ALLIED Feather + Down Finds 85% Lower Carbon Emissions Than Estimated Down Industry Average

A new audit quantifies the carbon advantage of ALLIED’s processing methods and provides brands with verified emissions information

ALLIED Feather + Down, a global leader in responsibly sourced and sustainably processed down, today announced the results of a recent carbon footprint audit conducted at their facility in Hangzhou, China. Results reported by Green Threads DPP show that ALLIED’s cradle-to-gate down processing generates 85% less carbon emissions than the estimated industry average. 

This audit focuses specifically on down processing, using actual facility and supply chain data to quantify its carbon footprint. The result gives brands a more specific benchmark for evaluating the carbon impact of the down they source and the processes used to prepare it for finished products.

“We’ve known for years that down plays an important role in building a more circular and lower-impact apparel value chain,” said Daniel Uretsky, President of ALLIED Feather + Down. “These audited results allow us to put real numbers behind that belief. The data shows that our processing methods deliver a dramatically lower carbon footprint than other down providers, giving brands objective information they can use when making material decisions.”

The audit found that ALLIED’s processing methods generated 0.48 Kg CO₂e per KG of down*, about 85% lower than estimated industry averages (3.2 kg CO₂e per Kg) for conventional down and 57.9% lower than published figures (1.14 kg CO₂e per Kg) for recycled down.

The audit also found that the carbon footprint of ALLIED’s down is 95% lower than the estimated carbon footprint of polyester fibers used in alternative insulations.

Conducted by supply chain carbon audit experts Green Threads DPP, the audit evaluated greenhouse gas emissions associated with ALLIED’s down processing operation, including the slaughterhouse impact, transportation, and processing at ALLIED’s facility in China.

The results are the culmination of years of work by ALLIED across its global facilities and with supply chain partners. ALLIED’s Hangzhou facility utilizes on-site water reclamation, allowing 95% of all water to be reused, with only around 5% lost to evaporation. Solar power, along with efficiencies implemented throughout the facility, has also significantly reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions. ALLIED’s longstanding partnership with its detergent supplier also resulted in the development of eco-friendly detergents designed to perform in cold water and rinse more easily, significantly reducing the water traditionally required for additional rinse cycles while lowering energy and gas consumption.

“These results reinforce what makes ALLIED’s down unique within the global insulation category,” added Uretsky. “Not only is down a renewable material that already exists as a byproduct of the food industry, but when combined with our processing methods, it also creates significantly less carbon. That’s a powerful combination for brands looking to reduce environmental impact without compromising performance.” 

As Digital Product Passport requirements take shape, apparel and outdoor brands will need access to material-level carbon data. ALLIED’s audit provides brands with verified information that can support material selection, sustainability reporting, and regulatory compliance. 

This information is currently available to all ALLIED partner brands and will soon be available to anyone through their TrackMyDown hangtags and TrackMyDown website. 

ALLIED’s down carbon footprint calculations use annual data for energy, water, wastewater, and detergent consumption and are produced in accordance with the requirements of the following standards and rules:

1. ISO14067: 2018 Carbon Footprint of Products;
2. PAS2050: 2011 Specification for the assessment of the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of goods and services;
3. Product Category Rules – Apparel, Except Fur and Leather Apparel (PCR 2024:03) 

ALLIED will attend the Functional Textiles show in Shanghai, Performance Days in Munich, and Functional Fabric Fair in Portland this fall.

For comparison, the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) database reports a carbon footprint of 4.15 Kg CO2e per Kg of virgin down. This assessment includes raising the birds, which the published IDFB LCA estimates accounts for approximately 23% of the total. ALLIED Feather + Down has calculated its processing-related environmental impacts in China to include slaughterhouse impact, transportation, and final processing at ALLIED’s China facility, and does not account for raising the birds. Removing the impact of the birds estimated by the IDFB LCA, the PEF database would show an estimated impact for processing down of 3.2 Kg CO2e per Kg of down. 

The recycled down figures do not account for impacts associated with collecting post-consumer goods or industrial delivery and recycling centers. Recycled down carbon footprint numbers are drawn from the PEF database.

The carbon footprint comparison is based on ALLIED’s cradle-to-gate down processing data and estimated polyester fiber production data reported in ecoinvent version 3.12, using the IPCC 2021 100-year global warming potential. The comparison does not include upstream impacts associated with petroleum extraction and refining for polyester production.