How do I calculate the carbon footprint of non-woven PP bags per kg?

Multiply the polypropylene granules used per kg of fabric by a resin factor, add spunbond line electricity, printing ink and bag-making electricity, then divide by kilograms of bags sold. Resin is usually most of the total; trim waste sent back as regrind is not new resin.

Material

• PP granules: the largest share; use a supplier or database factor per kg.
• Colour masterbatch and UV additive.
• Printing inks and lamination film for laminated bags.

Energy

• Spunbond line: extruder, spinneret, quench air and calender heating.
• Bag-making machines with ultrasonic sealing.
• Generator diesel.

Per kg or per bag

Report per kg and give bag weight by size and GSM, so a buyer can convert. Count trim waste recycled in-house once.

Worked example: non-woven unit per kg (one month)

• Electricity: 90,000 kWh x 0.710 = 63,900 kg CO2
• Bags sold (kg): 120,000
• Plant total: 63,900 / 120,000 = 0.532 kg CO2 per kg
• Add PP resin and masterbatch for the full figure

Inputs are illustrative; use your own bills and production records.

What Senseible does here

Senseible reads the plant's electricity bills (CEA grid factor 0.710 kg CO2 per kWh, CO2 Baseline Database version 21.0) and fuel invoices (IPCC 2006 defaults) into a fingerprinted Scope 1 and 2 record, the plant-level input to a per-unit figure. Bought-in materials go to the supplier evidence trail; product reports are self-declared drafts.

• Product carbon footprint calculator
• Emission factors for PP, HDPE and PVC resin
• PP woven sack vs jute footprint

Sources: GHG Protocol Product Standard, ISO 14067:2018, Carbon footprint of products (iso.org), IPCC 2006 Guidelines, Volume 2 Energy (fuel defaults), CEA CO2 Baseline Database, version 21.0

Last reviewed 2026-10-20.