A Study on the Investigation of Sustainability Practices of Global Brands in the Fashion Market

Abstract

Due to the careless use of natural resources, developments in technology, industrialization and population growth, environmental pollution and resource depletion are experienced in the world. The garment clothing and fashion industry has a significant impact on the rapid depletion of natural resources. The rapid change in fashion, especially in the garment clothing industry, negatively affects sustainability in the use of resources. Besides these; the careless use of large amounts of water and chemicals in production, and the release of waste to nature also harm the sustainability of life. These negative factors have started to increase consumption with environmental awareness, especially among consumers who care about nature. Conscious consumers' interest in nature has led to an increasing emphasis on sustainability in production and consumption by brands in ready-to-wear and other sectors. Especially in the Industry 4.0 process, the concept of sustainability has become one of the most important issues for global brands. The production of garment clothing products with natural fibres and materials is of great importance in terms of sustainability. These materials are compatible with nature and can be recycled. In apparel, due to long supply chains, energy and labour intensive production, ecological, economic and social sustainability studies are of high importance in the production and process management process.
 In the research, application examples of global brands in the ready-to-wear and fashion sector, based on sustainability studies, were examined. For example; Stella McCartney, one of the luxury fashion brands; uses organic cotton, eco-friendly fibre and recyclable polyester and cashmere for sustainability. While Mara Hoffman uses tencel fabric and organic cotton, Gucci has banned PVC in its products since 2015 and prefers to use a carbon zero footprint in its work. While DeFacto, one of the global ready-to-wear brands, implements many environmental projects related to PET bottles, water use and textile waste, global brands such as Nike, GAP, Levi's, C&A, Inditex group, Nude Jeans also carry out exemplary studies on sustainability. As can be seen from the global brand examples, brands, on sustainability; develop applicable strategies in the fields of development goals, management of production and operation processes, supply policies, waste management.

Digitalisation and Green Strategies: A systematic review of the Textile, Apparel and Fashion Industries

“…While the bene ts of digital transformation are obvious, the challenges are also evident. At the same time, the contribution of TAF Industries to global pollution (20%) is a concern [4,5].…”

“…On the one hand, there is a need to determine whether the digital transformation is easy for TAF Industries to achieve. On the other hand, the industries' contribution to global pollution is worrisome [4]. The I 4.0 and 5.0 frameworks seek to promote smart manufacturing and sustainable production and could be perceived as providing guidelines for companies seeking digital transformation and environmental sustainability.…”

“…Furthermore, there has yet to be a symbiotic relationship between humans and machines because of human animosity toward machines due to their perception of their tendencies to take over human jobs [10]. Due to heavy mechanisation and the drive for mass production, the negative impact of digital transformation by the TAF industries contributes to environmental issues, including pollution of water bodies, the atmosphere, and land areas [4]. Speci c regulations could be in place for full compliance by the manufacturing industries, especially the TAF Industries, to control their operations through regulations toward recycling and re-use of waste to recover a speci c volume of e uents discharged into the environment.…”