Purpose Sustainability is an integrating concept and demands strategic attention in developing countries like India. Due to strict environmental regulations and ongoing government sustainable policies such as “Namami Gange,” leather industries are extensively facing challenges to conform themselves toward these sustainable policies. The major challenge faced by leather industries is the exponentially increasing cost of adaptation to sustainable product and process. Under these operational constraints, survival of Indian leather industries has become a major challenge. In this context, this paper aims to identify and evaluate sustainable manufacturing policies. The key performance indicators (KPIs) based on triple bottom line of sustainability can assist leather industries that are about to initiate adopting sustainable practices. Design/methodology/approach This paper demonstrates the role of KPIs for evaluating sustainable manufacturing policies for leather industries in India. Initially, an in-depth literature review analysis has been carried out to identify indicators for evaluation of sustainable manufacturing policies. In this work, an integrated methodology has been developed to refine the priority map of the aforementioned KPIs based on consensus building among experts using Kappa analysis. Total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) has been used to demonstrate relationships which explain the significance of the KPIs. Further, Matriced Impact Croises Multiplication Applique analysis has been carried out to explore the relationships amongst KPIs. Findings Based on above analysis, identified interactive relationships among the KPIs will assist managers and decision-makers to incorporate effective sustainable policies in leather industries. Practical implications It is expected that these identified interactive interrelationships between KPIs will certainly facilitate the leather industry to achieve higher sustainable performance and competitiveness. Originality/value This study carries out an in-depth literature review analysis of sustainable manufacturing policies in leather industry. The author proposes an integrated methodology using kappa analysis, consensus building and TISM for evaluation of sustainable policies based on the literature review analysis and expert opinion.

The value chain refers to the source of competition to facilitate organizations to maximize and sustain value for their consumers. Value chain flexibility is necessary to build sustainable initiatives in addressing ambiguity. In the literature, there is a lack of framework to highlight the challenges to sustainable initiatives in value chain flexibility. This study fills this research gap by suggesting a framework for challenges to sustainable initiatives in value chain flexibility. In this study, thirteen potential challenges to sustainable initiatives in value chain flexibility are identified and an integrated model is developed. It adopts the modified Total Interpretive Structure Model and the Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification methodology. The mixed approach is used as the modified Total Interpretive Structure Model organizes the binary interactions among the challenges, while Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification analysis organizes specific precise assessments of the driving power and dependence of the challenges. The results of the study reflect that (i) lack of supplier commitment to sustainable products and (ii) lack of knowledge toward sustainability in value chains are the challenges that achieved the highest driving power. The challenge ‘inadequate communication among the suppliers in the value chain’ is at the highest level in the analysis. The proposed framework could help government and non-government bodies to formulate policies to efficiently address challenges to sustainable initiatives in value chain flexibility.

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PurposeInformation-facilitated product recovery system (IFPRS) has captivated industry attention and has developed into a matter of consideration among the researchers because of enhanced climate concerns, jurisdictive logics and societal liabilities. Although IFPRS implementation has become an essential aspect in manufacturing industries functional in the developed nations, still, limited consideration has been given in the literature to analyze the issues to IFPRS implementation for a circular economy (CE) in emerging and developing nations. Therefore, the objective of this study is to recognize issues to implementing IFPRS for a CE in context of select manufacturing industries in India.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, 24 potential issues are established from the literature and from suggestions from the experts. The issues are clubbed under five different perspectives of technical, government, organization, policy and knowledge. Further, fuzzy VIKOR technique is applied on the results obtained to prioritize the identified issues. A sensitivity analysis has been carried out to check the robustness of the framework.FindingsThe present study shows that lack of skills and expertise in IFPRS implementation for a CE (I2), deficient capital to implement a CE in IFPRS (I9), inadequate in adopting recent IT technology (I18), feasibility of IFPRS employment for a CE (I6) and no efficient training and program to CE adoption (I21) are the top five potential issues in implementing IFPRS practices for a CE in Indian manufacturing industries.Research limitations/implicationsIn literature, limited study has been observed on determining issues to implementation of IFPRS for a CE. A more systematic method and statistical confirmation is necessary to establish further new confronting issues. This study is limited to Indian manufacturing industries.Originality/valueThe main contribution of this study includes identification of issues and later prioritizing them to reflect their severity. This would help the industry practitioners to formulate strategies for handling the issues conveniently.

This paper is concerned with a study of the structure and twisting mechanism of sheath fihres in DREF-3 yarn, in which a tracer-flhre technique was used. The yarn was made from a polypropyiene-flbre multiiiiameut core and cotton stapie-fihre sheath. An analysis ofthe twist and migration i>ehavioDr ofthe sheath is made to quantify the sheath structure. Process variables investigated are the spinning-dnim speed, the yam-delivery rate, and the surface structure of the core component. Other process variahies, e.g. the suction pressure, yam count, core-sheath ratio, and number of wrapper stivers, are kept constant. The effects on the sheath structure (quantified as the total twist, twist distribution, and migration behaviour) of certain process variabies are discussed and possibie causative factors identified. Conclusions arising from these in addition to visual observation of the sheath stmcture are used to expiain the twisting mechanism of sheath fibres in DREF-3 yam. An attempt is also made to explain the yam properties for various process parameters on the basis of the sheath structure.

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Measurements for developing turbulent flow in a high aspect ratio (AS = 6), small area ratio (AR = 2), 90 deg curved diffuser have been made. Mean velocities, static and total pressures, and turbulence intensities were measured using a three-hole pressure probe and a hot-wire probe. Flow visualization studies were also made using a tuft probe. Experiments show that, except for a very small zone near the exit, there is no flow reversal in any part of the diffuser. Streamwise bulk flow is seen to shift toward the concave wall side in the downstream half of the diffuser, under the influence of centrifugal force. One pair of counter-rotating vortical motion was identified at 30 deg turn, which break into more pairs (at least two) of counter-rotating vortices in the downstream. The z-plane velocity profiles show a nearly 2-D flow in the initial part of the diffuser but subsequently the flow becomes increasingly 3-D. A static pressure recovery coefficient of 51 percent was achieved.