Co-creating a 'business behaviour' for instituting closed loop processing as mainstream manufacturing technique in textile and clothing business

Author(s) : Nupur Chopra, Dr. Harleen Sahni
ISSN : 0974 - 497
Year : May 2019 | Volume : 13 | Issue : 2/4

Abstract: Introduction
Textile and clothing industry has emerged as one of the most polluting industries owing to increased production and extensive use of chemicals. Fast consumption and irresponsible post-consumption disposal are intensifying the environmental impact of this business, with global consumption of fibre materials reaching to 11.4 kg per capita in 2016 (Quantis, 2018). At the current level of post-production solid waste generation and end-of-use, fashion industry’s waste is expected to be 148 million tons (60% increase from 2015 to 2030) (Boston Consulting Group, 2017).

Purpose
Closed-loop processing, assessed as a significant impact reduction strategy of the circular economy, is being used to bring innovative solutions for transforming waste into useful resources for the manufacture of new products (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2013). However, a gainful manifestation of closed-loop processes in this industry requires disruption in the well-established linear model, through (i) disruption in design thinking, (ii) Technological disruptions and (iii) Business model disruptions.
Fashion and lifestyle brands started making big claims about their sustainable, eco-friendly lines and pro-environment business practices for many years. However, the business behaviour of major actors is predominantly governed by linear and obstinate models. At the retail-front, consumers are being lured with 'chemical-free', 'low impact', 'responsible', 'earth-friendly' buzzwords. However, an inside view of the back-end functioning reveals complex behavioural disorientations of supply-chain actors and operational inconsistencies, complicating the business functioning of mechanically recycled textiles.

Research gap
Sustainability objectives have been conceptualised by industry actors across the world. However, the implementation of such initiatives faces enormous challenges. There is a dearth of research, in general regarding challenges in institutionalising sustainability initiatives in business, and specifically in the business of mechanically recycled textiles. Since textile and clothing constitutes a prominent consumer product category, and 'recycling' has the potential to emerge as a remedy for reducing the environmental impact of fashion, there is a dire need to address issues that hinder the implementation of this initiative.

Objectives
The paper highlights the urgency of closing-the-loop in the industry and unveils certain inevitable limitations of mechanically recycled textile and clothing products (legacy substances in feed-stock and recycling processing) that emerge as buyer acceptance concerns. The paper discusses initiatives of prominent sustainability torch-bearers and the disruptions required in business behaviour of supply-chain actors and operational routines for operationalising the circular economy framework in the business of mechanically recycled textiles and clothing.
The paper provides directions of possible remedial measures for building collaborative interfaces, re-orienting business actors' behaviour and developing operational systems to institutionalise mechanical recycling of textiles as mainstream processing technique.

Research Methodology
An extensive review of the literature including Greenpeace and EU reports, research papers and articles was done. Interviews with representatives from mechanical recycling textile units and textile and clothing brands were conducted to gain insights into limitations related to feed-stock and processes and concerns among the supply-chain actors.

The implication of the study
Findings of the study could be used to sensitise supply-chain actors of limitations in the processing of mechanically recycled textiles and induce supply-chain broad collaboration for addressing the concerns, and to formalise operational routines through orienting actor behaviour for pro-environment business.


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