Towards circular economy in the textiles and clothing value chain through blockchain technology and IoT: A review

Abstract

The textile and clothing industry sector has today a big environmental impact, not only due to the consumption of water and the use of toxic chemicals but also due to the increasing levels of textile waste. One way to reduce the problem is to circularise the, currently linear, textile and clothing value chain, by using discarded clothes as raw material for the production of new clothes, transforming it into a model of circular economy. This way, while reducing the need to produce new raw materials (e.g. cotton), the problem of textile waste produced is also reduced, thus contributing to a more sustainable industry. In this article, we review the current approaches for traceability in the textile and clothing value chain, and study a set of technologies we deem essential for promoting the circular economy in this value chain – namely, the blockchain technology – for registering activities on traceable items through the value chain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, for easily identifying the traceable items’ digital twins.

A Tertiary Review on Blockchain and Sustainability With Focus on Sustainable Development Goals

“…3) Improved efficiency [42]: traceability and recall efficiency [24], [49]; process efficiency, for example, in sustainable supply chain management [16], smart manufacturing [17], water management [27]; efficient resource allocation and use [38], [50]; reduced transaction delays [14]; increased efficiency in trade contracts and harmonization of conflicting objectives [14]; improve energy efficiency [10]. [2], [11], [53], [59]; boosting the local economy, for example, based on recovered solid waste [2]; extended revenue streams and financing modes [17]. 7 (7.1, 7.2), 12 (12.5) Environmental impact (Ev) (Ev.1) Improved measurability and awareness of the environmental impact and enhanced capacities for climate actions: for example, tracking carbon footprints and environmental impacts [27], [50]; facilitating impact assessment and evaluation [27], [38], [48], [53], [59].…”

“…[2], [11], [53], [59]; boosting the local economy, for example, based on recovered solid waste [2]; extended revenue streams and financing modes [17]. 7 (7.1, 7.2), 12 (12.5) Environmental impact (Ev) (Ev.1) Improved measurability and awareness of the environmental impact and enhanced capacities for climate actions: for example, tracking carbon footprints and environmental impacts [27], [50]; facilitating impact assessment and evaluation [27], [38], [48], [53], [59].…”

“…11 (11.6), 12 (12.8), 13 (13.2, 13.3) (Ev.2) Improved monitoring and protection of sustainable use of natural resources and ecosystems, for example, monitoring terrestrial [24], [54], [57] and oceanic ecosystems [16], [38]. 2 (2.3), 13, 14 (14.1-14.5), 15 (15.1-15.7) (Ev.3) Improved resource efficiency and waste reduction: recycling and management [11]; circular economy enabler [17], [59], [60]; reduced food waste [41], [42], [50].…”

“…[12], [27]; improving access to affordable and reliable water resources [2], [27]. 6 (6.4), 7 (7.1) (So.7) Improved product safety, quality and traceability: ensuring product (food, drink, drug, wood, etc.,) provenance and quality [19], [29], [38], [48], [49], [56], [59], [63]; anti-counterfeiting [38], [48], [50], [51]; traceability for sustainable agriculture [42], [56] and a sustainable supply chain (medical, food, agri-food, etc.) [46], [48], [50], [51], [56] [2], [18], [29]: improved road traffic safety; reduced congestion; reduced energy consumption and pollution.…”

Implementation of Digitalized Technologies for Fashion Industry 4.0: Opportunities and Challenges

“…Blockchain in the fashion supply chain resolves the concerns like information asymmetry, visibility, credibility, and traceability. Blockchain empowers to implement the circular economy in which discarded clothes are used as raw material for the production of new clothes [22]. (iv) AR and VR.…”