Applying a sustainability performance measurement tool in designing and developing automotive employee uniforms

Abstract

A participatory research study was conducted by a university research team partnered with an automotive company and a uniform manufacturer to develop a sustainable uniform for employees at an automotive manufacturing facility. A working shirt for general assembly employees was designed, and a sustainability performance measurement tool Higg Index 1.0 developed by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition was used to evaluate the environmental performance of the intended uniform and production facility and identify areas for improvement in the manufacturing phase. The research team also visited four apparel production facilities in Central America to assess social responsibility performance of the manufacturer and identify areas for improvement. This research found challenges to environmental sustainability and social responsibility at each phase of the sustainable uniform development and planned production, and identified opportunities for creating sustainable apparel products through the choice of materials, product development processes, and choice and management of manufacturing facilities.