A Study of Sustainable Development Practices within the Australian Textile and Clothing Industry

Abstract

The term-industry sustainability has been discussed for many years, but what is the level of industry understanding and practice? Contemporary research indicates that many industries are confused not only from a definition point of view but also on how to identify and implement sustainable objectives. What should educationalists be delivering to its industry sector which will add value to their sustainable development strategies? To answer this question one needs to establish what industry practitioners understand of sustainability and to what extent are they developing sound sustainable business development strategies? A study of the Australian Textile and Clothing industry explores the primary drivers for incorporating sustainable concepts within enterprise operations. This study, gathered information on the extent to which Australian fashion and textile companies adopt an informed 'sustainable' strategy, across all aspects of their business. The research identifies and evaluates to what extent critical strategic issues such as product life cycle analysis, raw material usage, supply chain management, cost reduction, consumer demand and needs, government legislation and environmental impact are being addressed at enterprise level.