Management of carbon footprint in apparel industry: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Climate change is a significant challenge confronting humanity today. Public and private experts in developed and developing countries along with a few non-governmental organisations (NGOs) worldwide are attempting to reconcile monetary expansion with its adverse effects on climate change. The apparel sector is now the second-largest industrial polluter, contributing 10% of the world's carbon emissions. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to investigate potential strategies to minimise carbon footprint (CFP) in the apparel sector. The study selected a systematic literature review based on the PRISMA method methodology and content analysis was used as the analysis technique. The findings spotlight that energy, solid waste, wastewater, packing waste fabric and accessories and fuel are the primary sources in emitting the GHG emission in the apparel sector within various life cycle stages. Therefore, the study found various potential strategies to reduce CFP in the apparel sector, focusing on raw material-based GHG emissions, energy-based GHG emissions, solid waste-based GHG emissions, and waste water-based GHG emissions. Moreover, the study shows common strategies that will lead to reduce CFP in the apparel sector. The results from this study provide a handful of guidance to apparel sector stakeholders, other industry stakeholders, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other relevant authorities to address the CFP in the manufacturing industry.