Reverse Logistics and Waste in the Textile and Clothing Production Chain in Brazil

Abstract

The global environmental concern turns to the production of waste and its correct disposal. The chance of the natural degradation of this content is minimal, and logistics become an urgent discussion for all production chains. The lack of knowledge of Brazilians about recycling and non-education for conscious consumption hinders the development of initiatives in the segment. On the other hand, instead of adopting the necessary measures to implement reverse logistics and recycle these materials, companies are importing waste from other countries, neglecting the potential for income generation and sustainable business that could invest. The objective of this article is to evaluate the scenario of recycling initiatives and reverse logistics carried out in the textile and clothing industry in Brazil, through bibliographical research and surveys in Google and Facebook, internet sites and open data analysis of national and international bodies on the subject. There is a shortage of studies, and the appropriateness of the subject is urgent and necessary. From the results, it can be verified that without official records, government agencies' efforts to implement reverse logistics and recycling and encourage the benefits of the activity, there is no way to solve the issue.

Sustainability in Fabric Chains and Garments for a Circular Economy

“…Garcia [22] provide an overview of the reverse logistics and disposal of the fabrics in the production chain of clothes in Brazil, country that only 3% of the waste generated is recycled. According to calculations by Brazilian Association of Public Cleaning and Special Waste Companies (Abrelpe), about 45 million tons of waste that could be recycled, and be not, could yield about US$ 750 million a year to the country [5].…”

“…Fabric companies must import waste from other countries [22], disregarding the potential for generating income and sustainable businesses that result this investment because the population does not know about recycling of this waste. Brazilians are not trained about the selective collection (66%), and 39% do not separate organic waste from recyclable waste [20].…”

“…To discuss this subject, we analyzed the results found in Garcia [21,22,23], also using the information published in the current literature about sustainability in the textile chain.…”

“…In 2013, Brazilian recyclers imported nearly 10,000 tons of textile waste, more than $ 11 million, and attributed this to people's lack of information and unorganized waste collection [3]. [22] show these imports between 2013 and 2018 were 74,000 tonnes and a loss of US $ 42 million.…”

Awareness of the Environmental Impact of Clothing Production and Consumption among Slovenian Women Customers

“…The challenge of optimizing marketing channels, including the disposal of the clothing, is immense. Consequently, this has become an important issue in all phases of marketing channels [28]. The main opportunities lie in readjusting the disposal of clothing waste through the reuse and commercialization of the waste generated by the companies in the cluster [29].…”