A Case Study using Sustainable Approach for Apparel in a Retail Brand

By
SHWETA PRAKASH
Submitted to NIFT, Mumbai in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of

Master of Design (Design Space)

2016-18

Faculty Guide: Dr. A.K. Khare

National Institute of Fashion Technology

MUMBAI
 National Institute of Fashion Technology

DISSERTATION REPORT
of Master of Design entitled

“A Case Study using Sustainable Approach for Apparel in a Retail Brand”

Proposed to be submitted in
Partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of
Master of Design at National Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai

By
SHWETA PRAKASH
DEPARTMENT: MASTERS OF DESIGN
BATCH: 2016 – 2018

Faculty Guide: Dr. A.K. Khare

 National Institute of Fashion Technology
MUMBAI
2018

A Case Study using Sustainable Approach for Apparel in a Retail Brand

By
SHWETA PRAKASH
DEPARTMENT: MASTERS OF DESIGN
BATCH: 2016 – 2018

Submitted by Shweta Prakash to NIFT, Mumbai in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the Degree of Master of Design of the National Institute of Fashion
Technology, Mumbai and hereby certify that in the judgement of the following
members of jury it is worth of acceptance:

Name Institute/ Organization Signature & Date

Remarks regarding fulfilling further requirements if any:

Signature of CC- Design Space Date:

 DECLARATION
The work in this project titled “A Case Study using Sustainable Approach for Apparel
in a Retail Brand” is authentic and original and is the outcome of my contribution and
research. This project was carried out under the guidance of Prof. Dr. A k Khare,
Professor at NIFT Mumbai. No portion of this work has been submitted in support of
an application for another degree/ qualification to NIFT or any other university or
professional organization.

Shweta Prakash
Master of Design
Place: NIFT, Mumbai
Date:

In my capacity as the faculty guide of the candidate’s dissertation, I certify that the
above statements are true to the best of my knowledge.

Prof. Dr. A k Khare

Professor
Department of Bachelor of Fashion Technology
NIFT, Mumbai
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep regards to my faculty
mentor Prof. Dr. A K Khare for his exemplary guidance, monitoring and constant
encouragement throughout the course of my project. I also take this opportunity to
express a deep sense of gratitude to my Centre Coordinator- Ms. Rashmi Gulati, Ms.
Rupa Aggarwal and Mr. Nitin Kulkarni for their valuable support and guidance
throughout the course of the project.

I am also highly grateful to “ONLY Retail Pvt Ltd” for providing me the opportunity to
complete my Dissertation Project with them. I want to extend heartfelt thanks to my
mentor Ms. Ruchika Agrawal, Senior Designer for her engagement, support and
constant guidance throughout my project.
I would like to convey my sincerest thanks to Mr. Jayendra Sinha, Sourcing Head and
Ms. Mukta Shrivasta, Design Manager without whose enduring support, discussions
and guidance, this project wouldn’t be a reality.

Lastly, I am thankful to friends and families for providing me with great support in my
entire endeavor.

Signature
Shweta Prakash
 ABSTRACT

The Indian retail industry has emerged as one of the most dynamic and fast-growing
industries over the last 25 years. The textile and fashion industry is considered to be
one of the most polluting industries in the world. From fiber production up to the end
consumer use, in each stage there are different factors influencing the environment.
Within that, denim is the most water-consuming product when made in a conventional
way. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explain the key aspects and growing
relevance of sustainability in clothing industry and to evaluate the possibilities of
fashion retailer to act sustainable in denim jeans development.

The project has been carried out with Bestseller (Only Retail Pvt. Ltd.) in Andheri East,
Mumbai and ONLY brand has been taken as a case study as it’s an international brand
which is updated with new trends and takes an special initiative towards sustainability
as tomorrow’s customer is going to be more aware of these issues. As a retailer, it's
the need of the hour to take steps in a socially and environmentally responsible
manner. The research has been conducted in Mumbai, where various retail stores
were visited and observed. Through the course of this research, an in-depth study on
the retail brands was conducted. The study involved to know the consumer perception
towards sustainable clothing and clothing industry expert’s opinions on the clothing
industry and their environmental impact. Analyzing all the existing initiatives of the
retail brands and in-depth study of denim manufacturing process, a brief flow of
sustainable jeans was explored. With the help of the analysis of primary and
secondary data, the outcome of the project led to designing a denim jeans collection
that was manufactured in sustainable way. Along with, the interactive flasher, hang
tag and pocket bag were designed which is going to be launched in Autumn/winter
2018 collection.

Keywords: Retail industry, Sustainability, Product development.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION………………………………………………..……..……1
1.1 Background………………………………………………………………..............…...1
1.2 Objective of the study……………………………………………………………..…...2
1.3 Need and Scope of the study………………………..…………………………..……2
1.4 Limitation of the study…………………………………………………………...……..3
1.5 Significance of the study………………………………………………………...…….3

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE…………………………………………….…4

2.1 Textiles and Apparel Industry………………………………………………………….4
2.1.1 Textiles and Apparel: Market Overview………………………………...……..4
2.1.2 Denim Market in India……………………………………………………...…4-5
2.1.3 India’s Denim Market Seen Primed for Grow…………………………………6
2.1.4 Statistic Brain Research Institute; Denim Jeans Industry Statistics..….…...6
2.2 Environment & Sustainability……………………………………………………….…7
2.2.1 Environmental Impacts in the Fashion Industry- A Life-Cycle and
Stakeholder Framework …………………………………………………………....7
2.2.2 Sustainability: Increasing Impact on Textile and Apparel Industry….…..….7
2.2.3 Holistic approach towards sustainable fashion industry…………….…..…..8
2.2.4 Sustainable denim: Lifecycle Assessment………………………………....8-9
2.2.5 Denim Companies Answer to the Call for Sustainable Jeans………….….10
2.3 Retail Brands Study ………………………………………………………................11
2.3.1 H&M in Sustainability…………………………….………………..……..11-12
2.3.2 Zara Initiative towards sustainability………………………………...13
2.3.3 Mango Initiative towards sustainability…………………………......13
2.3.4 Levi’s Initiative towards sustainability……………………………….14
2.3.5 Gap Initiative towards sustainability………………………………...15

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODOLOGY……………………….…..16

3.1 Secondary Research………………...………………………………………….……16
3.2 Primary Research………….………...…………………………………………….…16
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS………………...………………………………………………17
4.1 Survey findings………………...………………………………………..……………17
4.1.1 Consumers Survey……………………………………………………17-20
4.1.2 Suppliers survey………………...…………………………………….21-23
4.1.3 Interview at the Retail Stores …………………………………………..24
4.1.4 Semi-structured Interview at ONLY…………………………...……….25
4.2 Product development……………………………………………………………….26
4.2.1 Trend Analysis…………………………………………………..………..27
4.2.2 Mood board…………………………………………………..…….……..28
4.2.3 Color board…………………………………………………..…….……..28
4.2.4 Look board…………………………………………………..….…….…..29
4.2.5 Client board…………………………………………..……..……..….….29
4.2.6 Design exploration……………………………………………………….30
4.2.7 Final product designs………………………………………………...31-46
4.2.8 Branding of Sustainable Jeans……………………………………...47-48
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION…………………………………………………….…….49

REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………….…50-51
APPENDIX…………………………………………………………………………….…52
Appendix I- About the Company………………………………………………...…52-53
Appendix II- Consumer survey: Questionnaire pathway……………………………54
Appendix III- ONLY Suppliers Survey checklist and responses………………..55-65
Appendix IV- Suppliers Responsible production and Impact assessment…….66-71
 List of Tables
Table 2.1 Textile and apparel industry in India…………………………………..…....4

Table 2.2 Denim apparel market………………………………………….…...............5

Table 2.3 Denim Jeans Industry Statistics………………………………………….....6

List of Graphs
Graph 4.1 Demographics……………………………………………….…..................17
Graph 4.2 Consumer spending by channel……………………………………..…....17
Graph 4.3 Buying Frequency & Shopping Budget……………………….……….....18
Graph 4.4 Consumer’s Priorities while buying clothes……………………..............18
Graph 4.5 Consumer’s preferences & awareness for sustainable clothing………19
Graph 4.6 Consideration on purchasing Eco-friendly clothing……………………...19
Graph 4.7 Consumer’s likeliness to purchase Eco-friendly clothes……….............20
Graph 4.8 Price range & disposal of clothes………………………………………….20
Graph 4.9 Environmental impacts from their production processes……......……...22
List of Figures
Figure 2.1 The impact of Textile and Clothing industry on Environment…………..8
Figure 2.2 Eco-Friendlier “Conscious Denim” Collection’ AW14…………............11
Figure 2.3 Global garment collection initiative……………………………..………..11
Figure 2.4 Products availability at H&M store…………………………………….....12
Figure 2.5 Mango Committed Collection Fall/Winter 2017……….………………..13
Figure 2.6 Levi's Waterless jeans………………………………………….…………14
Figure 2.7 GAP 1969 JEANS…………………………………...…………...………..15
Figure 2.8 GAP for Good “Washwell Program”……………………………………..15
Figure 4.1 Employees overview at retail stores………………..…………………...24
Figure 4.2 Employees overview at retail stores………………..………….…….....24
Figure 4.3 Semi-structured Interview at ONLY…………………………….…….…25
Figure 4.4 Life-cycle stage…………………………………………………...……….26
Figure 4.5 Trend analysis……………………………………………..……………....27
Figure 4.6 Trend analysis…………………………………………………………......27
Figure 4.7 Mood board………………………………………………………………...28
Figure 4.8 Color board…………………………………………………….….…….....28
Figure 4.9 Look board…………………………………………………..……………..29
Figure 4.10 Client board……………………………………………………..……......29
 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

The Indian retail industry has emerged as one of the most dynamic and fast-growing
industries over the last 25 years. The Textile and clothing industry is the 2nd largest polluter
in the world. About 17-20% of global water get polluted by using toxic chemicals, 25% of
the world’s pesticides are used to grow non-organic cotton. To produce T-shirts or a pair
of jeans equivalent to one kilogram of cotton requires more than 20,000 liters of water. It
is the 2nd highest carbon emitter responsible for 10% global emission. About 85% of
textiles are sent to landfills covering 4% of land which produces 21b tons of garbage every
year.
The textile and apparel products impact the environment at every point along the product
lifecycle. Today’s manufacturer and retailers must account for the environmental impacts
of the material used, the resulting waste from the forms they choose, how products are
produced and packaged, and how consumers may use and dispose the product. Hence,
there is a growing need to measure the sustainability of apparel products to minimize the
environmental impact.
Presently sustainability of textile and apparel in the worldwide is the major considerable
issue. Sustainable living is becoming more and more of a concern in the 21st century;
nowadays reputed brands are also working towards sustainability. Over the past few
years, increasing awareness of the environmental and social concerns surrounding the
fashion industry have led to a rise in the implementation of sustainability initiatives. There
has been a growing concern over apparel brands in improving their environmental impact
and the social responsibility throughout their initiatives.
Sustainable apparel products can be defined as a part of the growing design philosophy
and trend of sustainability, the goal of which is to create a system which can be supported
indefinitely in terms of environmental and social responsibility. Thus, it is important to
investigate how fashion brands are working towards product development and disposal
phases. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explain the key aspects and growing
relevance of sustainability in clothing industry and to evaluate the possibilities of fashion
retailer to act sustainable in denim jeans product development.

1
1.2 Objective of the Study

The study was carried out to fulfill the following objectives:

 To study the apparel retail brands in the context of sustainable fashion.

 To conduct a consumer survey to know their acceptability for sustainable clothing.
 To create a denim jeans collection for autumn/winter’18 season having less
environmental impact.

1.3 Need and Scope of the Study

Sustainable fashion is on the rise. In fact, eco fashion itself is forecast to be one of the
major trends of 2018, with the spotlight on transparent supply chains, innovative and eco-
friendly materials, and quality, durable items. According to research, millennial shoppers
are now more likely to buy from brands who value sustainability and corporate social
responsibility. The millennial generation is driving this shift in thinking. Even, tomorrow’s
customer is going to be more aware of these issues. As a retailer, it's the need of the hour
to take steps in an environmentally responsible manner and redefine the world of fashion.

Fig. 1.1 Need of the Study

2
1.4 Limitation of the Study

The research has been narrowed down by the choice of a pair of denim jeans only. This
product is significant as it is widely owned by consumers in large amounts and denim is
the most water-consuming product when made in a conventional way. The study used
data from existing life cycle assessment provided by the company’s suppliers and did not
conduct an actual Life-cycle assessment.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The denim industry is regarded as having one of the most harmful environmental and
ethical footprints within fashion. This study includes understanding of how the company
impacts environment in which it operates and coming up with the sustainable denim jeans
development. This study would help in improving the customer satisfaction and strengthen
the brand identity.

3
 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE

2.1 Textiles and Apparel Industry

2.1.1 Textiles and Apparel: Market Overview

India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) - Textiles & Apparels; Jan, 2018

 Rising per capita income, favorable demographics, increased penetration of

organized retail and a shift in preference to branded products to boost demand.

 The size of India’s textile and apparel

market as of July 2017 was around Textile and apparel industry in India (US $ billion)

US$ 150 billion, which is expected to

reach US$ 250 billion market by 2019,
growing at a CAGR of 13.58 percent
between 2009-2019.

 Textile plays a major role in the Indian

economy. It contributes 14 per cent to
industrial production and 4 percent to
GDP.

 With over 45 million people, the

industry is one of the largest source of
employment generation in the
country. Table 2.1

2.1.2 Denim Market in India

Author- India Retailing Bureau; January 7, 2015

Market Size and Growth

Denim is one of the most promising category in India’s apparel market. Denim is also
witnessing the fastest growth rate as an apparel fabric. The current installed capacity of
almost 1,200 million meters is expected to increase to 2,000 million meters in next three to
four years owing to the huge demand for the fabric.

4
In 2013, the denim market of India was worth 13,500 Cr. which accounts for 5 percent of the
total apparel market of the country. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 15 percent
to become 54,600 Cr. market in 2023.

Source: Technopak Analysis

Table 2.2

Driving Factors for Denim Market

Some of the key driving factors for the denim market in India are:

 An aspiration youth (15 to 29 year olds) with higher spending power than previous
generations.
 Economic factors such as increase in personal income, interest rates, and job growth play
significant roles in the fashion industry and consumer spending.
 Rapid growth of the retail sector
 The westernization trend prevalent in the nation
 A wide range of consumer segment that consider denim as an apparel of choice owing
to its comfort and style.
 Favored preference for denim amongst youth owing to its versatile association.
 Increasing usage of denim products by women and youth in smaller cities and rural
India.
 Social media has played a major role in creating awareness about various brands and
has enabled the youth to follow international trends, which they now aspire to consume
in the domestic market, thus driving growth for international brands.

5
2.1.3 India’s Denim Market Seen Primed for Growth (March 21, 2016)

Author: Mayu Saini

Denim makes up 35 percent of total textile exports from India and is expected to rise to 45
percent of total exports by 2020. The production capacity is also expected to increase, to 1.5
billion meters by 2020. Aamir Akhtar, CEO of Denim (Lifestyle Fabrics) at Arvind Mills, one
of the largest denim producers in the world, said the denims industry is growing at a
compound annual growth rate of 13 to 15 percent.

A major issue related to production is the water consumption, with 1,200 to 1,500 liters of
water needed for one pair of jeans. A lot of effort and innovation is being made by different
companies in India, but there is still a long way to go for absolute commercialization of these.

2.1.4 Statistic Brain Research Institute; Denim Jeans Industry Statistics (August 9, 2016)

Content Author: Statistic Brain

Denim Industry Statistics Data

Total number of denim jeans sold worldwide annually 1,240,000,000

Size of Global denim market by sales $56,200,000,000

Global denim fabric production in meters 2,700,000,000

Average price of a pair of denim jeans $45.32

Total number of denim mills worldwide 513

Top Purchase Drivers for Denim Jean Shoppers Women Men

Fit 83 % 64 %

Comfort 75 $ 60 %

Flattering Look 71 % 48 %

Price 64 % 49 %

Quality 55 % 46 %

Durability 56 % 45 %

Table 2.3
6
2.2 Environment & Sustainability

2.2.1 Environmental Impacts in the Fashion Industry- A Life-Cycle and Stakeholder

Framework (January, 2012).

Author- Anika Kozlowski, Michal Bardecki and Cory Searcy (Ryerson University, Canada)

This paper illustrated that the environmental impacts associated with the production and use
of apparel throughout its lifespan includes wastewater emissions, solid waste production and
significant depletion of resources from consumption of water, minerals, fossil fuels and
energy. The designer does not need to address the life cycle in a linear fashion from raw
materials to disposal but rather that all phases are considered at any point during the design
process. Phases such as disposal, apparel manufacturing and consumer use can be
addressed as design conceptualization begins as these stages have the most direct
influence.
Once the jeans are designed, decisions regarding raw materials can be addressed where the
choice of raw material can have a major influence in reducing environmental and social
impacts. The key opportunity to easily integrate sustainability objectives is as a design
standard. It is at this phase that the bulk of environmental and social impacts are fixed through
decisions such as the choice of raw materials, textiles, dye colors, finishes, and processing.

2.2.2 Sustainability: Increasing Impact on Textile and Apparel Industry (2017).

Author- H Ziya Ozek; Namik Kemal University, Turkey

This article concluded that the sustainable fashion is moving to become the mainstream in
the fashion industry. Regarding the sustainability, textiles and apparel manufacturing
practices have a significant impact on both environmental and social welfare. Hence, fashion
companies and apparel manufacturers should adopt a consumer focus when rethinking their
sustainable supply chain. However, it is still not enough for most fashion companies to
produce fashion clothing in a sustainable production system and develop them by sustainable
and recyclable materials. The use of natural and new biodegradable fibers should also be
promoted.

7
2.2.3 Holistic approach towards sustainable fashion industry (July 29, 2017)

Author- Md. Masudur Rahman, Tareq Amin

The Indian retail industry has emerged as one of the most dynamic and fast-growing
industries over the last 25 years. The Textile and clothing industry is the 2nd largest polluter
in the world. About 17-20% of global water get polluted by using toxic chemicals, 25% of the
world’s pesticides are used to grow non-organic cotton. To produce T-shirts or a pair of jeans
equivalent to one kilogram of cotton requires more than 20,000 liters of water. It is the

Fig. 2.1 The impact of Textile and Clothing industry on Environment

2nd highest carbon emitter responsible for 10% global emission. About 85% of textiles are
sent to landfills covering 4% of land which produces 21b tons of garbage every year.

2.2.4 Sustainable denim: Lifecycle Assessment (June 2017)

The Indian Textile Journal- Technology and Trade Info for tomorrow’s Textile Industry

The textile industry involves processing or converting raw material into finished cloth
employing various operations. It consumes large quantities of water and produces polluted
waste effluents. Water is used extensively throughout textile processing operations. Almost
all dyes, specialty chemicals, and finishing chemicals are applied to textile substrates from
water baths. Reducing water consumption in textile processing is important aspect of
pollution prevention efforts. Interest in ecologically friendly, wet processing textile techniques
has increased in recent years because of increased awareness of environmental issues
throughout the world. Consumers in developed countries are demanding biodegradable and
ecologically friendly textiles. The main challenge for the textile industry today is to modify
production methods, so they are more ecologically friendly at a competitive price, by using
safer dyes and chemicals and by reducing cost of effluent treatment/disposal.
8
Sustainability in denim industry

Sustain means to maintain or to uphold and with regard to industrial processes, sustainability
means establishing those principles and practices, which can help to maintain the equilibrium
of nature in other words to avoid causing irreversible damage to earth’s natural resources.
The term was first introduced in 1987 when the World Commission on Environmental
Development explained that ‘sustainable development is development that meets the needs
of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs. Sustainability in textiles refers to methods employed in the production of fabrics
that are more environmentally friendly and are produced in such a way that reduces the effect
on the environment including recycling of water and raw materials, heat recovery from waste
water and steam generation and reduction of dye and chemical usage and chemical
substitution.
The issue of sustainability with regard to dyeing in denim has for many years been a matter
of concern to environmentally-concerned garment consumers as well as leading jeans
retailers. By demonstrating a commitment to reducing demands on resources like water and
energy, pollution of water and air as well as wastefulness of dyes/chemicals for denim dyeing
and waste and degradation of cotton yarns and fabrics, participating denim producers
establish themselves as truly responsible providers of the world’s most popular fabric. In the
area of denim dyeing, there is enormous potential for reducing demand on resources
including unnecessary dye/chemical consumption, water treatment and energy.

Benefits of sustainable practices in denim industry

The benefits of employing sustainable practices in the denim industry include:

 Improved brand reputation to concerned garment producers, retailers and jeans

consumers.
 Improved customer satisfaction by establishing the company as an environmentally
responsible producer.
 Improved profitability by reducing waste, especially reducing excessive use of dyes and
chemicals which occurs in most denim operations.
 Reduction of waste water treatment by identifying and correcting causes of unnecessary
dye losses in washing.

9
2.2.5 Denim Companies Answer To the Call for Sustainable Jeans

Author: Fibre2Fashion.com

It is estimated that producing a pair of jeans consumes more than 2,500 gallons of water,
almost a pound of chemicals and large amount of energy. If this is multiplied by the number
of jeans produced globally, one can get a glimpse of the huge contribution of wastewater and
harmful gases by the denim industry to the environment.
This article reported that the denim industry will soon witness drastic improvements from its
latest innovations. Denim companies need to measure their environmental footprint to protect
the environment, as the answer to the call of sustainable jeans, at the same time benefit from
the business.

10
2.3 Retail Brands Study (Availability of Sustainable Product in Current Market):

2.3.1 in Sustainability:
H&M launched sustainable denim collection which targeted water and energy use. H&M was
to introduce a new ‘Conscious Denim’ range that used more sustainable materials and
manufacturing processes.

Fig. 2.2 Eco-Friendlier “Conscious Denim” Collection’ AW14

Fig. 2.3 Global garment collection initiative (2013)

You bring your garments, we give them a new purpose. Together we can close the loop on
fashion.

One of the biggest environmental initiatives includes “Global garment collection scheme”-
Since the start of the global Garment Collecting initiative in 2013, the H&M group has
11
collected 39,000 tons of unwanted textiles. By 2020 the company aims to collect at least
25,000 tons of textiles every year.

It is one of the world’s biggest users of recycled polyester. In 2016, they used recycled
polyester equivalent of more than 180 million PET bottles.

H&M's Conscious Exclusive collection: It is a premium collection made for special

occasions, available in around 160 H&M stores worldwide, as well as online at hm.com from
20th April 2017.

Products availability in India:

 Tees- 95% Organic cotton; Rs. 1,299/-

 Tank top- 95% Organic cotton; Rs. 799/-
 Jeans- 20% Recycled cotton; Rs. 2,699/-
 Printed trousers- 51% Recycled polyester, 80% from pre-consumer waste, 20% from
post-consumer waste; Rs. 2,299/-
 Sports tights- 78% recycled polyester, 22% elastane; Rs. 1,999/-

Fig. 2.4

12
2.3.2 Initiative towards sustainability
Zara launched ‘Join Life’, its first sustainable fashion line made from environmentally-friendly
materials in November 2015.
Materials:
• Organic Cotton (which use 90% less water to produce than conventional cotton)
• Tencel (a wood fiber sourced from sustainably managed forests)
• Recycled fabrics- Recycled polyester (by using plastic bottles), conventional recycled
textile
Items that carry the ‘Join Life’ tag were made with organic cotton, (which use 90% less water
to produce than conventional cotton), recycled wool and Tencel - a wood fiber sourced from
sustainably managed forests.

The farming process used to extract the materials consumes 90 percent less water than
conventional cotton too.

Over 55% of the production factories are located nearby, in Spain, Portugal, Turkey and
Morocco. There are currently supplier clusters operating in Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Morocco,
India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh, China, Brazil and Argentina.

Items are available online.

2.3.3 Initiative towards sustainability

Its Take Action programme (2016), the project which includes all the initiatives aimed at
creating a business model based on sustainability criteria and more
environmentally-friendly processes. MANGO has taken a new step
towards making sustainability a major component of its business
model by launching a new collection called Mango Committed in
2017. Manufactured in factories in Portugal, Turkey and Morocco, the
entire Committed Collection has been made with environmentally
friendly organic and recycled cotton, recycled polyester and Tencel
which have been dyed with environmentally friendly inks and comes
with individual international certificates “guaranteeing their
sustainable origin”.

The price point of this collection is slightly higher than the normal
Mango collection and ranges from 20 euro to 100 euro, due to the use
of premium sustainable fabrics. Fig. 2.5 Mango Committed Collection Fall/Winter 2017

13
2.3.4 Initiative towards sustainable denim

Levi's Water‹Less jeans, a new line, which costs the same as conventional ones, use 28%
less water in the finishing process. The Water<Less™ process approaches the decisions
made in the design process in a different way, reducing the amount of water used in the
finishing process.

Fig. 2.6

172 MILLION LITERS

of water saved so far using Water<Less™ finishing

13 MILLION PRODUCTS
in Levi’s® Spring '12 collection made with
Water<Less™ finishing

14
2.3.5 Initiative towards sustainable denim

Gap Inc. has implemented a mill sustainability program, monitors wastewater quality at its
denim laundries, pioneered a program called Washwell, which reduces the water used in
denim washing by 20 percent and partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council and
the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. In addition, the corporation is working to make clean water
more accessible for the communities that produce its clothing, by integrating hygiene,
sanitation and water education into its worker programming.

The GAP Inc. Washwell Program has saved 20 million liters of water, their Water Quality
Program protects local waterways and minimizes environmental impact.

$45.00
Fig. 2.7 ‘GAP 1969 JEANS’ Fig. 2.8

Under ‘Gap for Good- Washwell Program’ Developed Washwell smart wash techniques,

a process that saves millions of liters of water.

15
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODOLOGY

This study is Exploratory and Applied in nature.

Secondary and primary research methods were undertaken, which are as follows:

3.1 Secondary Research

Published research papers, journals, the brands website and other related documents have
been studied that are useful for putting the research into context of sustainable clothing. An
in-depth analysis of other retail brands denim jeans offerings in terms of price, materials,
innovation were undertaken in order to get an overall perspective. For this purpose, their
sustainability reports were also utilized.

3.2 Primary Research

Interviews: Conducting the semi-structured interviews of the experts of different departments

within the organization such as design, sourcing, buying etc. to understand their opinions
towards sustainability.

Observation: The retail brand stores were visited to get insights about the existing
initiatives taken by them for sustainable fashion.

Questionnaire: A well-structured questionnaire was designed and the consumers were

contacted in person as well through online to understand their perceptions about sustainable
clothing. The survey was conducted with female respondents between age group of 18 years
to 30 years. For this purpose, a set of questions using nominal and ordinal scale was
prepared.

ONLY suppliers’ survey was also conducted through e-mail to understand their insights about
the clothing industry and environmental impact.

16
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS

4.1 Survey findings

4.1.1 Consumers Survey to understand their perception and know their

acceptability for sustainable fashion.
• Sampling frame: women between age group of 18 years to 30 years
• Sample size: 100 respondents

Graph 4.1 Demographics

Findings reveal that the majority of the respondents are from Mumbai. Of the 100
respondents of the survey, the majority of the respondents (61%) are employed; the
remaining 35% of respondents are student and 4% are homemaker. Further, the
majority (55%) are between the age group of 20-25. Of the remainder, 41% are
between 26-30, and 4% are above 30 yrs.

Graph 4.2 Consumer spending by channel

17
According to the survey, it is found that 62% of the respondents prefer to shop in-store
and online both. And 32% prefer to shop in-store over online channel. Only 6% prefer
to skip the store altogether in favor of online channel.

Graph 4.3 Buying Frequency & Shopping Budget

When asked how often the individuals spend money in the apparel market, most (50%)
stated that they shop “monthly” (somewhat often) followed by “once in every 3 months”
(46%). The findings also reveal that majority of respondents (48%) spend around Rs.
2500-5000 followed by Rs.1000-2500 (38%).

Graph 4.4 Consumer’s Priorities while buying clothes

18
The results of the survey indicate that the most important factor in making a decision
about what to buy is the styles of clothes (R1: 62) followed by Quality and durability
(R2: 40) and comfort (R3: 43). Price (R4: 46) and brand name (R5: 75) are
comparatively least important factors while buying clothes as indicated by the
respondents.

Graph 4.5 Consumer’s preferences & awareness for sustainable clothing

Most of the respondents prefer organic food and fashion both. And, most of them are
aware of the retail brands which carry sustainable clothing ranges.

36% of the respondents prefer to purchase eco-friendly clothing very rarely; followed
by yes, but sometimes (28%) and 20% respondents feel that it is important to them
while purchasing clothing.

Graph 4.6 Consideration on purchasing Eco-friendly clothing

19
The majority of the respondents find meeting the quality standards and using the
organic materials more attractive to purchase the eco-friendly clothes, followed by
Labeling Standardizations for ‘Eco-friendly clothes’ (21%).

Graph 4.7 Consumer’s likeliness to purchase Eco-friendly clothes

Most of the respondents (54%) are fairly likely to purchase eco-friendly clothes and
39% are very likely to purchase the same.

Graph 4.8 Price range & disposal of clothes

Most of the respondents (76%) feel about the price of sustainable clothing that it should
be value for money.
71% respondents dispose their old clothes by donating them.

20
4.1.2 Conducting a Supplier’s survey to understand their insights about the
clothing industry and the environmental impact.
In total 10 companies were studied. The findings are reported below:

 According to the survey, it is found that the majority of the suppliers (80%) use
variety of materials as natural, synthetic and regenerated fibers in the products
manufactured by them. And, when it comes to the percentage of natural sourced
fabrics, most (40%) stated that they use approximate 30-45% of natural sourced
fabric, followed by 30% suppliers using 90-100% cotton and 20% using 60-65%
cotton.
 The results of the survey found that the majority of the suppliers (30%) source the
fabrics either from Domestic fabric suppliers or both domestic and imported fabric
supplier. 20% have their own mill.
 And, 90% respondents are aware of the sustainable alternatives to the raw
materials they are currently using.
 Respondents (50%) also found the cutting stage to be the most garment waste
generation stage in the manufacturing process.
 The results of the survey found that most of the respondents have STP/ ETP/ RO
plant or they have tie-up with the third party (e.g. waste management companies).
And, if the dyeing/washing is outsourced then they only work with the third-party
vendors who meet their compliance.
 Findings also reveal that all the dyeing mills with which suppliers work, are
equipped with ETP and working under the specified chemical parameters. They
treat the waste water from their washing unit and the same is audited by Factory
compliance, Pollution control board of Karnataka and 3rd party audit done by
Bestseller.

21
 Environmental impacts from their production processes:

Graph 4.9

 40% of the respondents consider the minor negative impact of natural

resources using in their production processes, followed by neutral (30%)
and no negative impacts (20%).
 30% have stated that solid waste generation has minor negative impacts or
no negative impacts. 20% consider it neutral and 20% found the moderate
negative impact of it.
 Based on the results of the survey, 30% each of the respondents consider
that wastewater effluent has neutral or no negative impacts, followed by
moderate negative impact (20%).
 The majority of the respondents (44%) have neutral statement on the impact
of greenhouse gases and 33% stated that it has no negative impact in their
production processes.
 And, they are trying to reduce by using latest technologies, taking corrective
action to control environmental impact, by incorporating best practices. For
example, they use biofuel from plant waste, by using non-hazardous
chemicals, by becoming more sustainable and adapting the wash
techniques which have less water consumption.

22
 Their opinion about the impact of clothing industry on the environment:
 Both should be handle carefully because here clothing industry is important
simultaneously taking care of environment as it plays an important role for
living- beings.
 Clothing industry is un-avoidable. So, to reduce the impact on environment is
very important, and they are trying as much as possible.
 As we know clothing industry using water more than 5k liter to one garment
directly and indirectly, we have to move to eco-friendly product production to
avoid.
 It is causing water pollution, air pollution and also impacting on natural
resources.

23
4.1.3 Interview at the Retail Stores:

Fig. 4.1

Fig. 4.2

24
4.1.4 Semi-structured Interview at ONLY

Fig. 4.3

25
4.2 Product development

During recent times, India has seen the entry of various international apparel brands,
trying to introduce a new breed of fashion stories that call for sustainable innovations
to be at the centerpiece of collections.
As a retailer, it's the need of the hour to take steps in a socially and environmentally
responsible manner. The project aimed at creating sustainable denim collection
focusing especially on the jeans category for ONLY brand. Along with, the interactive
flasher, hang tag and pocket bag were designed which is going to be launched in
Autumn/winter 2018 collection.

Fig. 4.4

26
4.2.1 Trend Analysis

Fig. 4.5

Fig. 4.6

27
4.2.2 Mood board

Fig. 4.7

4.2.3 Color board

Fig. 4.8

28
4.2.4 Look board

Fig. 4.9

4.2.5 Client board

Fig. 4.10

29
4.2.6 Design exploration

30
4.2.7 Final product designs

31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
38
39
40
41
43
44
45
46
4.2.8 Branding of Sustainable Jeans

47
 CONCLUSION

The Indian retail industry has emerged as one of the most dynamic and fast-growing
industries over the last 25 years. From fiber production to the end consumer use, in
each stage there are different factors such as use of natural resources, water usage,
chemicals, textile waste, landfill etc. influencing the environment. Within that, denim is
the most water-consuming product when made in a conventional way. As a retailer,
it's the need of the hour to take steps in a socially and environmentally responsible
manner. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explain the key aspects and
growing relevance of sustainability in clothing industry and to evaluate the possibilities
of fashion retailer to act sustainably in denim jeans development. With the help of the
analysis of primary and secondary data, the outcome of the project led to designing a
denim jeans collection for ONLY brand that was manufactured in sustainable way.
Along with, the interactive flasher, hang tag and pocket bag were designed which is
going to be launched in Autumn/winter 2018 collection.

48
 REFERENCES

1. Anika Kozlowski, Michal Bardecki and Cory Searcy (Ryerson University,

Canada); January, 2012. Environmental Impacts in the Fashion Industry- A
Life-Cycle and Stakeholder Framework.
2. H Ziya Ozek ; August 29, 2017. Sustainability: Increasing Impact on Textile
and Apparel Industry (2017). Volume 2 Issue 5 – 2017; Department of Textiles
Engineering & Fashion Technology, Namik Kemal University, Turkey.
3. Md. Masudur Rahman, Tareq Amin (July 29, 2017); Holistic approach towards
sustainable fashion industry (part 1).
4. Md Mashiur Rahman Khan and Md Mazedul Islam (17 July 2015). Materials
and manufacturing environmental sustainability evaluation of apparel product:
knitted T-shirt case study-Textiles and Clothing Sustainability; © Khan and
Islam. 2015.

5. India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) - Textiles & Apparels; (Jan,

2018).Textiles and Apparel: Market Overview

www.ibef.org

6. India Retailing Bureau; (January 7, 2015). Denim Market in India

http://www.indiaretailing.com/2015/01/07/fashion/denim-market-in-india/

7. Mayu Saini; (March 21, 2016). India’s Denim Market Seen Primed for Growth

http://wwd.com/fashion-news/denim/india-denim-market-growth-10388888/

8. Statistic Brain Research Institute; (August 9, 2016). Denim Jeans Industry

Statistics

https://www.statisticbrain.com/denim-jeans-industry-statistics/

9. Denim Companies Answer To the Call for Sustainable Jeans.

Fibre2Fashion.com

http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/7245/denim-companies-answer-
to-the-call-for-sustainable-jeans?page=1
49
10. https://inhabitat.com/ecouterre/hm-debuts-eco-friendlier-conscious-denim-
collection/
11. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/zara-sustainable-collection-join-life
12. https://www.zara.com/us/en/sustainability-suppliers-l1456.html?v1=967751
13. http://www.refinery29.com/2017/02/141038/mango-launch-sustainable-
collection
14. Sustainable Denim- Emerging Trend; by the WGSN Denim Team. Materials &
Textiles, Innovation & Sustainability
https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/natural-beauty-fashion/stories/levis-waterless-
program-saves-precious-freshwater-resources
15. Deborah Drew and Genevieve Yehounme - July 05, 2017. The Apparel
Industry’s Environmental Impact in 6 Graphics.
http://www.wri.org/blog/2017/07/apparel-industrys-environmental-impact-6-
graphics
16. https://www.greenchoices.org/green-living/clothes/environmental-impacts
17. https://startupfashion.com/ingeo-fabric-made-from-corn/
18. http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/6257/applications-of-jute
19. https://www.greenchoices.org/green-living/clothes/more-sustainable-fabrics
20. http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/ril-forays-into-co-branded-
apparel-launches-r-elan-228382-newsdetails.htm
21. https://about.bestseller.com/about-us/our-company
22. https://fashionista.com/2018/03/gap-sustainable-fabrics-water-conservation

50
 APPENDIX- I
Bestseller- The Company

BESTSELLER is a privately held family-owned clothing

company based in Denmark, Europe in 1975. The
company was founded in 1975 by Troels Holch
Povlsen in Brande, Denmark. Originally its focus was
on women's fashion. It introduced children's clothing in 1986 and menswear in 1988.

Brands under Bestseller

Globally, the company has more than 20 brands. The brands are listed below:

Footprint in India
In such a short span, Bestseller has grown tremendously in numbers and
geographically. They are now present in over 57 Indian cities in both EBOs and shop-
in-shops. BESTSELLER India currently has 110 exclusive brand outlets and is present
in over 300 shop-in-shops in external multi-brand stores throughout India.

Corporate Sustainability

BESTSELLER strives for a sustainable development in the fashion industry by

developing suppliers in a more sustainable direction and inspiring customers to make
more conscious choices by offering more sustainable products. BESTSELLER has no

51
ownership interests in the production chain but cooperates with selected suppliers
primarily in China, India, Bangladesh, Turkey and Italy.

SUSTAINABILITY IN BESTSELLER: T H E 2 0 B Y 2 0 S T R AT E G Y

In autumn 2013, BESTSELLER adopted a new strategy called ’20 by 20’ which guides
their sustainability work towards the year 2020.The aim is that their sustainability work
will bring them among the best in the industry. They want to make it easier for their
customers to choose products manufactured with less impact on the environment, and
they want their colleagues throughout the whole company to take part in the
sustainability work.

ONLY- The Brand

ONLY is an international high fashion brand with a growing global presence and a
sound, responsive business operation. ONLY was introduced to the Danish market in
1995, and forayed into the Indian market with the launch of the first store in Mumbai
in 2010. Having received an overwhelming response, they have rapidly expanded their
style footprint in the country with 54 Exclusive Brand Outlets, and 140 Shop in Shops
till date.
It is a fashion brand with a broad and international approach. Looking at the latest
trends, ONLY defines its own unique version of fashion, always considering the
different fashion moments each ONLY girl comes across. That’s why the latest trends
always show in their product line. The ONLY collections feature a unique, real and
modern identity and attractive styles with international class.
Apart from being a fashion brand ONLY is also a denim brand. The brand mission
states 'The blood in our veins is indigo blue and denim is a constant state-of-mind'. In
effect, all ONLY collections reflect the denim attitude, look and image.

52
 APPENDIX-II
Consumer survey-Questionnaire pathway

53
 APPENDIX-III

ONLY Suppliers survey Checklist:

1. What are the materials used in your products?

2. What is the approximate percentage of fabrics that you use are from natural
sources?
Natural sourced fabric: cotton, silk, wool, Flax etc.
3. Where do you source the fabrics from?
4. Are you aware of the sustainable alternatives to the raw materials you are
currently using?
5. At which stage the most garment waste is generated in the garment
manufacturing process?
6. Which part of the production is outsourced?
7. If the dyeing/washing is outsourced, are the third-party vendors having effluent
treatment facility?
8. What do they do for the waste treatment?
9. If they don't have such facility, are you doing something to control that?
10. What chemicals are you using in garment washing or finishing and what are
their impacts on the environment?
Chemicals: Enzyme, Bleaching agent, Caustic Soda, Detergent, Acetic Acid,
Sodium hyposulfite, Potassium permanganate, Softening Agent etc.
11. Do you have sustainable dyeing/printing/washing process (i.e. water reuse, the
chemicals from Green chemistry, Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals,
Green Screen Certified etc.)?
12. On an average, how many Kgs of textile waste are created from garment
production and how is it discarded?
13. What do you do with solid waste as raw materials, packaging materials etc.?
14. What do you do with the liquid waste generated during production processes?
15. How important do you consider each of the following potential environmental
impacts from your production processes?
16. If you consider their environmental impact then how are you trying to reduce it?
17. Do you have any environmental/social certifications for your production?
18. If yes, which are these?

54
 19. What is your view on carbon footprint and what are you doing to reduce it?
20. What is your opinion about the impact of clothing industry on the environment?

Responses:

Company Name
1. Raymond Uco Denim Pvt Ltd, Bangalore
2. CTA Apparels Pvt. Ltd., Noida
3. B.L.International Clothing Pvt Ltd, Tirupur
4. Akr Textile, Bangalore
5. Eastman Exports Gobal Clothing Pvt Ltd, Tirupur
6. Fancy Fashion, Noida
7. Fashionage Corporation Pvt Ltd, Faridabad
8. Srv Knit Tech Pvt Ltd., Bangalore
9. Radnik Exports, Noida
10. Suryalakshmi Cotton Mills Ltd, Telangana

Respondents Designation
Director- 1
Merchandising Manager- 5
Senior Merchandiser- 2
Merchandiser- 2
1. What are the materials used in your products?
a) Natural (Cotton, silk, wool)
b) Synthetic (polyester, nylon, acrylic etc.)
c) Regenerated (viscose, rayon, modal, lyocell- TENCEL® etc.)

Materials
10%
10%

80%

All of them a&b a&c

55
2. What is the approximate percentage of fabrics that you use are from natural
sources?
Natural sourced fabric: cotton, silk, wool, Flax etc.
 98% Cotton 2% Elastane
 60%
 40%
 100% Cotton
 Cotton - 65% rest we are using in rare case
 35-40 %
 20 - 25%
 45% Cotton. 10% wool, 10% viscose,15% acro wool 15% poly/acrylic,5% nylon
 40% Polyester, 30% Cotton, 30% Viscose
 Cotton (90-92%)
3. Where do you source the fabrics from?
a) Domestic fabric supplier
b) Imported fabric supplier
c) Your own mill

20%
30
k
30%
%
%
20%

30%

a a&b c All of them

56
4. Are you aware of the sustainable alternatives to the raw materials you are currently
using?
e.g. Organic cotton and Better cotton for conventional cotton; Tencel, Recycled polyester
for Polyester etc.)

10%

90%

Yes No

5. At which stage the most garment waste is generated in the garment manufacturing
process?
a) Cutting
b) Dyeing/ Printing
c) Sewing
d) Other (Washing-2, Embroidery & other value added process-1)

10%

10%

10% 50%

10%

10%

a b d a&b b&d All of them

57
6. Which part of the production is outsourced?
a) Dyeing/ Printing
b) Embroidery
c) Washing
d) Other (For specialized handwork-1, All are in-house-1)

10%
20%

20%
10%

40%
a b a&b d All of them
7. If the dyeing/washing is outsourced, are the third-party vendors having effluent
treatment facility?
 Yes (4)
 Yes (2)
 Yes , we are working with vendor who has the treatment facility
 Own unit
 Yes.
 Not applicable
8. What do they do for the waste treatment?
 Made STP plant for waste treatment which evaporates automatically.
 There is on-site ETP plant in our all units
 ETP
 Factory sending waste to third party water recycle plants, some have their own.
 We are having RO plant.
 They handover it to waste management companies.
 They treat their wastes in accordance to govt. norms.
 Tie up with Bharat oil waste management.
 We have ETP facilities to remove the chemicals from water and treat to reuse it.

58
9. If they don't have such facility, are you doing something to control that?
 N/a (2)
 We have facility of STP plant
 N.A.
 No, in Bangalore pollution control board monitoring the waste water management.
 We will not give such supplier who doesn't have waste treatment method
 No, they handle it at their own
 We do not work with such vendors.
 Not applicable
10. What chemicals are you using in garment washing or finishing and what are their
impacts on the environment?
Chemicals: Enzyme, Bleaching agent, Caustic Soda, Detergent, Acetic Acid, Sodium
hyposulfite, Potassium permanganate, Softening Agent etc.
 All are harmful to environment. To control this factory should have STP plant without
fail.
 Softening agent & detergent
 All the dyeing mills are equipped with ETP and working under the specified chemical
parameters.
 Softening agents , untreated water affecting the water bodies & soil
 Silicon & bleaching agent - about impact I don't know
 Detergent & softening agent
 Normal washing
 We treat the waste water from our washing unit. The same is audited by 1. Factory
compliance, 2. Pollution control board of Karnataka. 3.3rd party audit done by best
sellers.
 Softener - detergent
 We use these chemicals only and we are minimizing it through ETP facilities.

59
 11. Do you have sustainable dyeing/printing/washing process (i.e. water reuse, the
chemicals from Green chemistry, Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals, GreenScreen
Certified etc.)?

30%

70%

Yes No

12. On an average, how many Kgs of textile waste are created from garment production
and how is it discarded?
 Approximately 100 to 200 kgs. Will be used for boiler heating.
 Approx. 15-20% are created waste.
 Apx. 3 tons of cutting waste and overlock side waste, which is being used for re-
cycled yarn.
 Approx. 10-15% on average garment weight. Discarded through by making
biproduct.
 No knowledge
 200-300 kgs
 Since we do enzyme and detergent washes, only we have a very small amount of
solid waste that is produced. We give to the department 15 to 20 kgs of solid waste
every quarter.
 We all sending it to authorized dealers, where it is being recycled
 No idea
13. What do you do with solid waste as raw materials, packaging materials etc.?
 Which will be re-cycled
 Sending to authorized agent for disposal / recycle
 Disposed locally for re-cycling.
 Send it for recycling after segregation

60
  Re- using for another product.
 We hand over it to waste management company
 No
 All solid waste is sold to govt. approved vendors in Karnataka.
 Raw materials are being sent back to the suppliers
 Generally we don't have that much of solid wastage and we avoid to use the
packaging materials which are harmful to the environment.
14. What do you do with the liquid waste generated during production processes?
 Which will be re-direct to STP plant
 Sending to authorized agent for disposal / recycle
 No liquid waste, as we do only cutting to packing.
 Send to recycling plants
 Re-process and re-using
 We handover it to waste management company
 ETP plant
 Liquid waste is treated. The solid parts are made to sludge and then pan dried and
given to the pollution board as powder.
 1) used oil, diesel etc. are being sent it to the bharat oil waste management
(authorized dealer for wastage) (2) waste water is being recycled through ETP (3) RO
rejected water is being recycled through ETP.
 We treat with ETP facilities
15. How important do you consider each of the following potential environmental impacts
from your production processes?

61
16. If you consider their environmental impact then how are you trying to reduce it?
 Trying to reduce by using latest technologies.
 PNG boiler replaced the HSD boiler, 750 kw-100kw- 71 kw solar energy plant have
been installed
 We urge for planting trees, we use to dispose the waste for re-cycling.
 By recycling
 Taking corrective action to control environmental.
 By incorporating best practices. For example, we use biofuel from plant waste.
Would otherwise burn the vegetable waste to clear land for crop.
 We have policy.
 By use of non-hazardous chemicals, by becoming more sustainable and adapting the
wash techniques which have less water consumption
17. Do you have any environmental/social certifications for your production?

20%

80%

Yes No

18. If yes, which are these?

a) Oeko-Tex® Standard 100
b) Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
c) World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO)
d) Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP)
e) Better Cotton Initiative (BCI)
f) Fair Trade
g) Made-By

62
 h) Other (OCs Standard, ERTS, ISO-14001-1)

13%
25%

13%

12% 12%

25%

a e a&b a, b,d & e a, b,d,e & f b,e & h

19. What is your view on carbon footprint and what are you doing to reduce it?
 Maximum trying to reduce air pollution.
 By installing solar plant, energy efficient sewing machine replaced the old clutch -
motor machine, Replace HSD Boiler to PNG Boiler, replacing old air conditioner to
energy efficient ACs.
 It is also very important to reduce.
 In order to reduce the carbon use & emission, we are moving to solar power.
 No knowledge
 We try to keep our data in e storage as much as possible
 We are neutral in the steam generation as we are using bio waste as fuel for boiler.
 1) conversion of diesel boilers into PNG (2) installation of solar panels and producing
116 KWA of electricity (3) conversion of normal lights into led (4) conversion of
clutch motors into servo motors (5) water conversation system.
20. What is your opinion about the impact of clothing industry on the environment?
 Both should be handle carefully because here clothing industry is important
simultaneously taking care of environment also key role of human being.
 Introducing ZLD and Green Energy, Reducing Fossil Fuel otherwise would be serious
for the environment.
 Clothing is industry is un-avoidable, so, to reduce the impact on environment is very
important, and will try as much as possible.

63
 As you know clothing industry using water more than 5k liter to one garment directly
and indirectly, we have to move to eco-friendly product production to avoid.
 My personal option is have to get the fabric import and then we have to
manufacture the garment and need to export
 It is causing water pollution, air pollution and also impacting on natural resources
 If done in a sustainable manner our industry is not a polluting as the meet industry
for example.
 Polluting the water and air

64
 APPENDIX-IV

1. Suppliers Responsible production

a) Candiani
Candiani S.p.A. is an international leading company for the production of denim fabric. With
more than 75 years of experience in the textile industry, Candiani S.p.A. is the supplier for the
most prestigious brands worldwide, with its product being one of the most valued fabrics by
the fashion industry.

b) Arvind Ltd. - Reducing Water Consumption through EIM

The Garment Unit at Bengaluru has been using Environmental Impact Measuring
(EIM) software to monitor and control its washing activities since last three years. This
software analyses the environmental impact of a garment finishing process across
parameters such as:

• Water Consumption

• Chemical Product Use

• Energy Consumption

65
• Worker Health

Initiative Brief
Rain Forest • Low liquor ratio
• Water Re-circulation system
• Water savings around 50%

Nostone washing • Eliminates use of pumice stone

• Stainless steel abrasive drum fastened
to the washing machine
• Mechanical rather than chemical
process

Ozone machine • To reduce water consumption.

• To reduce chemical consumption.
• Reduce Sludge generation
• O2+[O] ______ O3

Laser technology • Replacement of PP spray

• produce incredible & natural looking
effects on denim

EIM soft ware • The assesses environmental impact of garment

finishing process in terms of
1.Water consumption
2.Power consumption
3.Chemicals used
4.Workers health

E-flow • Chemicals used along with minimal water and

transformed into Nano bubbles to
spray on garments instead of
conventional wash process
• Less water consumption

JEANius Finishing • ECO Friendly

System • Water savings 60%
• Chemical savings 10%

66
c)Suryalakshmi- Innovation in Denim Processing
Technology:
LASER
OZONE
E-FLOW

Chemicals:
CLOUD ENZYME SPRAY
NO PUMICE STONE
REPLACING PP

LASER: One machine, multiple operations

Dry process, Damaging, Light PP, design etching, light scrapper & LSF testing.
Reduces manual operations and thus reduces health hazards involved in dry
processing.

OZONE: Washed by the Atmosphere

This technology reduces the usage of water and energy. Eliminates toxic processed
like bleaching and permanganate usage. Uses air from the atmosphere, the G2 Cube
reproduces ozone gas conditions to give garments the real look of outdoor used.

E-FLOW: Air is the future

In e-flow technology, air from the atmosphere is transformed into nano-bubbles.
Products and water are then naturally distributed and create the nano-bubble skin, a
perfect homogenous mix between water, products and air. The skin of the nano-
bubbles is responsible for transporting the properties of the product to garment in an
optimal & efficient way.

Applications possible:
Enzyme washes
Softening
Resin spray
Tinting
Acid washes

67
 Water repellent finish
Stone wash

CLOUD ENZYME SPRAY: Spraying of liquid enzyme to create a cloud using e-flow.
Thus Nano-bubbles skin is created where the chemical is naturally distributed on
garments in machine creating an enzyme wash with less water. This chemistry allows
for tremendous energy and water savings (up to 80%).

NO PUMICE STONE
An exceptional compound to eliminate pumice stones from washing process. This
liquid form chemical creates a very aggressive stone-wash look on denims with good
abrasion, color loss and high low effects at seam areas and with very less back
staining.

The process cuts down costs and environmental impact with zero pumice sludge,
water savings and cost effective.

REPLACEMENT OF PP
Innovative compound AVOL OXY WHITE replacing hazardous PP chemical. A
bleaching agent created to give localizes contrast levels on denims. An ecological
product with less impact on environment and human health.

Main benefits:
 Free from manganese compounds, chlorine, iodine and bromine
 Stunning quality and perfect used look of the final product
 Safe to handle
 Easy to apply

68
2. Impact assessment- EIM data findings

Stdad - Stdad - Manual Stdad - Enzyme Stdad -

2 3 4
Manual Scraping wash Drain
1
Whiskering
Time: 60 min
(table) Time: 1 min
Temperature: 28 ºC
LR: 1:3 Temperature: 25
Time: 6 min
Chemicals: Dispersing ºC
agent (APEO free) 2 gr / LR: 1:0
Time: 6 min
ltr, ATB 710 2 gr / ltr

5 Stdad - Rinse 6 Stdad - Drain Stdad - Stdad -

7
Hydroextraction 8 Tumbler
Drying
Time: 3 min
Time: 1 min
Temperature: 28
Temperature: 25 ºC Time: 7 min Time: 45 min
ºC
LR: 1:0 Temperature: 65
LR: 1:8
ºC

Stdad - Laser 10 Stdad - Rinse 11 Stdad - Drain 12 softener

9
pp
Time: 5 min
Time: 3 min Time: 1 min Temperature: 28
Temperature: 28 ºC Temperature: 25 ºC ºC
Time: 120 sec
LR: 1:8 LR: 1:0 LR: 1:3
Chemicals:
Cationic Softener
2 gr / ltr

Stdad - Stdad - Stdad - Tumbler

13 14 15
Drain Hydroextraction Drying

69
 Time: 1 min
Temperature: 25 Time: 45 min
Time: 7 min
ºC Temperature: 65 ºC
LR: 1:0

Environmental Information
Total Processing Time (To process 100 Kg of garment) 50h 02'

Chemical Worker
Water Impact Energy Impact
l/Garment
11.0 kwh/Garment
1.54 Impact 11 Impact 9
Garment Garment

Your EIM SCORE is Low Impact 20

Source: Arvind Ltd. EIM Data

70