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Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains
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Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2017) | Viewed by 261638

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Bin Shen

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Guest Editor
Glorious Sun School of Business and Management, Donghua University, Shanghai, China
Interests: supply chain management; operations management; new technology and innovation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Qingying Li

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Glorious Sun School of Business and Management, Donghua University, Shanghai, China
Interests: sustainable service operations; sustainable supply chain management; sustainable fashion business
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Ciwei Dong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Business Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China
Interests: sustainable operations; sustainable supply chain; sustainable service management
Dr. Patsy Perry

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Interests: sustainability issues in fashion marketing; e-commerce; supply chain management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainability has become a global issue. A sustainable supply chain should follow the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) and is environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and economically sustainable. Pollution and unsustainable practices are crucial in the textile and apparel supply chain. The challenge of being sustainable in textile and apparel supply chain management is to better predict and manage sustainability issues.

In this Special Issue, we aim to publish state-of-the-art research concerning sustainability issues in the textile and apparel supply chains. The research methodology can be qualitative or quantitative. Thus, the research methodologies, such as analytical modeling, statistical-based empirical analysis, and case studies, are welcomed. We also invite interested authors to contribute technical research and comprehensive review articles to this Special Issue.

Dr. Bin Shen
Dr. Qingying Li
Prof. Ciwei Dong
Dr. Patsy Perry
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Sustainable textile and apparel supply chain with application
  • Textile and apparel reverse logistics
  • Green and close-loop logistics and supply chain in apparel and textile
  • Corporate social responsibility in textile and apparel supply chains
  • Ethical fashion in supply chains
  • Information management for sustainable textile and apparel supply chains
  • Knowledge management in sustainable textile and apparel supply chains

Published Papers (16 papers)

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Editorial

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162 KiB  
Editorial
Sustainability Issues in Textile and Apparel Supply Chains
by Bin Shen, Qingying Li, Ciwei Dong and Patsy Perry
Sustainability 2017, 9(9), 1592; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9091592 - 07 Sep 2017
Cited by 62 | Viewed by 29170
Abstract
Incorporating sustainability into the supply chain is becoming a key priority for many textile and apparel companies. For example, H&M, Patagonia, and The North Face have incorporated various approaches to enhance their levels of sustainable supply chain management. Typical approaches include sustainable product [...] Read more.
Incorporating sustainability into the supply chain is becoming a key priority for many textile and apparel companies. For example, H&M, Patagonia, and The North Face have incorporated various approaches to enhance their levels of sustainable supply chain management. Typical approaches include sustainable product strategy, sustainable investment, sustainable performance evaluation, corporate social responsibility, and environmental management system adoption, which contribute to the development of sustainable supply chain management in the textile and apparel industry. In this paper, we introduce the fifteen articles published in this special issue, and summarize the key findings and future research directions in the area of textile and apparel sustainable supply chain management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)

Research

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2212 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Supply Chain Management Implementation–Enablers and Barriers in the Textile Industry
by Nelly Oelze
Sustainability 2017, 9(8), 1435; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9081435 - 14 Aug 2017
Cited by 92 | Viewed by 17539
Abstract
The distinct definition of accordance in the perceived barriers and enablers for sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) policy implementation has been the subject of various research studies, but a distinct focus on the textile sector has been the object of limited previous attention. [...] Read more.
The distinct definition of accordance in the perceived barriers and enablers for sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) policy implementation has been the subject of various research studies, but a distinct focus on the textile sector has been the object of limited previous attention. However, it has been found that it affects the approach to developments in company approaches to sustainable supply chain management within that industry. This article presents the results of an in-depth comparative case study analysis, drawing on 23 interviews with managers of 10 companies from the textile industry. The analysis demonstrates that specific modes of collaboration can both enable an effective SSCM and diminish barriers for policy implementation. The width and depth varies between a collaborative management approach for an effective internal SSCM versus industry collaboration and buyer supplier collaboration to address external barriers and enablers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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897 KiB  
Article
Decent Work in the Chinese Apparel Industry: Comparative Analysis of Blue-Collar and White-Collar Garment Workers
by Caixia Chen, Patsy Perry, Yixiong Yang and Cheng Yang
Sustainability 2017, 9(8), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9081344 - 01 Aug 2017
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 9993
Abstract
Addressing labor issues in the apparel industry is significantly important due to customers’ increasing awareness of poor working conditions and growing labor crises in apparel production locations worldwide. Decent work is a key element to achieving fair and harmonious employment, but is not [...] Read more.
Addressing labor issues in the apparel industry is significantly important due to customers’ increasing awareness of poor working conditions and growing labor crises in apparel production locations worldwide. Decent work is a key element to achieving fair and harmonious employment, but is not always evident in global apparel production networks. This study examines the working conditions in China’s garment manufacturing industry, which employs more than 10 million workers. A survey was administered to 313 blue-collar workers and 228 white-collar workers on issues related to decent work, including workers’ concerns, satisfaction levels and attitudes towards decent work. Regression analysis showed that workers’ attitudes are significantly related to age, education level, service length and monthly wage. Gap analysis revealed poor understanding of decent work and low satisfaction with primary indicators of decent work. However, results suggest that workers increasingly value soft factors and the overall work experience, not only financial benefits. Cluster analysis identified four clusters of workers. This study contributes to understanding garment worker perceptions of decent work and provides implications for the operationalization of decent work in China’s garment manufacturing industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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498 KiB  
Article
Towards Sustainable Clothing Disposition: Exploring the Consumer Choice to Use Trash as a Disposal Option
by Pamela S. Norum
Sustainability 2017, 9(7), 1187; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9071187 - 06 Jul 2017
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 9606
Abstract
The textile and apparel supply chain plays an integral role in providing consumers with a continuous supply of apparel that must ultimately be discarded. Viewing the consumer as a player in the process between the supply chain and the post-consumer textile waste stream, [...] Read more.
The textile and apparel supply chain plays an integral role in providing consumers with a continuous supply of apparel that must ultimately be discarded. Viewing the consumer as a player in the process between the supply chain and the post-consumer textile waste stream, this study was designed to explore the consumer apparel disposition process with an eye towards understanding how both supply chain members and post-consumer waste entities can interact with consumers to reduce the amount of apparel discarded in landfills. Hanson’s Consumer Product Disposition Process framework was used to help guide the research. Using a qualitative research approach, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with twenty-four female consumers in the United States to address three main research questions. The findings revealed several themes: use of both “compensatory” and “non-compensatory” choice heuristics in decision making; a “usable life” and the “personal nature” of garments as barriers to non-trash disposal options; and the need to “create awareness” and “provide assurance” to encourage alternative disposal modes. Implications for apparel producers and retailers, secondhand stores and textile recyclers are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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2885 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Supply Chain Based on News Articles and Sustainability Reports: Text Mining with Leximancer and DICTION
by Dongwook Kim and Sungbum Kim
Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 1008; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9061008 - 10 Jun 2017
Cited by 60 | Viewed by 10779
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to explore sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) trends, and firms’ strategic positioning and execution with regard to sustainability in the textile and apparel industry based on news articles and sustainability reports. Further analysis of the rhetoric in [...] Read more.
The purpose of this research is to explore sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) trends, and firms’ strategic positioning and execution with regard to sustainability in the textile and apparel industry based on news articles and sustainability reports. Further analysis of the rhetoric in Chief executive officer (CEO) letters within sustainability reports is used to determine firms’ resoluteness, positive entailments, sharing of values, perception of reality, and sustainability strategy and execution feasibility. Computer-based content analysis is used for this research: Leximancer is applied for text analysis, while dictionary-based text mining program DICTION and SPSS are used for rhetorical analysis. Overall, contents similar to the literature on environmental, social, and economic aspects of the triple bottom line (TBL) are observed, however, topics such as regulation, green incentives, and international standards are not readily observed. Furthmore, ethical issues, sustainable production, quality, and customer roles are emphasized in texts analyzed. The CEO letter analysis indicates that listed firms show relatively low realism and high commonality, while North American firms exhibit relatively high commonality, and Europe firms show relatively high realism. The results will serve as a baseline for providing academia guidelines in SSCM research, and provide an opportunity for businesses to complement their sustainability strategies and executions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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456 KiB  
Article
Sustainability Analysis of Supply Chains with Fashion Products under Alternative Power Structures and Loss-Averse Supplier
by Baozhuang Niu, Lei Chen and Jie Zhang
Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 995; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060995 - 09 Jun 2017
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4743
Abstract
Considering a supply chain with fashion products comprising of a supplier and a retailer, we study the sustainability of the supply chain with alternative power structures (either the supplier or the retailer has the option of acting as a leader to make the [...] Read more.
Considering a supply chain with fashion products comprising of a supplier and a retailer, we study the sustainability of the supply chain with alternative power structures (either the supplier or the retailer has the option of acting as a leader to make the decisions first). We also examine the impact of the supplier’s attitudes to loss on the supply chain’s sustainability and profitability. We build game theoretical modes to characterize one property of the fashion industry: the wide use of buy-back contract, and obtain the following results: (1) Compared to wholesale price contract, buy-back contract reduces the sustainability of the supply chain, and this result is robust with alternative power structures. (2) Under alternative power structure, the sustainability index is increasing in the buy-back price in the supplier-as-the-leader scenario, while decreasing in the retailer-as-the-leader scenario. That is, the relationships between sustainability and buy-back price is completely reversed when the leader is changed. (3) The sustainability is improved when the supplier acts as the leader and the buy-back price is lower than a threshold, but the contrary holds when the buy-back price is high. (4) Buy-back contract helps to improve the sustainability of the supply chain when supplier is extremely loss-averse, because the loss-averse supplier has the incentives to reduce the ordering quantity as well as the overstocking risk. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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220 KiB  
Article
Environmental Management System Adoption and the Operational Performance of Firm in the Textile and Apparel Industry of China
by Biao Li and Kekun Wu
Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 992; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060992 - 09 Jun 2017
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 5294
Abstract
In China, more firms in the textile and apparel industry adopt environmental management systems compared to firms that manufacture other products. It is important to know how the firms’ financial and real performances are affected. We study the changes of firms’ performance in [...] Read more.
In China, more firms in the textile and apparel industry adopt environmental management systems compared to firms that manufacture other products. It is important to know how the firms’ financial and real performances are affected. We study the changes of firms’ performance in profitability, sales, and operational efficiency after environmental management system (EMS) adoption using an event study. Based on 22 events of EMS adoption, we found a significant decrease in firms’ profitability, sales, and inventory productivity. We explore the reasons which led to the decrease in firm performances. We found that the increase in sample firms’ total assets is the major reason. The loss in operational efficiency and flexibility are due to the requirements of the EMS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
1091 KiB  
Article
Economic and Environmental Performance of Fashion Supply Chain: The Joint Effect of Power Structure and Sustainable Investment
by Xiutian Shi, Yuan Qian and Ciwei Dong
Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 961; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060961 - 06 Jun 2017
Cited by 41 | Viewed by 6215
Abstract
Fashion supply chain members now search for trade-offs between sustainable investment and the related incentives, such as savings on environmental taxes and gains in incremental demands. To evaluate the economic and environmental performance of sustainable investment from a power perspective, we develop an [...] Read more.
Fashion supply chain members now search for trade-offs between sustainable investment and the related incentives, such as savings on environmental taxes and gains in incremental demands. To evaluate the economic and environmental performance of sustainable investment from a power perspective, we develop an analytical model to study a two-echelon sustainable supply chain consisting of one retailer and one manufacturer with three different power structures. We derive the optimal solutions for various cases associated with different supply chain power structures and sustainable investors. Though it is beneficial for both the manufacturer and retailer to make sustainable investment, they often utilize high power to gain economic benefit with less sustainable investment. Interestingly, the follower with less supply chain power has more incentive to make a sustainable effort to achieve a higher profit. The optimal amount of sustainable investment in the apparel manufacturer investment case is greater than that in the retailer investment case in most scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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602 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Product Strategy in Apparel Industry with Consumer Behavior Consideration
by Liu Yang and Shaozeng Dong
Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 920; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9060920 - 31 May 2017
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5474
Abstract
The article attempts to analyze sustainable product strategy in apparel industry specifically addressing a firm that is considering launching a sustainable product partly made from recycled materials. There are two types of consumers under consideration, environmentally conscious and regular consumers, as they have [...] Read more.
The article attempts to analyze sustainable product strategy in apparel industry specifically addressing a firm that is considering launching a sustainable product partly made from recycled materials. There are two types of consumers under consideration, environmentally conscious and regular consumers, as they have different perceived values for the sustainable products. The article provides an analytical model aimed to identify conditions under which a firm could benefit from adopting sustainable product strategy. The level of sustainability is determined by the trade-off between profitability and costs occurred and if more consumers value sustainable products, the firm will increase its sustainable level and get a higher profit. This is because of a combination effect of an increasing marginal profit and demand expansion. Moreover, the model has been further extended to address a situation where the firm could manage consumer segmentation. Depending on parameter settings, the firm may target different consumer segments and there is always a threshold of cost for managing consumer segments. When converting regular consumers to be environmentally conscious is not costly, the firm will convert all consumers to be environmentally conscious with great efforts; otherwise, the firm will convert part of consumers to be environmentally conscious. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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1510 KiB  
Article
Green Supplier Evaluation and Selection in Apparel Manufacturing Using a Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach
by Zhaoxia Guo, Haitao Liu, Dongqing Zhang and Jing Yang
Sustainability 2017, 9(4), 650; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9040650 - 20 Apr 2017
Cited by 79 | Viewed by 9081
Abstract
With the increasing environmental awareness, apparel manufacturers have begun to consider environmental issues in supplier evaluation and selection. It is crucial to assess suppliers based on their environmental performance along with other criteria for supplier selection. This paper addresses the green supplier evaluation [...] Read more.
With the increasing environmental awareness, apparel manufacturers have begun to consider environmental issues in supplier evaluation and selection. It is crucial to assess suppliers based on their environmental performance along with other criteria for supplier selection. This paper addresses the green supplier evaluation and selection problem in global apparel manufacturing by developing a methodological framework for green supplier evaluation and selection based on the triple bottom line principle and a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model. First, a green supplier evaluation criteria hierarchy based on the triple bottom line principle is established based on comprehensive literature review, on-site investigation and policy analysis. Then, a fuzzy MCDM model is presented to evaluate and select the best material supplier. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed framework. Results show that the proposed framework can handle green supplier evaluation and selection in apparel manufacturing effectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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1711 KiB  
Article
An Exploratory Study of the Mechanism of Sustainable Value Creation in the Luxury Fashion Industry
by Yefei Yang, Han Han and Peter K. C. Lee
Sustainability 2017, 9(4), 483; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9040483 - 23 Mar 2017
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 15381
Abstract
In recent years, increasing numbers of luxury groups have adopted sustainable practices in their supply chains (sourcing, manufacturing, logistics, distribution, servicing, waste and recycling). However, the report from Greenpeace International organization (2014) indicates that some luxury brands/companies did not actively conduct sustainable practices [...] Read more.
In recent years, increasing numbers of luxury groups have adopted sustainable practices in their supply chains (sourcing, manufacturing, logistics, distribution, servicing, waste and recycling). However, the report from Greenpeace International organization (2014) indicates that some luxury brands/companies did not actively conduct sustainable practices to produce items, which is likely attributed to the cost and risks caused by such practices outweighing the benefits. This, to some extent, is due to the failure of developing collaborative practices. Specifically, some luxury brands may fail to develop collaborative practices to create value that are able to benefit multiple stakeholders. Thus, in our study, we explore the value creation mechanism to create sustainable value that benefits not only brands’ shareholders, but also other stakeholders, including producers, customers, other stakeholders in the society (e.g., marginalized people) and the environment. In addition, based on a case study from Stella McCartney and Kering and the literature on value creation, we develop a novel model for guiding sustainable value creation (i.e., value co-creation model), where the conceptual building blocks and specific practices are presented. Our contribution lies in extending the knowledge of the value co-creation model from co-creation with customers to co-creation with multiple stakeholders and elaborating systematically and empirically sustainable value co-creation mechanisms including the building blocks and specific practices. In addition, this study offers significant managerial insights for luxury brands/companies to effectively achieve sustainable value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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1930 KiB  
Article
The Integrated Approach for Sustainable Performance Evaluation in Value Chain of Vietnam Textile and Apparel Industry
by Thi-Nham Le and Chia-Nan Wang
Sustainability 2017, 9(3), 477; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9030477 - 22 Mar 2017
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 12698
Abstract
The impressive growth of the Vietnam textile and apparel industry has led to some concerns due to its insufficient value chain and fierce competition within the industry. Thus, performance evaluation is significant issue to estimate the values of companies over time. Firstly, the [...] Read more.
The impressive growth of the Vietnam textile and apparel industry has led to some concerns due to its insufficient value chain and fierce competition within the industry. Thus, performance evaluation is significant issue to estimate the values of companies over time. Firstly, the grey prediction is used to forecast future data for 20 largest enterprises in six years (2016–2021) based on actual indicators. Then, the paper uses Malmquist productivity index and its decomposition into efficiency and technical change to measure the past productivity growth. Finally, window analysis is applied to significantly detect the trends of performance in 12 years (2010–2021) from large number of inputs and outputs. The results are found that how technology changes is the determinant for productivity growth and undeveloped technology causes a huge barrier to industry. In addition, the results are illustrated that textile companies are predicted to be more stable due to the importance of supplying materials for the entire industry. This paper aims to prove in-depth analysis can be conducted through combined models and also provide some recommendations for enhancing the sustainability performance of the industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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757 KiB  
Article
Ethical Climate and Job Attitude in Fashion Retail Employees’ Turnover Intention, and Perceived Organizational Sustainability Performance: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Stacy H. Lee and Jung Ha-Brookshire
Sustainability 2017, 9(3), 465; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9030465 - 21 Mar 2017
Cited by 62 | Viewed by 11706
Abstract
The relationship between the fashion retail industry’s working environment and the high rate of employee turnover has been highlighted as one of the key concerns for negative organizational performance in both the short and long term. This relationship creates a need to investigate [...] Read more.
The relationship between the fashion retail industry’s working environment and the high rate of employee turnover has been highlighted as one of the key concerns for negative organizational performance in both the short and long term. This relationship creates a need to investigate the ethical climate within fashion retail businesses, employees’ attitudes toward their jobs, and employees’ turnover intention, as these factors can influence organizations’ performance including their likelihood of achieving the triple bottom lines of sustainability. Based on social exchange and human and social capital theories, this study investigated how employees’ ethical climate and turnover intention are affected by both individual- and organizational-level factors, and their impact on the triple bottom lines of organizational sustainability performance. This study empirically tested a structural model based on the survey responses from 278 U.S. fashion retail employees. The findings show that an ethical climate can enhance employees’ job attitude as well as all three dimensions of organizational sustainability performance—financial, social, and environmental. Creating an ethical climate in an organization can decrease employees’ turnover intention, but also employees’ attitudes towards their jobs lowers their turnover intention. The study’s findings reveal that not only can employees’ attitudes toward their jobs impact organizational sustainability performance, but creating an ethical working environment is another important way to improve organizational sustainability performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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573 KiB  
Article
Sustainability as Social Contract: Textile and Apparel Professionals’ Value Conflicts within the Corporate Moral Responsibility Spectrum
by Rachel LoMonaco-Benzing and Jung Ha-Brookshire
Sustainability 2016, 8(12), 1278; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121278 - 07 Dec 2016
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 8834
Abstract
Current discussions of sustainability in the textile and apparel (T&A) supply chain tend to focus on consumer behavior or methods of production. Few studies investigate how T&A supply chain members experience corporate sustainability initiatives within their own moral value spectrum. This study was [...] Read more.
Current discussions of sustainability in the textile and apparel (T&A) supply chain tend to focus on consumer behavior or methods of production. Few studies investigate how T&A supply chain members experience corporate sustainability initiatives within their own moral value spectrum. This study was designed to describe the gaps that might exist between personal and corporate moral values of T&A supply chain members, and how individuals manage such gaps to align personal and corporate identities. The researchers investigated the views of ten T&A supply chain members residing in the United States, both as employees and consumers of T&A companies, through semi-structured interviews. Dunfee’s extant social contracts and Schwartz’s theory of basic values were used as theoretical frameworks to better understand the participants’ lived experiences in negotiating personal and corporate expectations. The findings revealed three themes: (a) nature of the value gap; (b) frustration due to the value gap; and (c) strategies to manage the value gap. The strategies used to realign values split into either those that held sustainability as their responsibility and worked to move corporate values toward their personal values; or those that shifted the blame to others so that their values could remain untouched. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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Review

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868 KiB  
Review
Sustainable Retailing in the Fashion Industry: A Systematic Literature Review
by Shuai Yang, Yiping Song and Siliang Tong
Sustainability 2017, 9(7), 1266; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9071266 - 19 Jul 2017
Cited by 109 | Viewed by 67880
Abstract
Although sustainability in the fashion industry has gained prominence from both business practices and academic research, retailing, a vital part of the supply chain, has not yet been fairly explored in academia. The interest in this area has increased lately, mainly due to [...] Read more.
Although sustainability in the fashion industry has gained prominence from both business practices and academic research, retailing, a vital part of the supply chain, has not yet been fairly explored in academia. The interest in this area has increased lately, mainly due to the growing complexity within this dynamic context. Therefore, it is meaningful to conduct a systematic review of the relevant published literature in this field. This study aims to identify the main perspectives of research on sustainable retailing in the fashion industry. The content analysis results indicate that the most prominent areas in the field are sustainable retailing in disposable fashion, fast fashion, slow fashion, green branding and eco-labeling; retailing of secondhand fashion; reverse logistics in fashion retailing; and emerging retailing opportunities in e-commerce. The results from this review also indicate that there is a lack of research on sustainable retailing in the fashion industry in the developing market. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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1153 KiB  
Review
Social Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Textile and Apparel Industry—A Literature Review
by Deniz Köksal, Jochen Strähle, Martin Müller and Matthias Freise
Sustainability 2017, 9(1), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9010100 - 12 Jan 2017
Cited by 153 | Viewed by 33345
Abstract
So far, a vast amount of studies on sustainability in supply chain management have been conducted by academics over the last decade. Nevertheless, socially related aspects are still neglected in the related discussion. The primary motivation of the present literature review has arisen [...] Read more.
So far, a vast amount of studies on sustainability in supply chain management have been conducted by academics over the last decade. Nevertheless, socially related aspects are still neglected in the related discussion. The primary motivation of the present literature review has arisen from this shortcoming, thus the key purpose of this study is to enrich the discussion by providing a state-of-the-art, focusing exclusively on social issues in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) by considering the textile/apparel sector as the field of application. The authors conduct a literature review, including content analysis which covers 45 articles published in English peer-reviewed journals, and proposes a comprehensive map which integrates the latest findings on socially related practices in the textile/apparel industry with the dominant conceptualization in order to reveal potential research areas in the field. The results show an ongoing lack of investigation regarding the social dimension of the triple bottom line in SSCM. Findings indicate that a company’s internal orientation is the main assisting factor in sustainable supply chain management practices. Further, supplier collaboration and assessment can be interpreted as an offer for suppliers deriving from stakeholders and a focal company’s management of social risk. Nevertheless, suppliers do also face or even create huge barriers in improving their social performance. This calls for more empirical research and qualitative or quantitative survey methods, especially at the supplier level located in developing countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Issues in the Textile and Apparel Supply Chains)
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