The textile and clothing (T&C) industry, despite its significant contribution to the European economy, is one of the most polluting industries globally. Therefore, the EU's Green Deal has identified the T&C sector as a strategic area for allocating public funding and transitioning towards a circular economy (CE). In this context, the “Circular Design for Natural Fibers” project, financed by the PNRR MICS “Made in Italy Circolare e Sostenibile” programme, focuses on enhancing the use of natural fibrous material, related by-products and waste from local production chains. In the research, a crucial aspect is the evaluation of the effectiveness of circularity through life cycle approaches, such as LCA, LCC, S-LCA and LCSA, for environmental, economic and social sustainability evaluation, respectively. A systematic review was carried out, to provide a synthesis of the available scientific evidence regarding the life cycle approaches in the international/national context within the production, processing, and post-consumer supply chains of natural fibers. The study identifies gaps in the literature on life cycle evaluation approaches for natural fibers. Specifically, the LCA approach appears preponderant compared to the others. The paper offers insights for researchers and professionals interested in improving the sustainability of natural fiber production processes and the evaluation of their overall sustainability.

This paper builds on research from a project aimed at promoting the circular economy through processes based on low-impact materials derived from natural fibers. A methodology is developed to assess the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of alternative production scenarios, thereby supporting the ranking of options. Assuming the principles of Life Cycle Thinking and circular economy and the operational aspects of Life Cycle Costing (LCC), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) approaches normed by international standards, an integrated approach is proposed based on the construction of a joint Global Cost indicator. Attention is paid to harmonizing impacts assessed in their own units of measurement to arrive at a monetary indicator for summarizing and simplifying the prioritization of alternatives. As a result, the integrated Global Cost calculation methodology is presented to internalize social and environmental impacts, as well as economic ones, and to evaluate the sustainability of materials derived from primary and waste natural fibers.

The mitigation of building-related greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂eq) is now recognised as a prerequisite for achieving long-term climate objectives. Several European countries and local communities are taking action to implement the Whole Life Carbon (WLC) vision and make it practical, enabling the assessment of building life-cycle emissions. The paper presents a simplified, standardised methodology for assessing WLC in building projects, developed as part of scientific research carried out for an Italian Municipality. The proposed framework aims to support the systematic accounting and reporting of CO₂eq emissions associated with new construction and renovations. The methodology is grounded in the Life Cycle Assessment standard and consistent with European standards and policy measures, including EN 15978, EN 15804, the Level(s) framework, and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive recast (EPBD, EU 2024/1275). It focuses on selected life cycle modules: production (A1–A3), construction (A4–A5), use (B4, B6), and end-of-life (C2–C4). A twofold application is defined, encompassing a WLC evaluation at both the early design phase and the as-built report, utilising different data and quality levels (e.g., material generic data vs. product-specific data). The paper outlines a simplified WLC framework to enhance comparability and decision-making in municipal contexts. Since the framework has not yet been validated through real case studies, the contribution describes the methodology underlying the simplified WLC assessment. This methodology represents the basis for a subsequent research phase focused on the application and validation of the framework in real case studies.