November 25, 2024
Greening Textile Industry – Good for the Environment and Export
“We launched a LEADER sewing enterprise in the city of Gori in 2016 and started with three tailors”, said Nino Giorgadze, CEO and founder of LEADER, a textile enterprise from Georgia who started this enterprise also willing to train internally displaced women and girls in cutting-sewing courses. So far, around 450 women have been trained by LEADER, and almost half of them were employed.
“Through reinvesting our profits our enterprise has expanded every year”, Nino said. Today, she leads two small enterprises based in Tbilisi and Gori and has two small ateliers. LEADER is one of the first enterprises among Eastern Partnership countries that transformed the business into sustainable and green. Currently, she exports the products to Sweden and is the sole manufacturer specializing in textile waste management in Georgia.
Nowadays, consumers are much more environmentally aware and look for eco-friendly brands, which was one of the main motivations for Nino and her team to teach about eco-friendly products, to learn about waste management policies, and implement them in the business.
Nino’s enterprise is one of the companies that participate within the framework of the RECONOMY program, which focuses on improving the export competitiveness of the fashion industry in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine in the context of growing sustainability requirements in the international markets.
The transition to circular business models in the fashion industry has benefits – it improves resource efficiency, reduces environmental impact, and opens green job opportunities for women and youth, including the most disadvantaged, for instance internally displaced women. Sustainability has become prominent as brands, consumers, and regulators push for more environmentally and socially responsible practices. It is a fusion of environmental, social, and economic factors to create a more responsible industry that reduces negative impact and promotes fair and ethical treatment of all stakeholders.
What do the current sustainability trends in the fashion industry indicate?
Sustainable trends in the fashion industry respect green materials (using organic, recycled, and biodegradable materials, which reduce resource consumption, chemical use, and waste); circular fashion emphasizes the design for longevity, recyclability, and reusability intending to create a society with more durable products which last longer and are easy to repair and also leads to the reduction of waste.
Ethical labor practices imply ensuring fair wages, and safe working conditions throughout the supply chain. Reducing carbon emissions is also vital – through energy-efficient processes and renewable energy resources. Water conservation efforts aim to reduce water use and pollution, to preserve water resources by using and implementing water-saving technologies and practices.
Consumers are demanding transparency in how their clothes are made and also how they are packaged, so the brands that provide clear information about their supply chains build trust and demonstrate commitment to ethical practices.
How do the EU revised regulations affect the export?
Intending to mitigate the environmental and social impacts of textile production, the EU has launched a Strategy for sustainable and circular textiles, which foresees that all textile products that are placed on the EU market have to be more durable, repairable, and recyclable, made of recycled fibers and produced respecting both the environment and social rights.
It should be in line with the European Green Deal, an umbrella set of policy initiatives aimed at making Europe climate neutral by 2050, which has significant implications for the textile industry.
Some of the directives and legislations were upgraded and revised. One of the most impactful, Eco-design Directive, was improved and became Eco-design for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR). It is now focusing also on material efficiency, not only on energy efficiency. According to ESPR, products that are entering the EU market should meet specific sustainability performance requirements and must have an EU declaration of conformity.
“There is no exception, this regulation will impact a lot of producers from Eastern Partnership countries, even when they import the materials, then produce garments and export them to the EU. Any textile product that enters the EU market has to comply with this Directive and regulations”, said Jack Berrie, Senior Research Fellow with the Environment and Society Centre at Chatham House. Revised regulation, ESPR also provides reducing chemical content to facilitate recycling.
It is accompanied by a Digital Product Passport that has to contain all relevant information about products’ environmental sustainability. It includes data on durability and reparability, the recycled content, and the availability of spare parts of products. “Digital Product Passport aims to help the consumers, when you are buying you can look and check all available data”, said Berrie. The ESPR also excludes the destruction of certain unsold textile products.
Revision of the existing Waste Framework Directive requires all EU member states to introduce an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for textiles. This aims to incentivize the sale of more sustainable clothing, enhance the reuse market, and increase textile waste collection and sorting. Complementing this, the Waste Shipment Regulation revision imposes stricter controls on the export of textile waste, particularly to non-OECD countries.
Furthermore, the introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the Directive on Empowering Consumers in the Green Transition require large EU companies to conduct more rigorous environmental and social due diligence on all their suppliers and gather evidence to support their green claims.
Although Eastern Partnership countries are mostly export-oriented, they have to adopt the EU sustainability requirements as a prerequisite to export to the EU market. Armenia is the only one that has already adopted the EU Strategy for sustainable and circular textiles. The other countries faced constraints and various challenges that may postpone the adoption.
Associations as information hubs
Several associations in Eastern Partnership countries have members who are small and medium enterprises (SMEs) but have large companies as well. They are helping these companies to transition to green and supporting them to recognize why it is important to integrate sustainable practices into their business procedures.
One of them, the Ukrainian Association of Enterprises of Textile & Leather Industry, UKRLEGPROM, provides support to their members in their transition to green business practices. “We offer educational programs, workshops, and consultancy services focused on sustainable production methods, textile waste reduction, and resource efficiency. We also facilitate partnerships with international organizations, enabling our members to access global best practices and innovations,” said Tatyana Izovit from UKRLEGPROM.
For them, the integration of green and sustainable business practices is crucial as it aligns with its commitment to promoting a sustainable and responsible textile and apparel industry. “They lead to improved operational efficiency and compliance with international environmental standards, which is increasingly demanded by Ukrainian consumers and European partners alike. This transition contributes to long-term business resilience and success”, she said.
A similar experience comes from Moldova’s association – E-Circular Center. According to Aurelia Bahnaru, that association is striving to help private companies in the transition to green business. As an accredited training provider, they organize regular courses, aligned with the national and community legal framework, providing participants with green skills, and ensuring compliance and sustainability.
“Education about green practices and integration in business activities means reduced environmental footprint, cost savings, efficiency in resource consumption, foster innovation and enhanced competitiveness. By understanding these benefits and how they positively impact business practices, our members became more proactive and motivated to implement”, she said.
For all members of associations, as well as for all Eastern Partnership countries, adopting revised sustainable and inclusive regulations not only helps reduce environmental impact but also enhances their local and international competitiveness and marketability, reducing social inequalities and enhancing social cohesion. It also aligns with the global strategy towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Authors
vesnaglisic
Vesna Glišić is a senior specialist in communication, public relations, and journalism, with more than 30 years of experience. After 15 years in journalism, she jumped in communication and public relations fields. From 2010, she participated in many EU-funded projects, responsible for communication and visibility. During 8.5 years, Vesna was Outsource Communication and Media Consultant for the Embassy of Sweden in Serbia.
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