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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Alessandro Brun

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Guest Editor

Department of Management, Politecnico di Milano, 20156 Milano, Italy
Interests: fashion supply chains; supply chain management; luxury for sustainability; quality management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

At the end of April 2020, fashion and luxury groups posted their Q1 2020 results, and, not surprisingly, the numbers confirm that even the industry that does not know crisis has capitulated to the effect of the Covid-19 outbreak. Hermes proved to be “the” evergreen luxury, with “just” a single digit reduction in Q1 revenues (−6.5% vs. Q1 2019). Double digit losses were reported for LVMH (−15%) and Kering (−15.4%); Moncler posted −18% after 24 consecutive quarters of double-digit growth. In this scenario, brands are reflecting upon the future of the fashion-luxury industry after the pandemic.

The pandemic outbreak has stimulated deep societal reflections around the main theme of “where is humanity going?” Consumers will be even more aware of sustainability, and brands and product categories that allow for “responsible consumption” will be privileged. Giorgio Armani penned an open letter to WWD in which he challenged the current fast-fashion mindset, saying that he believes in an “approach to the design and making of garments that suggests a way of buying them: to make them last”.

We all hope that Giorgio Armani’s call to action will not fall on deaf ears and that fashion-luxury brands will start to reorganize around a more sustainable and responsible mindset. This will mean that significant changes in the fashion supply chain will take place soon.

One relevant area of research in the fashion supply chain is Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM). Papers are welcome that investigate the changes that will take place in sustainable practices in fashion supply chains:

Will the new scenario allow for more sustainable business models? Will fashion brands find a way to realign the fashion season with the weather season (which, according to Armani, are now “criminally misaligned”)?
What is the impact of the digitalization of processes, virtualization of fashion shows, and the heavy adoption of smart working and online meetings?
Many companies will close down or will have to cut jobs. What would be the effect on the skills of experienced workers? Who will have the responsibility to invest in training new craftspeople?
Will the crisis impact planned investments in newer and cleaner technologies? Or will governments’ financial support foster more green investments?
Will there be a new enthusiasm for local production? What would be the impact in terms of reduced logistics? What about excess production—to be heavily discounted let alone burned at the end of the selling season?
Will SSCM metrics and KPIs be developed and included in corporate goals and public reports and statements?

Prof. Dr. Alessandro Brun
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

Covid-19 outbreak
supply chain management
luxury for sustainability
luxury fashion supply chains
fashion-luxury industry
sustainable business models
newer and cleaner technologies
green investments

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 526 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Production Scheduling of Personalized Fashion Goods in a Mass Customization Environment

by Jens K. Perret, Katharina Schuck and Carolin Hitzegrad

Sustainability 2022, 14(1), 538; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su14010538 - 04 Jan 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2945

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has put fashion manufacturers’ needs for optimization in the spotlight. This study argues that mass customization is becoming increasingly instrumental for offering consumers individualized solutions and that suppliers of fashion have to look for more sophisticated solutions in order to face the increasing demand for more sustainable products. With the deduction of a mathematical model derived from production sequencing it became evident that sustainability can be associated with a level production schedule and that cost-based production optimization is useful in achieving holistic sustainability in the fashion industry. The flexibility in the conceived mathematical model specifications allows for a generalizable approach, not limited to a single branch of the fashion industry. This paper additionally delivers a cost-based optimization approach which fashion companies, operating in a mass customization production layout, can easily implement without extensive know-how. The proposed two-stage algorithm is based on the concept of level scheduling. In a first stage, the algorithm determines a feasible production sequence in a time-efficient way while, in the second stage, it further advances the efficiency of the solution. Thus, it offers a framework to optimize a production in a mass customization environment and can contribute to a company taking major steps towards a holistic sustainable orientation as available resources are used more (cost) efficiently. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Fashion Industry in the Aftermath of COVID-19)

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Review

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18 pages, 1286 KiB

Open AccessReview

Towards A Conceptual Framework of Sustainable Practices of Post-consumer Textile Waste at Garment End of Lifecycle: A Systematic Literature Review Approach

by Esther Oluwadamilola Olufemi Rotimi, Cheree Topple and John Hopkins

Sustainability 2021, 13(5), 2965; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13052965 - 09 Mar 2021

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 6745

Abstract

Fashion is characterised by rapidly changing trends and consumption patterns which have led to complexities and dynamism of the fashion supply chain (SC). Excessive generation of wastes highlights the need for innovative ways to address unsustainable practices by feeding the waste back into the supply chain system. This paper reviews the extant literature on sustainability within the fashion industry’s supply chain to establish available sustainability practices to manage post-consumer textile waste (PCTW) at garment end of lifecycle. Four sustainable practices emerged from the review—education and engagement, recovery and redistribution, reuse, and recycling—and are central to a framework that shows the interaction of garment end of lifecycle practices and could the achievement of strategic competitive advantage. Our findings emphasise the importance for interaction and collaboration between consumers and retailers and further involvement of the entire supply chain. In addition, sustainability paradoxes were evident across the sustainable practices. To avoid this, for retailers are urged to shift towards cradle to cradle (closed loop) lifecycle supply chains. Furthermore, retailers should evaluate the practices they adopt by questioning their aim in the achievement of sustainability. We suggest that firms should consider the entire supply chain when adopting a sustainable practice and each agent’s role in achieving the overall outcome of sustained competitive advantage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Fashion Industry in the Aftermath of COVID-19)

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