Green Practices in the Fashion Supply Chain: A Literature Review
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ecological impact of the products while conserving financial objectives (Garza-Reys
2015; Zhu et al. 2007).
Usually, manufacturing companies implement green practices in the context of
Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM or GrSCM) (Zhu et al. 2008). GSCM
is responsible for organizing and systematizing green practices throughout the supply chain (SC) and for redesigning them to incorporate activities into the flow of
operations (Seuring and Muller 2008).
Among other practices, GSCM may include an internal environmental management system (EMS), green purchasing, customer cooperation, ecodesign, and investment recovery (Zhu et al. 2008). In addition, finance and incentive policies have been
analyzed because they provide a link between environmental performance and organizational reward systems (Zhu et al. 2012).
Moreover, investment recovery practices started to include other activities within
its scope. Reverse logistics is responsible for including reuse and recycling throughout the product life cycle; the practice is adopted because of increased public pressure on environmental protection and reduced resource availability among the supply
chain links (Zhu et al. 2012).
Another important practice is ecodesign, which can be useful when starting a new
product or process to reduce consumption of energy, materials, and costs throughout
the supply chain. Furthermore, companies should give more attention to customer
participation in environmental management initiatives such as product return and
recycling policies (Zhu et al. 2012).
However, identifying green practices in the supply chain (SC) requires specific
considerations, since these practices are carried out by companies that belong to multiple SCs, operating under different strategies and SC links geographically dispersed
(Sellitto 2018). Thus, green initiatives in the supply chain can improve the consumption of natural resources, packaging, energy, water, soil, storage, and transport of
goods (Srivastava 2007).
In addition, some studies (Tomasin et al. 2013; Zhu et al. 2007; Garza-Reys
2015) have pointed out that some elements generate drivers and barriers for the
implementation of green practices. Barriers represent factors that make it difficult
to implement green practices and identify how a sustainable supply chain seeks to
prevent such difficulties. On the other hand, drivers are the factors that facilitate the
implementation of green practices in the supply chain and how SC links ensure to
apply those activities in their operations.
The most commonly identified barriers include the lack of market, lack of
employee training, lack of balancing alternatives between social and environmental
aspects involved, suppliers’ commitment, the high costs associated with new technologies and operationalization (tax burden, diversification of modes), and incomplete or ambiguous legislation (flexibilization of agreements between countries)
(Tomasin et al. 2013; Allwood et al. 2008; De Brito et al. 2008).
Drivers for implementing green practices in the supply chain can be divided
into external and internal contexts. From the internal perspective, the factors contributing to the integration of green practices include the desire to reduce costs,
improve processes and quality, improve logistics, reduce losses and dematerialization
117
ecological impact of the products while conserving financial objectives (Garza-Reys
2015; Zhu et al. 2007).
Usually, manufacturing companies implement green practices in the context of
Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM or GrSCM) (Zhu et al. 2008). GSCM
is responsible for organizing and systematizing green practices throughout the supply chain (SC) and for redesigning them to incorporate activities into the flow of
operations (Seuring and Muller 2008).
Among other practices, GSCM may include an internal environmental management system (EMS), green purchasing, customer cooperation, ecodesign, and investment recovery (Zhu et al. 2008). In addition, finance and incentive policies have been
analyzed because they provide a link between environmental performance and organizational reward systems (Zhu et al. 2012).
Moreover, investment recovery practices started to include other activities within
its scope. Reverse logistics is responsible for including reuse and recycling throughout the product life cycle; the practice is adopted because of increased public pressure on environmental protection and reduced resource availability among the supply
chain links (Zhu et al. 2012).
Another important practice is ecodesign, which can be useful when starting a new
product or process to reduce consumption of energy, materials, and costs throughout
the supply chain. Furthermore, companies should give more attention to customer
participation in environmental management initiatives such as product return and
recycling policies (Zhu et al. 2012).
However, identifying green practices in the supply chain (SC) requires specific
considerations, since these practices are carried out by companies that belong to multiple SCs, operating under different strategies and SC links geographically dispersed
(Sellitto 2018). Thus, green initiatives in the supply chain can improve the consumption of natural resources, packaging, energy, water, soil, storage, and transport of
goods (Srivastava 2007).
In addition, some studies (Tomasin et al. 2013; Zhu et al. 2007; Garza-Reys
2015) have pointed out that some elements generate drivers and barriers for the
implementation of green practices. Barriers represent factors that make it difficult
to implement green practices and identify how a sustainable supply chain seeks to
prevent such difficulties. On the other hand, drivers are the factors that facilitate the
implementation of green practices in the supply chain and how SC links ensure to
apply those activities in their operations.
The most commonly identified barriers include the lack of market, lack of
employee training, lack of balancing alternatives between social and environmental
aspects involved, suppliers’ commitment, the high costs associated with new technologies and operationalization (tax burden, diversification of modes), and incomplete or ambiguous legislation (flexibilization of agreements between countries)
(Tomasin et al. 2013; Allwood et al. 2008; De Brito et al. 2008).
Drivers for implementing green practices in the supply chain can be divided
into external and internal contexts. From the internal perspective, the factors contributing to the integration of green practices include the desire to reduce costs,
improve processes and quality, improve logistics, reduce losses and dematerialization