Carbon Closet

Inspiration

In 2023, fast fashion generated more CO2 than aviation and shipping combined. Despite this, consumers rarely think about the environmental impact of the clothes they purchase. In addition, research about the environmental footprint of different garments is often vague and difficult to find. This is why we developed Carbon Closet -- an extension that allows consumers to see a detailed breakdown of the garment's environmental footprint before they click the "Add to Cart" button. This allows them to make more informed decisions and reduces their likelihood of supporting unsustainable brands.

What it does

The app uses information from the Higg MSI API to calculate each garment's environmental footprint based on information about its fabric composition and country of origin. The environmental footprint is composed of a score separated into its impact on carbon emissions, eutrophication of rivers and streams, water scarcity, and usage of fossil fuels. These factors are weighted to calculate a final sustainability index, and users are informed about how this product compares to the industry average.

How we built it

We built the application using Javascript, HTML, and CSS. We used the Verbwire API to create NFT tokens that stores information about the environmental footprint of each clothing item.

Challenges we ran into

We faced difficulty with finding a dataset of trustworthy information on the environmental impact of different fabrics.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of coming into the hackathon as strangers, but leaving with a fully fleshed product and lifelong connections.

What we learned

We learned to use new technologies such as the Verbwire API, work efficiently in a fast paced team setting, and communicate clearly despite conflicts.

What's next for Carbon Closet

For garments with a high environmental footprint, we hope to display a warning popup when the user attempts to add the item to cart and provide recommendations for more sustainable alternatives.