Sustainable Supply Chain
Sustainable logistics aims to carry out the process of transporting and distributing goods and services in the ready-made clothing sector in an effective and efficient manner, while minimizing environmental impact. These activities include many elements, from optimal route planning to energy-efficient transportation modes, reduced packaging use and waste reduction strategies. The use of advanced analysis tools also plays an important role in making logistics operations more efficient and sustainable. The sustainable logistics approach stands out as an effective way to reduce the environmental footprint of the sector, as well as reduce operational costs and improve customer service.
The distribution phase of the ready-made clothing value chain includes logistics activities that include the transportation and distribution of the manufactured product to the place of sale. This phase of the value chain is of critical importance due to the emission values in transportation. EU strategy and policy documents include initiatives to reduce land transport for sustainability, to introduce emission regulations for land vehicles, and to use more efficient and less carbon emission alternatives, especially for fuels used in aviation.
Traceability in the apparel industry is critical to understanding and managing the various social and environmental impacts at every step of the product lifecycle, from the initial raw material supply stage to the end user. Advanced technologies such as digital technologies, blockchain and artificial intelligence enable materials and products to be tracked and verified throughout the supply chain. Traceability provides transparency of production processes to consumers and stakeholders, while also helping brands deliver on their sustainability promises and achieve the industry’s sustainability goals.
In the ready-to-wear and apparel sector, the transparency and traceability of the supply chain is of critical importance both in ensuring sustainability for all value chain stakeholders and in preventing greenwashing. The European Commission has emphasized the importance of the traceability and traceability of products and has revealed its work on the audit and market surveillance mechanisms planned to be developed for this purpose. In particular, it is aimed to ensure traceability with applications such as digital product passports, extended producer responsibility and eco-labels.
The Corporate Duty of Care is a responsibility that requires companies to understand and manage their operations to reduce the environmental and social impacts of their activities. This responsibility extends across business processes and supply chains and includes preventing and reducing potential harmful impacts. Companies should integrate sustainability principles and guidelines throughout their operations. The Duty of Care also includes a structured, ongoing dialogue with consumers and affected communities to minimise negative consequences.
Extended producer responsibility (EPR) introduces the approach of manufacturers to be responsible for the environmental impact of their products throughout their entire life cycle. This approach plays a particularly important role in waste management and recycling. Manufacturers are encouraged to ensure that their products are recyclable or disposed of appropriately at the end of their life cycle. EPR is an important step in reducing the environmental footprint of the sector and implementing circular economy principles.
Within the scope of the Extended Producer Responsibility system, producers and importers will also be held financially responsible for the management of waste at the end of the product life cycle, in addition to local governments. With the extended producer responsibility, it is aimed to increase the responsibility of the producer in the recycling, reuse and separation processes of textile waste. It is expected that EU rules will be created in which producers will be held responsible for providing more circular products. According to the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, producer responsibility will be increased and the production of sustainable textiles will be encouraged. It has been stated that with the legal obligation introduced by the Commission, waste textiles should be collected separately by 2025 and this practice will be financially supported.
The Waste Framework Directive is a series of directives designed to define the waste management policies of the European Union (EU). This directive establishes the legal framework for waste management and recycling in EU member states and aims to reduce the environmental impact of waste, use resources efficiently and promote a circular economy.
The Waste Framework Directive sets out the basic concepts and definitions for waste management, including the definitions of waste, recycling and recovery. The directive aims to establish EU rules on extended producer responsibility for textiles and economic incentives to make products more sustainable, namely the eco-modulation of fees.
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