Increasing environmental sustainability in the clothing and textile industry by using circular economy business models
Notko, Noora (2023)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023060521738
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2023060521738
Tiivistelmä
The clothing and textile industry is the second most polluting industry in the world after the oil industry.
New trends and styles come up more frequently than ever before and the procurement of clothing has
increased significantly. The amount of clothing and textile waste that is discarded is difficult to keep track
on. The traditional way of producing, using, and disposing of clothing is not environmentally sustainable.
Therefore, a comprehensive shift towards circular economy in the clothing and textile industry is needed as
the scarcity of resources increases.
The objective of the research was to find out ways to increase environmental sustainability in the clothing
and textile industry by implementing circular economy business models. The research was qualitative, and
it implemented a multiple case study strategy. Secondary data was collected from the case companies’
websites and sustainability reports. An adapted theoretical framework was drawn by the author based on
the company’s value chain activities, which was employed when choosing the research question, analysing
data, and interpreting the results. The theoretical framework allowed the author to assess the case
companies’ operations and their environmental impacts throughout the value chain activities and helped
to answer the research question and meet the research objective.
The findings show that by striving to decrease emissions and optimizing the usage of water, companies
aimed to decrease their environmental impact. Moreover, they optimized their transportation and
distribution, utilized textile waste and other forms of waste such as plastic bottles. Designing timeless
products from ecological materials that are physically durable and easy to repair was considered important.
Refraining from the usage of harmful chemicals and producing ecological packaging was also what many of
the case companies did. Followingly, implementing take back systems and keeping the products in
circulation as long as possible were some of the means to be more environmentally friendly. Collaborating
with responsible stakeholders being transparent was also a means to contribute to environmental
sustainability.
The research reflects on the importance of having circularity and a sustainable way of utilizing resources as
the company’s core values. They show that by doing this, companies can contribute to environmental
sustainability since the environmental impacts are significantly lower when implementing circular business
models compared to the traditional way of producing and disposing clothing and textiles.
New trends and styles come up more frequently than ever before and the procurement of clothing has
increased significantly. The amount of clothing and textile waste that is discarded is difficult to keep track
on. The traditional way of producing, using, and disposing of clothing is not environmentally sustainable.
Therefore, a comprehensive shift towards circular economy in the clothing and textile industry is needed as
the scarcity of resources increases.
The objective of the research was to find out ways to increase environmental sustainability in the clothing
and textile industry by implementing circular economy business models. The research was qualitative, and
it implemented a multiple case study strategy. Secondary data was collected from the case companies’
websites and sustainability reports. An adapted theoretical framework was drawn by the author based on
the company’s value chain activities, which was employed when choosing the research question, analysing
data, and interpreting the results. The theoretical framework allowed the author to assess the case
companies’ operations and their environmental impacts throughout the value chain activities and helped
to answer the research question and meet the research objective.
The findings show that by striving to decrease emissions and optimizing the usage of water, companies
aimed to decrease their environmental impact. Moreover, they optimized their transportation and
distribution, utilized textile waste and other forms of waste such as plastic bottles. Designing timeless
products from ecological materials that are physically durable and easy to repair was considered important.
Refraining from the usage of harmful chemicals and producing ecological packaging was also what many of
the case companies did. Followingly, implementing take back systems and keeping the products in
circulation as long as possible were some of the means to be more environmentally friendly. Collaborating
with responsible stakeholders being transparent was also a means to contribute to environmental
sustainability.
The research reflects on the importance of having circularity and a sustainable way of utilizing resources as
the company’s core values. They show that by doing this, companies can contribute to environmental
sustainability since the environmental impacts are significantly lower when implementing circular business
models compared to the traditional way of producing and disposing clothing and textiles.