Water footprint management in the fashion supply chain: A review of emerging trends and research challenges

Fashion industry is one of most water-dependent production sectors. The cultivation of cotton, which is used in 40% of all clothing produced globally, is the most water-consuming stage across apparel supply chains, further considering that several cotton farming regions face water scarcity. The textile industry utilises significant freshwater volumes throughout all processing operations (e.g. dyeing, bleaching, washing), while contributes to freshwater pollution during the thorough washing of the fabrics to remove chemicals. From an end-to-end supply chain perspective, the impact of consumers in terms of water consumption and pollution due to laundry and detergents’ use cannot be neglected. In this chapter, we first present all conceptual components and unique characteristics of sustainable fashion supply chains and then provide an up-to-date review on water footprint assessment and management in the textile industry. Our work aims at advancing the research field of water-friendly fashion supply chains by identifying: (i) emerging trends in the clothing industry and their impact on freshwater resources, and (ii) research challenges and opportunities for water footprint management across apparel supply chains. We anticipate that this research could act as a roadmap for decision-makers in the textile and fashion industries to develop state-of-the-art strategies for water-efficient clothing products.