Unravelling sustainability in the textile industry: A literature and case study analysis on Industrial Symbiosis initiatives

The textile industry contributes approximately 2 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes substantial amounts of energy, water, and chemicals throughout its supply chain, leading to relevant environmental concerns. This environmental impact is further compounded by the growing volumes of industrial and end-of-life textile waste generated during manufacturing processes and by consumer habits. Regrettably, only 20 percent of this waste is currently recycled globally, primarily for downcycling applications. To address these challenges and align the textile industry with circular economy principles, industrial symbiosis emerges as a potential solution by transforming textile waste into high-value resources. Over the past few years, scientific literature has investigated the topic of industrial symbiosis within the textile industry, albeit in a fragmented way. To reduce the cloudiness around this topic, a review of existing literature is conducted and the main dimensions describing industrial symbiosis initiatives are pointed out. These are then applied through multiple case studies. Overall, this paper provides an improved understanding of industrial symbiosis initiatives, thus helping textile companies comprehend what is needed to be considered for undertaking this transition.