What is it about?
This study examines the textile and clothing industry in Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Indiais efforts to adopt circular economy (CE) practices — and what stands in the way. By surveying 114 companies, the research explores how the main CE activities (take, make, distribute, use, and recover) link to economic, environmental, and social performance. The findings show that a lack of money, technology, skilled people, and management support, combined with consumer indifference, are the biggest barriers to circularity.
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Photo by Hendrik Morkel on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Fashion is one of the most resource-intensive and polluting industries in the world. Circular economy practices could help reduce waste and improve sustainability, but progress is slow unless the whole value chain works together. This study shows that collaboration between companies, supportive government incentives, and more conscious consumer choices are essential to making CE a reality in fashion.
Perspectives
For us, this research highlights that circular economy adoption in fashion is not just about better technology or recycling, it’s about collective action. Governments, brands, suppliers, and even end-users must play their part. We hope is that by showing the connections between barriers and performance, this work encourages the industry to work more closely together and make sustainability more than a slogan.
Dr Krish Saha
Birmingham City University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Implementing circular economy in the textile and clothing industry, Business Strategy and the Environment, January 2021, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1002/bse.2670.
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