Obstacles in Green Production in the Textile Industry

DNHN - The textile industry is one of the largest and most important industries, contributing significantly to the global economy. However, the industry is facing many challenges in greening its production for sustainable development.

Challenges of the Textile Industry

The textile sector has difficult resource and waste management needs. It consumes a large amount of water and raw materials such as cotton, wool, synthetic fibres and chemicals. However, ensuring a sustainable supply of resources and reducing the amount of resources used can be a major challenge.

The production chain in the textile industry generates a large amount of solid waste and wastewater that are harmful to the environment. Proper waste treatment and recycling is a challenge that needs to be addressed to reduce the negative impact on the environment.

The textile and garment industry also frequently has high labour levels and needs inexpensive labour, in addition to having strict labour and safety regulations. This can lead to unsafe and unfair working conditions. To green the production chain, it is necessary to ensure a safe working environment and fair working conditions for workers.

Ensuring the rights and well-being of workers in the textile industry is a challenge. There is a need for strong policies and regulations to ensure that companies comply with labour rights, including fair wages, reasonable working hours and benefits for workers.

The production process in the textile industry generates emissions that pollute the environment, including emissions from machinery and waste treatment processes. Reducing emissions and responding to climate change is another challenge for the industry.

It is worth noting that in European countries, there is now a Green Deal (EGD) with targets set for 2030 and a vision for 2050; including a separate agreement on the development of sustainable textiles with many requirements for recycled materials and product life.

In 2024, the EU is also expected to introduce Ecodesign regulations in the textile industry to limit textile waste and food waste in Farm to Fork. These regulations require manufacturers and exporters to prepare and convert production accordingly.

Professor Andreas Stoffers, Country Director of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) in Vietnam, said that for the Vietnamese textile industry, the EU has been and is a leading export market. However, for the EU, textiles are among the top industries causing environmental degradation and climate change.

Therefore, textiles are also among the EU’s most focused green efforts. Most of the EU’s green textile policies are focused on the Circular and Sustainable Textiles strategy with policy directions on eco-design ensuring durability, repairability, recyclability, enhanced information through the product’s digital passport, information requirements to combat greenwashing, minimising the release of microplastics from textile products into the environment, minimising toxic chemicals in fibres and applying extended producer responsibility…

Compared to many other industries and sectors, the standards applied to the textile industry are considered more complex, challenging and significant, covering all textile products and being legislated as minimum legal requirements, and mandatory implementation rather than just recommendations.

In addition, the standards, measures and regulations of the EU Green Deal affect many stages in the production chain, from design to raw materials, from production, cultivation to transportation, from use to repair, from disposal to recycling… not just applying to the final product.

Although the challenges are such, if the green standards in the production industry are strictly adhered to and implemented, it will help the transition to green production in a proactive, synchronous and comprehensive manner. This is a great opportunity for businesses and also the best way for businesses to get ahead, with early access to the EU’s potential green product market with a rapidly growing green consumer base in the region.

In addition, early adaptation to green requirements in the EU also provides some assurance of the export capacity of businesses to other developed markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia…

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr Dinh Trong Thinh, a senior lecturer at the Academy of Finance, in the process of greening production, and reducing carbon emissions has received more attention from many businesses. Although the change is not much, the transformation is clear. This has created favourable conditions for Vietnamese goods to access demanding markets.

Mr Thinh said that in addition to the efforts of businesses, there needs to be the accompaniment of the Government, ministries, sectors and localities in creating a policy corridor to encourage investors to move towards “green production”; which, mainly policies on credit with preferential interest rates and limits for businesses investing and producing green products. This is also a specific step for Vietnam to achieve the “zero carbon” commitment by 2050.

Measures to Green the Production Chain in the Textile Industry

Firstly, the textile industry needs to find ways to use sustainable raw materials such as organic cotton, recycled fibres and environmentally friendly chemicals. At the same time, recycling and reusing waste in the production process should be promoted.

Secondly, companies in the textile industry should invest in research and development of new technologies to improve production efficiency, save energy and reduce emissions. Green technologies such as energy management systems, automation and the use of renewable energy sources can be applied.

Thirdly, businesses need to ensure a safe and fair working environment for workers, while complying with regulations on fair wages and labour rights.

Fourthly, businesses in the textile industry need to create a sustainable supply system by working closely with suppliers, manufacturers and other partners to ensure compliance with green standards and track product origins.

The textile industry is facing challenges in greening its production for sustainable development. However, with investment in advanced technology, efficient resource and waste management, improved working conditions and cooperation in the textile industry’s supply chain, these challenges can be overcome.

Nghe Nhan