Life cycle inventory (LCI) is the crucial phase of Life cycle assessment (LCA) which deals with the quantification and accumulation of a system inputs and outputs data. The three main currently available LCI methods are: Process based modeling, Input output (IO) LCI and Hybrid method. Different studies in literature adopt different methods of LCI. In contrast, different methods may provide different environmental impact results for the same product. Therefore, which LCI method should be chosen is highly important during conducting LCA studies. In order to choose a particular LCI method, one should know the calculation technique, relative advantages and limitations for the intended purpose. However, the knowledge about these methods and their application is split over various studies in literature. In this paper, a review on LCI evolution and their various methodological developments are presented along with numerical examples, advantages, disadvantages and application. This study is useful for choosing and applying an appropriate LCI method. It enables further exploration of advanced topic such as LCA software and extended LCA application like: Life cycle costing, Sustainability assessment, Green supply chain, Green product design and so on. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd