight ensures that the impacts of finished assembly processes, distribution impacts, and use phase impacts can all be calculated correctly.

The default net use (or yield) for materials varies based on Product Type. For Apparel and Home Textiles, the default is 80%. For Footwear, the default is 70%. For Trims and Packaging, the default is 100%,since each unit is treated as discrete and the net yield has already been accounted for when creating the Trim or Packaging.

If the correct net use for a material is known, the default value for that material can be updated. Even if the specific net use is not known, it is still possible to estimate it by knowing the correct product net weight. If the product net weight in the product assessment is higher than the actual net weight, then the net use can be decreased. If the product net weight in the product assessment is lower than the actual net weight, then the net use can be increased. The following formula can be used to help estimate how the new net use should be updated:

Estimated Net Use = Default Net Use * Product Net Weight (Actual) / Product Net Weight (Higg PM)

This new estimated net use can then replace the default.

When conducting a product assessment for a product that has a range of sizes, the middle size (usually size medium for apparel) should be used when considering the actual product net weight. The middle size is considered the size on which the pattern grading is based.

Example (Updating Net Use)

A garment is made up of a single custom material. Since the Unit of Measure was specified for this material in the Higg MSI, the gross amount is specified as 1.8 yards of material. However, once this is entered, the Product Net Weight shows the product as weighing 0.400 kilograms. The actual garment weighs 300 grams (0.300kg). Since the cutting efficiency is not known, the estimate net use equation is used:Estimated Net Use = 80% * 0.3kg / 0.4kg = 60%.The Net Use field is updated to 60% for this material to make the product net weight in the Higg Product Module match the actual product net weight.

Updating Shipping Info (Inbound Transportation)

Inbound materials that are added to the Bill of Materials have a default of 500km of truck transportation applied to them. This setting can be customized by opening up the “Edit Shipping Info” window. If the distance is already known, then the amount can be directly entered into the Shipping Distance field. If the distance is not known but the source and destination locations are known, then the distance can be approximated using the “Estimate Distance” function.

To use the “Estimate Distance” function, a source and a destination must be entered into the appropriate fields. Once the “Estimate Distance” box is checked, the shipping distance field will be updated with the point-to-point distance. While this is still an approximation, it provides a more representative result and is an appropriate approximation for air transportation (the most impactful shipping mode). Given the relatively small contribution of transportation impacts to the overall material footprint, using the default transportation distances will generally not lead to large differences. For processes completed in the same facility, the transportation distance can be set to 1 kilometer.

The shipping mode can also be customized. There are four different shipping modes available:

• Truck is the default selection and should be chosen when the transportation is primarily done by an on-the-road network (based on distance travelled).
• Ocean should be selected when the inbound transportation distance has been customized and the inbound freight is primarily transported by ocean freight (based on distance travelled).
• Rail should be selected when the inbound transportation distance has been customized and the inbound freight is primarily transported by rail freight (based on distance travelled).
• Air should be selected when the inbound transportation distance has been customized and the inbound freight is primarily transported by air freight (based on distance travelled).

8. Completing Finished Goods Manufacturing

The Finished Goods Manufacturing section of the Higg Product Module is divided into different manufacturing groups. Depending on the Product Type, different manufacturing groups are available.

Apparel, Home Textiles, and Other Product Types:

• Product Assembly
• Garment Preparation and Coloration
• Garment Printing
• Garment Washing and Finishing

Footwear Product Type

• Pre-Assembly Footwear
• Stockfitting
• Assembly
• Finishing – Footwear

Product Assembly

The following product assembly processes are available in the Higg Product Module:

• Cutting should be selected when product pattern pieces or material panels are cut from larger rolls of material. The unit of cutting is “per cm” and the total linear length (in centimeters) that needs to be cut for the product should be entered as the amount. Types of semiautomatic machines considered include straight knifes (most commonly use in the garment industry for detailed cuts), round knifes (edge cut), and band knives (to cut a large piece of fabric before more detailed cuts). Material-spreading prior to cutting was also included. This dataset is based on cutting of 80 stacked layers into a simple shape (t-shirt) with an approximate perimeter (cutting length) of 250 cm. Users can correct the linear length that is to be cut for the actual number of stacked layers that is used in their production process (i.e. if stacks of 20 are used, the linear length can be multiplied by 4). It is recommended to only do this if this information is readily available. As the impact of cutting is limited, efforts to start collecting this information are better put in other areas.
• Gluing should be selected when pattern pieces are bonded or joined together using an adhesive. The unit of gluing is “per cm” and the total linear length (in centimeters) that needs to be bonded for the product should be entered as the amount. This process is assumed to be a combination of the two processes: seam taping and welding. 0.00001232 kg of PU seaming tape per cm is included in this process as well as electricity consumption and polyurethane resin.
• Seam Taping should be selected when a seam tape is applied over a seam to create a waterproof seal. The unit of seam sealing is “per cm” and the total linear length (in centimeters) that is seam taped should be entered as the amount. The process includes 0.00001232 kg of PU seaming tape per cm, electricity consumption and paper. Users that apply a seaming tape with a width of up to 25mm can apply this process as-is. We recommend including wider tapes separately in the Bill of Materials. One way to estimate the length that is seam taped is to look at the total consumption of seam tape from the Bill of Materials, and divide that by the weight of seam tape per cm.
• Sewing should be selected when pattern pieces are joined together using a stitched seam. The unit of sewing is “per cm” and the total linear length (in centimeters) that needs to be sewn for the product should be entered as the amount. The process includes 0.0000009049 kg of 100 denier polyester thread per cm, as well as electricity consumption. While there are many different types of seams and stitch types, this process is considered representative for all sewing options as it includes the following machine types: double chain stitch machines, lock stitch machines and zigzag sewing machines.
• Welding should be selected when pattern pieces are joined using heat to weld synthetic materials together. The unit of welding is “per cm” and the total linear length (in centimeters) that needs to be welded for the product should be entered as the amount. While the welding process is modeled based on ultrasonic welding, this process is considered representative for radio frequency (RF) welding as well.
• Embroidery should be selected when stitched embroidery is added to the product. The unit of embroidery is “per cm2” and the embroidered area (in square centimeters) should be entered as the amount. This embroidery process includes using an industrial automatic embroidery machine to apply yarn according to an average design. 0.0000023 kg of 100 denier cotton thread per cm2 is included in the process. The amount of thread needed is based on assumptions for a simple embroidery pattern. As the impact of embroidery is predominantly dependent on the energy consumption, the embroidered area is the key determinant for this process. This means this embroidery process is also well applicable to embroidery processes using different yarn counts, other thread materials, and technology types. It is therefore not necessary to add the embroidery materials to the bill materials of the product, except when special embroidery operations are performed (e.g. silk threads, beads and/or pearls). In this case, these materials are to be added to the bill of materials in the MSI. Embroidery is also available in the Garment Washing and Finishing processes; ensure each embroidered area is only accounted for once to avoid double counting. The exact area of complex shapes may be difficult to measure; simple geometric representations (e.g. length x width) are suitable to approximate the total area.
• Sundries Application should be selected when individual sundries such as buttons or beads are attached to a product. The unit of sundries application is “per cm2” and all sundries should be included in the amount. A cotton thread of 0.0000128 kg per cm2 is included in the process. Sundries (measuring an average of 10 mm in diameter and weighing an average of 0.09 g) are also included, as well as energy consumption. This process is considered representative for rivets and set-in snaps. When selecting this process, it is not necessary to add the sundries to the bill materials (BOM) of the product, except when special, high-end sundries are added (e.g. golden buttons, pearls).  In that case, you can create the sundries in the MSI Trims and Components section, and add them to the BOM.

Garment Preparation and Coloration

The following garment preparation and coloration processes are available in the Higg Product Module. This group of processes is applicable when products are garment dyed and the processes are applied “per cycle.” This means that the weight of the product has already been factored into the impact and it is only necessary to specify how many times the product has been prepared for dyeing and how many times the product has been dyed.

Note that for most products, no Garment Preparation and Coloration processes need to be selected as the color is added during material manufacturing.

• Pretreatment should be selected when a product coloration process is going to be applied and the product is prepared for this process. For most products, if a product coloration process is selected, one cycle of pretreatment should also be selected.
• Batch Dyeing (piece dye) should be selected for any product or garment dyeing process (coloration). While different garment dyeing techniques are possible, this process is considered representative for any product or garment dyeing.

Garment Printing

Garment Printing processes are applicable when a graphic or pattern is printed onto a product as part of finished goods manufacturing. This group of processes is divided into combinations of different printing types and different sizes.

Print Size (Area)

• Small should be selected when the print area is under 225 square centimeters (15cm x 15cm). This is applicable for logo placements and pocket prints.
• Medium should be selected when the print area is between 225 and 900 square centimeters (30cm x 30cm). This is applicable for medium-sized placement graphics.
• Large should be selected when the print area is over 900 square centimeters (30cm x 30cm). This is applicable for full panel prints.

Print Types

• Burnout Printing should be selected when a printed pattern is created on a blended synthetic and cellulosic fabric product by dissolving out the cellulose component using an acid.
• Digital Printing should be selected when a digital printer is used to print ink directly onto a product to create a graphic or pattern.
• Screen Printing should be selected when a printing paste is applied to a product using a rotary or flat screen before being dried and affixed to the surface of the product. Printing pastes including PVC (plastisol), non-PVC (high solids acrylic), and water-based screen-printing inks can all use this as a representative process.
• Sublimation Transfer Printing should be selected when a digital printer is used to print ink onto transfer paper, which is then sublimated onto the product using heat and pressure. The transfer paper is included in the process.

Garment Washing and Finishing

The following garment washing and garment finishing processes are available in the Higg Product Module. Most processes are measured in cycles, unless otherwise noted. One cycle is considered one application of the unit process.

• Embroidery should be selected when stitched embroidery is added to the product. The unit of embroidery is “per cm2” and the embroidered area (in square centimeters) should be entered as the amount. This embroidery process includes using an industrial automatic embroidery machine to apply yarn according to an average design. 0.0000023 kg of 100 denier cotton thread per cm2 is included in the process. The amount of thread needed is based on assumptions for a simple embroidery pattern. As the impact of embroidery is predominantly dependent on the energy consumption, the embroidered area is the key determinant for this process. This means this embroidery process is also well applicable to embroidery processes using different yarn counts, other thread materials, or technology types. It is therefore not necessary to add the embroidery materials to the bill materials of the product, except when special embroidery operations are performed (e.g. silk threads). In this case, these materials are to be added to the bill of materials in the MSI. Embroidery is also available in the Product Assembly processes; ensure each embroidered area is only accounted for once to avoid double counting. The exact area of complex shapes may be difficult to measure;simple geometric representations (e.g. length x width) are suitable to approximate the total area.
• Laser Etching should be selected when a laser is used to etch or engrave designs onto a product (usually leather or denim). The unit of laser etching is “per cm2” and the total etched or engraved area (in square centimeters) should be entered as the amount. Garment washing (water-only wash process with detergent added) to remove char is included, as well as water extraction and drying. The exact area of complex shapes may be difficult to measure; simple geometric representations (e.g. length x width) are suitable to approximate the total area. 
• Acid Wash should be selected when a product is washed using acid and pumice stones to create an aged look. This process includes pre-treatment (desizing (in 60°C water), preparation of pumice stones in a chemical solution), chemical wash (adding the soaked stones), wash for cleaning (in 50°C water), neutralization (in 50°C water), water extraction, and drying. Hand PP (potassium permanganate) spraying was not considered.
• Boarding should be selected when products are pressed using heat and pressure into a flat, two-dimensional shape in preparation for packing. This process includes electricity consumption (which delivers the required heat and steam).
• Desizing and Enzyme Wash should be selected when the product is washed using enzymes to create an aged look and/or to create a softer, polished hand feel. This process includes desizing as a preparation step. The following activities are included in this process: Washing with enzymes, Desizing, Softening, Water extraction and Drying.
• Flocking should be selected when a product is decorated using flock (very short fibers) that is attached using an adhesive. This process includes the electricity consumption required to perform the flocking process. The flock itself is not included. The user is expected to add the flocking material and its weight to the Bill of Materials in the MSI separately if the weight is significant (i.e. >1%). To add the flocking material, select raw material and leave the rest of the processes empty (ie. Spinning, textile formation, etc.).
• Foam or Spray-Dry should be selected when a chemical finish (such as water repellency, stain release, softeners, odor management, or antibacterial treatments) is added to the product using foamed air and a liquid finishing solution. After application, the product is dried but does not involve a (higher temperature) curing step. If multiple chemical finishes are applied at the same time, this process is still applicable as the process accounts for the possibility of multiple finishes being applied in the solution bath. This process includes the chemical, water, and energy inputs. This process is only applicable when the chemical finish is added to the final product, not to a material (processes applied to materials should be captured in the Higg MSI). If a product is known to use a chemical finish but the specific method is unknown, then the Pad-Dry-Cure or Exhaust-Dry-Cure process should be used. If the product is known to use a Foam or Spray-Dry process but it is unknown if there is a curing step, then the Foam-Dry-Cure or Spray-Dry-Cure process should be used.
• Foam-Dry-Cure or Spray-Dry-Cure should be selected when a chemical finish (such as water repellency, stain release, softeners, odor management, or antibacterial treatments) is added to the product using foamed air and a liquid finishing solution. After application, the product is cured at an elevated temperature to give a durable finish as part of the drying process. If multiple chemical finishes are applied at the same time, this process is still applicable as the process accounts for the possibility of multiple finishes being applied in the solution bath. This process includes the chemical, water, and energy inputs. This process is only applicable when the chemical finish is added to the final product, not to a material (processes applied to materials should be captured in the Higg MSI). If a product is known to use a chemical finish but the specific method is unknown, then the Pad-Dry-Cure or Exhaust-Dry-Cure process should be used. If the product is known to use a Foam or Spray-Dry process but there is no curing step, then the Foam or Spray-Dry process should be used.
• Pad-Dry or Exhaust-Dry should be selected when a chemical finish (such as water repellency, stain release, softeners, odor management, or antibacterial treatments) is added to the product using a solution bath and rollers to control the wet pick-up rate. After application, the product is dried but does not involve a (higher temperature) curing step. If multiple chemical finishes are applied at the same time, this process is still applicable as the process accounts for the possibility of multiple finishes being applied in the solution bath. This process includes water, chemical, and energy inputs. This process is only applicable when the chemical finish is added to the final product, not to a material (processes applied to materials should be captured in the Higg MSI). If the product is known to use a Pad-Dry or Exhaust-Dry process but it is unknown if there is a curing step, then the Pad-Dry-Cure or Exhaust-Dry-Cure process should be used.
• Pad-Dry-Cure or Exhaust-Dry-Cure should be selected when a chemical finish (such as water repellency, stain release, softeners, odor management, or antibacterial treatments) is added to the product using a solution bath and rollers to control the wet pick-up rate. After application, the product is cured at an elevated temperature to give a durable finish as part of the drying process. If multiple chemical finishes are applied at the same time, this process is still applicable as the process accounts for the possibility of multiple finishes being applied in the solution bath. This process includes water, chemical, and energy inputs. This process is only applicable when the chemical finish is added to the final product, not to a material (processes applied to materials should be captured in the Higg MSI). If the product is known to use a Pad-Dry or Exhaust-Dry process but there is no curing step, then the Pad-Dry or Exhaust-Dry process should be used.
• Sueding/Sanding should be selected when the surface of a product is sanded to raise some fibers to create a soft and smooth surface (peaching) or to create localized abrasion patterns (sand blasting). The process includes rolling energy and electricity consumption.
• Water Only Wash should be selected when the product is washed in water to help clean it or lightly age it. Rinsing with water (50°C for 5 minutes), water extraction and drying are included. The process includes electricity consumption, steam, tap water, and heat. No softener is included. Washing processes that don’t include acids or enzymes should select Water Only Wash as the most representative process.
• Weighting or hand building, apparel should be selected when the product is modified to add fullness (bulk or weight) and/or increased stiffness. This is typically done through the addition of hand-building substances, such as starch, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), vinyl-acetate polymers, polyurethane, thermoset resins, or acrylic co-polymers. Note that the process model for weighting or hand-building currently only captures the impacts associated with mechanical processing and care should be taken when interpreting the impacts of this process. The hand-building substances and their weights are to be added to the Bill of Materials in the MSI separately when their weight is significant (i.e. >1%).
• Pressing (ironing) should be selected when steam and pressure are used to remove unwanted creases or wrinkles from products and/or to shape them when desired. The process includes thermal energy use. The unit of measurement for pressing (ironing) is “minute” (the length of time, in minutes, that the product is pressed or ironed).
• Heat Transfer Foils (large) should be selected when a heat transfer foil is applied to a product and the area of the heat transfer is over 900 square centimeters (30cm x 30cm). Paper, foil, and electricity are included in this process. This process scales with the number of transfers applied (i.e. the number of transfers is the unit of measurement).  All types of heat transfer foils and papers, including metallic, gloss pigment, matte pigment, and holographic papers should use this as the most representative process.
• Heat Transfer Foils (medium) should be selected when a heat transfer foil is applied to a product and the area of the heat transfer is between 225 (15cm x 15cm) and 900 square centimeters (30cm x 30cm). Paper, foil, and electricity are included in this process. This process scales with the number of transfers applied (i.e. the number of transfers is the unit of measurement). All types of heat transfer foils and papers, including metallic, gloss pigment, matte pigment, and holographic papers should use this as the most representative process.
• Heat Transfer Foils (small) should be selected when a heat transfer foil is applied to a product and the area of the heat transfer is under 225 square centimeters (15cm x 15cm). Paper, foil, and electricity are included in this process. This process scales with the number of transfers applied (i.e. the number of transfers is the unit of measurement).  All types of heat transfer foils and papers, including metallic, gloss pigment, matte pigment, and holographic papers should use this as the most representative process.
• Manual scraping + Stone wash + pp blasting should be selected when the process to imitate the natural aging of raw denim garments. The process includes the following dry and manual operations: scraping and grinding for localized color fade down, potassium permanganate (to enhance whiteness of local area), industrial washes done in rotary washing machines, desizing process, abrasion process using stone wash to further reduce color, enhancing highs and lows in seam areas, neutralization of the oxidized area where potassium permanganate was sprayed, water extraction, and tumble drying.
• Alternative to pp blasting should be selected when local spray application of a potassium permanganate alternative discoloration agent is used to imitate natural local discolorations on specific areas of a garment. This process includes: Chemical blasting and blasting neutralization, Washing, Water extraction, and Tumble drying.
• Tinted should be selected when a soft coloration is done using a small percentage of direct dyestuff to give a “dirty” look. This process includes: Tinting, Fixing, Softening, and Water extraction.
• Stone Wash step should be selected when the abrasion subprocess is conducted using pumice stones. The stone wash step is always combined with a preparation process done before the stones or a cleaning process done after the stone step. This process applies the latter option, and therefore includes the following processes: Stone wash, Destoning, Soaping, Washing, and Water extraction. If the stone wash includes desizing and softening, the Stone Wash process is to be selected (not Stone Wash step).
• Enzyme wash should be selected when an abrasion subprocess using cellulase enzymes is conducted. This process is always combined with a preparation process done before the enzyme wash, or a cleaning process done after the enzyme bath. This process applies the latter option, and therefore includes the following processes: Enzyme wash, Washing, and Water extraction. If desizing and softening are also part of the Enzyme wash, the Desizing and Enzyme wash process should be selected. If a rinse wash is part of the Enzyme wash, the Rinse + Enzyme wash process should be selected.
• Enzyme wash + Tinted should be selected when an abrasion wash using cellulase enzyme and tinted process to give a “dirty look” are combined. This process includes: Desizing, Washing, Enzyme wash, Washing, Tinting, Fixing, Softening, and Water extraction.
• Laser marking cycle is a localized effect and should be selected when a laser pattern is marked in a garment. This process includes 1 cycle of this laser marking process that takes 45 seconds and covers the area of a typical whiskers design: 60 x 20 cm (per each front leg) and 30 x 30 cm (per each back leg).
• Enzyme wash + pp blasting should be selected when an abrasion process with cellulase enzymes and a spray of potassium permanganate are combined. The enzyme wash will produce an overall color fade down, while the potassium permanganate spray will produce further wash down in specific areas of the garment. This process includes: Desizing, Washing, Enzyme wash, Washing, Water extraction, Drying, PP Spraying and PP neutralization, Washing, Softening, and Water extraction.
• Enzyme Wash & Ozone bleaching Intensive color fade down process that should be selected when an enzyme wash using cellulase enzymes to produce overall color fade down, is combined with an ozone process that further fades the garment to obtain medium / light denim shades. This process includes: Desizing, Washing, Enzyme wash, Water extraction, Ozone Bleaching, Washing, Softening, and Water extraction.
• Enzyme wash & Chlorine Bleaching Intensive color fade down process that should be selected when an enzyme wash using cellulase enzymes to produce overall color fade down, is combined with a sodium hypochlorite bleaching process. This process includes: Desizing, Washing, Enzyme wash, Washing, Hypochlorite bleaching and bleach neutralization, Washing, Softening, and Water extraction.
• Stone Wash this process should be selected when an abrasion process to imitate natural aging/discoloration of a raw denim garment is performed. Includes a preparation (desizing) and a cleaning process done using a neutral detergent.  This process therefore includes: Desizing, Washing, Stone Wash and de-stoning, Washing, Soaping, Softening, and Water extraction. If the stone wash does not include desizing and softening, the Stone Wash step process is to be selected.
• Rinse + Enzyme wash should be selected when a soft abrasion process to eliminate unfixed color using a cellulase enzyme and a rinse bath are combined. This process includes: Desizing, Washing, Enzyme wash, Washing, Softening, and Water extraction.
• Rinse wash should be selected when a soft wash process to remove only unfixed dye (keeping the garment a dark denim shade) is applied. This process includes: Desizing, Washing, Softening, and Water extraction.

Pre-Assembly Footwear

The following footwear pre-assembly processes are available in the Higg Product Module:

• Circular knitting should be selected when a component is knitted and has not already been accounted for in the Bill of Materials. The unit for circular knitting is “per cm2” and the number of square centimeters that are knit per pair of footwear should be specified. Often it will be more representative to model these materials in the Higg MSI, but this process is appropriate where limited details on the material are known.
• Hole Punching (with machine) should be selected for any hole punching in the upper part of the shoe, for instance to make a hole for the lace to pass through. The unit for this process is “per hole” and the total number of holes per pair of footwear should be specified.
• Heat setting should be selected for any footwear that conditions or prepares the upper with heat prior to inserting the last. The unit for this process is “per pair” and each unit is one heat cycle for one pair of footwear.
• No sewing upper should be selected for any footwear where overlay parts are applied to the upper textile material using heat and pressure. The unit for this process is “per pair” and each unit is one heat/pressure cycle for one pair of footwear.
• Strobel Stitching should be selected for footwear where the upper material is sewn to a fabric bottom to prepare for bonding to other footwear components (strobel construction technique). The unit for this process is “per pair” and each unit is the construction for one pair of footwear.
• Bottom Die Cutting should be selected for footwear where die cutting is used to cut the bottom material into the correct shape. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one die cut component.
• Buffing should be selected for footwear where a surface is sanded to obtain good adhesion or bonding. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one buffed part or component.
• Cementing/Gluing should be selected for footwear where parts are bonded by using an adhesive compound. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one gluing step where two or more components become a single output.
• Embossing should be selected for footwear where parts are embossed to give a surface texture (raised or recessed surfaces and ridges). The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one embossed part or component.
• Heat Pressing should be selected for footwear where a heat press (heat and pressure) is used to attach size labels and/or other materials. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one heat press cycle to attach parts.
• High Frequency Welding should be selected for footwear when parts are joined using heat to weld synthetic materials together. The unit of welding is “per part” and the number of output parts that have been welded for the product should be entered as the amount. While the welding process is modeled based on radio frequency welding, this process is considered representative for ultrasonic welding as well.
• Skiving should be selected for footwear where components have their edges reduced in thickness by slicing or scraping. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one skived part or component.
• Upper Component Die Cutting should be selected for footwear where die cutting is used to cut the upper material into the correct shape. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one die cut component.
• 3D Printing should be selected for footwear where a raised screen print is applied, giving it a 3-D texture. The unit for this process is “per print” and each unit is one 3D screen print.
• Screen Printing should be selected for footwear where a screen print is applied. The unit for this process is “per print” and each unit is one screen print.
• Stitching – Computer should be selected for footwear where the upper is sewn using a programmable stitching machine. The unit for this process is “per stitched edge” and each edge that is stitched is considered one unit. Each stitched edge is modeled as an 8cm stitch length. Thread consumption can be different for different stitch types; however, this process is still considered representative since the thread is only a small aspect of the process impacts.
• Stitching – Manual should be selected for footwear where the upper is sewn manually by workers. The unit for this process is “per stitched edge” and each edge that is stitched is considered one unit. Each stitched edge is modeled as an 8cm stitch length. Thread consumption can be different for different stitch types; however, this process is still considered representative since the thread is only a small aspect of the process impacts.

Stockfitting

The following stockfitting processes are available for footwear in the Higg Product Module:

• Cooling/Chilling should be selected when the footwear has components that are fast cooled in a cooling tunnel (such as to lower the time before delasting). The unit for this process is “per cycle,” with two parts (for one pair) modeled per cycle. If multiple components per footwear product are fast cooled, then more than one cycle should be selected.
• Deep Well Pressing should be selected when the footwear has stock-fitted parts that are pressed together to make the sole of a shoe. The unit for this process is “per cycle,”with two parts (for one pair) modeled per cycle. Under stockfitting, only deep well pressed stock-fitted components should be added. Deep Well Pressing to attach the lasted upper and stock-fitted unit should be selected from Assembly.
• Oven/Heat Tunnel should be selected when the footwear has components that are heated in an oven or heat tunnel (such as to dry the primer or cement after application). The unit for this process is “per cycle,” with two parts (for one pair) modeled per cycle. If multiple components per footwear product are heated, then more than one cycle should be selected.
• UV Lighting Machine/Activation should be selected when the footwear has components that are treated using ultraviolet radiation and ozone. The unit for this process is “per cycle,” with two parts (for one pair) modeled per cycle.
• Water Pressing should be selected when the footwear has parts that are pressed together using a water press (such as the lasted upper and the sole). The unit for this process is “per cycle,” with two parts (for one pair) modeled per cycle.
• Painting/Staining/Coloring (e.g. Outsole edges painted, stained etc) should be selected when the footwear product has painted components. The unit for this process is “per cycle,” where each cycle is the painting required for one pair of footwear.
• Weighting or hand building, footwear should be selected when the footwear product is modified to add fullness (bulk or weight) and/or increased stiffness. This is typically done through the addition of hand-building substances, such as starch, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), vinyl-acetate polymers, polyurethane, thermoset resins, or acrylic co-polymers. The unit for this process is “per cycle” and each cycle represents one weighting or hand building process for a pair of footwear. Note that the process model for weighting or handbuilding currently only captures the impacts associated with mechanical processing and care should be taken when interpreting the impacts of this process.
• Hole Punching should be selected for any hole punching of a part. The unit for this process is “per hole” and the total number of holes per pair of footwear should be specified. This process is also available in Pre-Assembly Footwear and the total holes per pair of footwear do not need to be entered twice.
• Bottom Die Cutting should be selected for footwear where die cutting is used to cut the bottom material into the correct shape. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one die cut component.
• Buffing should be selected for footwear where a surface is sanded to obtain good adhesion or bonding. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one buffed part or component.
• Cementing/Gluing should be selected for footwear where parts are bonded by using an adhesive compound. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one gluing step where two or more components become a single output.
• Priming should be selected for footwear where a layer of primer is applied to component surfaces to prepare them for bonding. The unit for this process is “per part” and the number of parts that have primer applied to them should be entered.
• Skiving should be selected for footwear where components have their edges reduced in thickness by slicing or scraping. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one skived part or component.
• Trimming should be selected for footwear where excess material from the outsole is trimmed off. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one trimmed part or component.
• Upper Component Die Cutting should be selected for footwear where die cutting is used to cut the upper material into the correct shape. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one die cut component.
• Washing/Cleaning should be selected for footwear where the incoming midsole is washed or cleaned to remove impurities before any stockfitting processes. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one washed or cleaned part.

Assembly

The following assembly processes are available for footwear in the Higg Product Module:

• 360o UV Lighting/Activation should be selected when the footwear has components that have ultraviolet light applied to them. The unit for this process is “per cycle,” with one pass of two parts (for one pair) modeled per cycle. This process is representative for both UV lighting machines that only apply light to one surface as well as “360 UV” that uses mirrors to apply UV light to multiple surfaces.
• Chilling/Cooling should be selected when the footwear has components that are fast cooled in a cooling tunnel (such as to lower the time before delasting). The unit for this process is “per cycle,” with two parts (for one pair) modeled per cycle. If multiple components per footwear product are fast cooled, then more than one cycle should be selected.
• Deep Well Pressing should be selected when the footwear has the lasted upper and the sole pressed together using deep well pressing. The unit for this process is “per cycle,” with two parts (for one pair) modeled per cycle.
• Oven/Heat Tunnel should be selected when the footwear has components that are heated in an oven or heat tunnel (such as to dry the primer or cement after application). The unit for this process is “per cycle,” with two parts (for one pair) modeled per cycle. If multiple components per footwear product are heated, then more than one cycle should be selected.
• Delasting should be selected when the footwear is delasted (removing the last). The unit for this process is “per pair” of footwear.
• Heat setting should be selected for any footwear that conditions or prepares the upper with heat prior to inserting the last. The unit for this process is “per pair” and each unit is one heat cycle for a pair of footwear.
• Heel attachment should be selected for any footwear that has a high heel attached to it. The heel is glued and then screwed into place. The unit for this process is “per pair” of footwear.
• Heel Lasting should be selected for any footwear where the last is inserted into the heel of the upper before the sole is attached. The unit for this process is “per pair” of footwear.
• Strobel Stitching should be selected for footwear where the upper material is sewn to a fabric bottom to prepare for bonding to other footwear components (strobel construction technique). The unit for this process is “per pair” and each unit is the construction for a pair of footwear.
• Toe Lasting should be selected for any footwear where the last is inserted into the toe of the upper to help pull the material tight before the sole is attached. The unit for this process is “per pair” of footwear.
• Buffing should be selected for footwear where a surface is sanded to obtain good adhesion or bonding. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one buffed part or component.
• Cementing/Gluing should be selected for footwear where parts are bonded by using an adhesive compound. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one gluing step where two or more components become a single output.
• Direct Injection Molding should be selected for footwear where parts are directly injection molded into a pre-made mold. After cooling, the part is trimmed. For most plastic components, the injection molding should already be accounted for using the Higg MSI and Trims & Components Library. If bulk plastic is an input on the Bill of Materials (with the material customized appropriately in the Higg MSI), this process can be used.
• Priming should be selected for footwear where a layer of primer is applied to component surfaces to prepare them for bonding. The unit for this process is “per part” and the number of parts that have primer applied to them should be entered.
• Washing/Cleaning should be selected for footwear where the incoming components are washed or cleaned to remove impurities before further processing. The unit for this process is “per part” and each unit is one washed or cleaned part.
• Stitching – Computer should be selected for footwear where the upper is sewn using a programmable stitching machine. The unit for this process is “per stitched edge” and each edge that is stitched is considered one unit. Each stitched edge is modeled as an 8cm stitch length. Thread consumption can be different for different stitch types; however, this process is still considered representative since the thread is only a small aspect of the process impacts.
• Stitching – Manual should be selected for footwear where the upper is sewn manually by workers. The unit for this process is “per stitched edge” and each edge that is stitched is considered one unit. Each stitched edge is modeled as an 8cm stitch length. Thread consumption can be different for different stitch types; however, this process is still considered representative since the thread is only a small aspect of the process impacts.

Finishing – Footwear

The following finishing processes are available for footwear in the Higg Product Module:

• Chilling/Cooling should be selected when the footwear is finished by fast cooling in a cooling tunnel. The unit for this process is “per cycle,” with two parts (for one pair) modeled per cycle.
• Waterproofing/DWR should be selected when the footwear is finished by applying a “waterproofing spray.” This represents water repellent finishes as well as soil release/repellents or oil repellents. The unit for this process is “per pair” of footwear that have had a waterproofing spray applied.

Disposal Modes

The Disposal Modes for a product can be updated from the Higg Product Module and/or Company Defaults in the “Settings” section.

Manufacturing Waste

The Manufacturing Waste setting allows the user to specify the ratio of manufacturing production waste that is recycled or downcycled instead of landfilled or incinerated. Unless this information can be provided by the Finished Goods Manufacturing facility, the defaults should not be changed. When updating this setting for a specific product, data from the actual manufacturing facility should be used.

Excess Finished Goods Rate for this Product

This setting relates to the amount of finished goods that are produced versus the amount that are sold to consumers. This can be updated at a product level based on the specific excess finished goods rate for a previous iteration of the product and/or category level defaults. When calculating these values, the overall production and sales volume of products should be considered. For instance, if 1 million units are sold to consumers and 1.1 million units were purchased from finished goods manufacturers, the excess finished goods rate is: (1.1 million units produced – 1 million units sold = 100,000 excess units) / (1 million units sold) = 10%. The disposal pathway for these excess units can also be specified. The recycled / downcycled disposal mode applies to any recycling or downcycling of the excess products. Landfill / incineration applies to any landfilling or incineration of the excess goods.

Sample Rate for this Product

This setting relates to the amount of prototypes and samples that are produced versus the amount that are sold to consumers. When updating this for a specific product, the number of non-commercial samples (prototypes, fit samples, and salesman samples) and anticipated sales volume of products should be considered. For instance, if 1,000 samples are created and the total amount sold is 100,000 units, then the sample rate is: (1,000 non-commercial sample units) / (100,000 units sold) = 1%. The disposal pathway for these sample units can also be specified. The recycled / downcycled disposal mode applies to any non-commercial samples that are recycled or downcycled. Non-commercial samples that remain in use should also be added to this category. The Landfill / Incineration mode applies to any non-commercial samples that are landfilled or incinerated.

9. Completing Packaging

The Packaging section should be used to specify any primary and secondary packaging that has not already been accounted for in the Bill of Materials section.

Primary packaging is material that immediately covers the product. For example, primary packaging can consist of a plastic film or bag, or paper wrapping. Secondary packaging is packaging or containment of a primary package. For example, a cardboard box containing multiple products together is considered secondary packaging. Tertiary packaging (packaging designed to prevent damage from physical handling and transport, such as a shipping pallet) does not need to be included.

Users can select different packaging options for online sales and offline sales. “Offline Sales” corresponds with the “In Store” percentage from the Distribution Info section.

When listing primary and secondary packaging, users can include any materials created in the Packaging Library of the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (Higg MSI). This includes the Example Packaging options. All materials created in the MSI’s Packaging Library are specified in “units” and a number of units must be entered for each packaging material to proceed to the next section.

10. Completing Logistics

The logistics section can be used to include any inbound transportation from the finished goods manufacturer to the distribution center as well as any outbound transportation from the distribution center to retail stores (for in-store sales) or from the distribution center to customers (for online sales). Default values are provided and should only be updated if supporting documentation is available. An annual logistics survey can be used to determine average transportation distances/modes and then applied to all of a brand’s product assessments.

The default assumptions for inbound transportation are aligned with the default values from the draft Apparel and Footwear Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR). For both outbound transportation pathways, a default distance of 1000km is applied.

If an actual shipping distance is known, then the amount can be directly entered into the Shipping Distance field. If the distance is not known but the source and destination locations are known, then the distance can be approximated using the “Estimate Distance” function.

To use the “Estimate Distance” function, a source and a destination must both be entered into the appropriate fields. Once the “Estimate Distance” box is checked, the shipping distance field will be updated with the point-to-point distance. While this is still an approximation, it provides a more representative result and is an appropriate approximation for air transportation (the most impactful shipping mode). Given the relatively small contribution of transportation impacts to the overall material footprint, using the default transportation distances will generally not lead to large differences.

The shipping mode can also be customized. There are four different shipping modes available:

• Truck is the default selection and should be chosen when the transportation is primarily done by an on-the-road network (based on distance traveled).
• Ocean should be selected when the inbound transportation distance has been customized and the inbound freight is primarily transported by ocean freight (based on distance traveled).
• Rail should be selected when the inbound transportation distance has been customized and the inbound freight is primarily transported by rail freight (based on distance traveled).
• Air should be selected when the inbound transportation distance has been customized and the inbound freight is primarily transported by air freight (based on distance traveled).

11. Completing Retail

The retail section can be used to update the energy and water use associated with owned/known distribution center and retail store operations. Default values are provided and should only be updated if supporting documentation is available. An annual assessment of distribution center and/or retail energy use can be converted to usable values in these fields – simply divide total energy use by the total count of units processed. This information may already be entered into the Higg Brand and Retail Module (BRM).

There are three fields that can be customized:

• Electricity/Product should be entered in kWh per unit (product). The total electricity of the building should be entered. If the building has multiple uses that can’t be separated by billing, then allocation based on area (square footage) should be used.
• Natural Gas/Product should be entered in kWh per unit (product). Natural gas may be reported in different units, so it is important to confirm that conversions have been completed as necessary. If the building is heated by other means (non-electrical), then enter the amount of energy required in this field. If the building has multiple uses that can’t be separated by billing, then allocation based on area (square footage) should be used.
• Water/Product should be entered in liters per unit (product). Water use may be reported in different units, so it is important to confirm that conversions have been completed as necessary. Total water use for the location should be reported. If the building has multiple uses that can’t be separated by billing, then allocation based on area (square footage) should be used.

12. Completing Product Care

The product care section allows users to account for the use impacts associated with apparel and home textile products. Footwear products are assumed to have no product care impacts.

Product care impacts are determined by the product category as well as the fabric category. Product categories are selected when first creating a new product to be assessed, so users only need to choose the fabric category in this section. There are four fabric categories that can be selected from, but not all product categories will have all four options available. A default selection is always provided and should be used if the fabric category is unknown. For products that do not have a majority fabric category, the default selection should remain unchanged.

The following four fabric categories are available:

• Cotton is the default typical care scenario for most product categories. It should be selected when the product is made from a majority (greater than 50%) of cotton or cellulosic materials such as linen, hemp, viscose, modal, lyocell, acetate, or others.
• Synthetic should be selected when the product is made from a majority (greater than 50%) of synthetic materials such as polyester, nylon, polypropylene, elastane, or others.
• Wool should be selected when the product is made from a majority of animal protein fibers, such as sheep wool or alpaca wool.
• Delicate should be selected for all products that require delicate care such as cold-water wash only, hand wash only, or dry clean only.

Alternative Care

This section allows users to create their own care scenarios to understand the potential impacts of different types of consumer use. Alternate care scenarios cannot be used for consumer facing claims.

Users can customize the following fields:

Wearings / Wash is the number of times a customer would use a product before washing it. Note that each use is one day’s equivalent use (Examples: t-shirt worn for one day; dress shirt worn to the office once; running shirt used for one run)

The following wash settings can be selected:

• Machine Wash Hot
• Machine Wash Warm
• Machine Wash Cold
• Hand Wash
• Hand/Spot Clean
• Dry Clean
• No Washing

The following drying settings can be selected:

• Line/air dry
• Machine dry
• No drying

The following ironing settings can be selected:

• No ironing
• Ironing (average temperature)
• Ironing (low temperature)
• Ironing (high temperature)

13. Completing End of Use

The End of Use section determines the relevant end of use pathways for a product. There are three questions that are asked in this section:

Design for Repair

Users can select from four levels of Design for Repair:

• Level 0 – No Design for Repair (Default) should be selected when the product has not been designed with repairability in mind.
• Level 1 – Design for Repairability should be selected when the product is designed for repairability. This can include including spare parts (e.g., buttons, buckles, patches and glue) and products designed with repairability in mind (e.g., trims that can easily be replaced).
• Level 2 – Level 1 + DIY guides / list of repair services should be selected when the requirements from Level 1 are met and the brand facilitates repair services to their customers, such as offering repair services, offering “DIY” guides and education, and/or providing a list of recommended repair service providers.
• Level 3 – Cross-border repair facilitation or promotion should be selected when the requirements in Level 2 have been met and are offered on a broad basis to customers in areas where the product is sold. Selecting “Level 3” will prompt an additional question asking the percentage of countries where the product is sold and where repair services are promoted and facilitated.

Rewear

Users are asked what percentage of annual production volume is taken back through a rewear or takeback program. Generally, this should be calculated at the brand level unless there is a long history of data for a specific product or product category.

The percentage is calculated as follows: Number of total product units received through a takeback program and resold/reused per year divided by the number of total product units sold per year.

Recycling/Downcycling

Users are asked what percentage of annual production volume is taken back through a takeback program and is then known to be recycled. Only products that have been diverted from landfill/incineration should be counted toward this number. Products in temporary storage should not be included.

Generally, the recycling/downcycling percentage should be calculated at the brand level unless there is a long history of data for a specific product or product category.

The percentage is calculated as follows: Number of total product units received through a takeback program and sent to a traceable recycler per year divided by the number of total product units sold per year. Products that are sent to a processor that does not provide a breakdown of the percentage of products recycled versus sent to landfill or incineration should not be counted toward this number.

14. Completing Duration of Service

The Duration of Service section determines the lifetime extension factors for products with demonstrated intrinsic quality parameters. Not all product categories have duration of service factors, although this is a section that could be expanded in future versions of the Product Module. The lifetime extension factors from Duration of Service are added to the Product Care section, which represents the use phase of the product.

The Duration of Service section of the Higg PM considers material and full product tests for seven different types of products, focusing on the physical attributes that can make a product’s service last longer. The number of tests for each product have been narrowed to those associated with the most common product failure modes identified by Cascale member experts. These have been further refined by the Technical Secretariat for the Global Apparel and Footwear Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR), which is developing a similar approach for including product quality into the product lifetime. The tests and thresholds in the Higg PM are not the final version of those being developed for the PEFCR, but were the most current versions at the time of the Higg PM being built. Once a final proposal is developed for the PEFCR, the Cascale plans to update the Duration of Service section of the Higg PM.

Selecting Product Type

The following product types are available in the Duration of Service section:

• Waterproof Breathable Jacket should be selected for outerwear garments that provide both protection from water penetration (measured through hydrostatic pressure tests) and breathability (measured through moisture vapor transmission or Resistance of Evaporation of a Textile [RET]).
• Athletic Shoe should be selected for footwear that is intended for activities involving movement and cardiovascular activity. Selecting this category opens another question asking if the footwear is made from a leather upper. If the product is made from synthetic leather, select “No”.
• Casual Shoe should be selected for footwear that is primarily intended for walking (including fashion footwear). Selecting this category opens another question asking if the footwear is made from a leather upper. If the product is made from synthetic leather, select “No”.
• Denim Product should be selected for products made out of denim. Selecting this category opens another question asking if smoothness is claimed. This refers to products that have anti-wrinkle treatments or other claims around product wrinkle resistance.
• Bed Linens should be selected for products intended for use as home bedding. Selecting this category opens another question asking if smoothness is claimed. This refers to products that have anti-wrinkle treatments or other claims around product wrinkle resistance.
• Woven Product should be selected for apparel products that are primarily made of woven materials. Selecting this category opens another question asking if smoothness is claimed. This refers to products that have anti-wrinkle treatments or other claims around product wrinkle resistance.
• Knit Product should be selected for apparel products that are primarily made of knit materials. Selecting this category opens another question asking if the product contains a functional finish. This refers to products that have any chemical finishing applied, such as stain release, odor management, water repellency, or others.
• None should be selected for any other product that cannot be included in any of the listed categories.

Answering Pre-Qualification Questions

Once the product type is selected, a list of pre-qualification tests will be shown. An industry test method along with the requirements will be shown, with the option to select “Yes” or “No” for each one.

Most of the pre-qualification tests are material tests and the answers should reflect the combination of main materials (excluding trims). If a product contains more than one main material, such as an outer material and a lining material, both materials must meet the color fastness requirement to answer “Yes”. However, for tests such as waterproofness, only the outer material would need to pass to answer “Yes” (since the combination of fabrics would still pass).

For tests that involve laundering, the product care instructions should be used (Example: if a product has a care label that indicates warm wash and tumble dry medium, these are the laundering conditions that should be used).

Answering Material Performance Questions

If all pre-qualification tests are answered with “Yes”, a set of material performance questions will be shown. An industry test method along with the requirements will be shown, with the option to select “Yes” or “No” for each one. These tests are material tests and the answers should reflect the combination of main materials (excluding trims). If a product contains more than one main material, such as an outer material and a lining material, both materials must meet the color fastness requirement to answer “Yes”. However, for tests such as waterproofness, only the outer material would need to pass to answer “Yes” (since the combination of fabrics would still pass).

For tests that involve laundering, the product care instructions should be used (Example: if a product has a care label that indicates warm wash and tumble dry medium, these are the laundering conditions that should be used).

Answering Full Product Integrity Questions

The final tests listed are full product or garment integrity tests. These will specify a number of wash cycles as well as specific performance requirements that must be met. For each cycle of 10 washes, one drying cycle should be performed. The product care instructions should be used when choosing the laundering conditions (Example: if a product has a care label that indicates warm wash and tumble dry medium, these are the laundering conditions that should be used). A continuous wash process for each ten-wash cycle is acceptable as long as the total agitation time matches the equivalent of ten individual washes.