Drivers of Global Buyer Sourcing of Sustainable Apparel from a South African Supply Chain
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The first national meeting of textile and clothing professors took place in Madison, Wisconsin in June 1959. With a mission to advance excellence in education, scholarship and innovation, and their global applications, the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) is a professional and educational association of scholars, educators, and students in the textile, apparel, and merchandising disciplines in higher education.
This site provides free, public access to the ITAA annual conference proceedings beginning in 2015. Previous proceedings can be found by following the "Additional ITAA Proceedings" link on the left sidebar of this page.
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Abstract
Faced with increasing imports, business failure, and sharp drops in employment, South Africa's textile and apparel industries are struggling to find a way to increase competitiveness. Recently, a Sustainable Cotton Cluster was established with the goal of creating an integrated sustainable supply chain in South Africa that starts with cotton farmers, extends through textile and apparel manufacturing, and places strong emphasis on environmental sustainability and social responsibility at every step of production. It is possible that the integrated supply chain could be valued by global buyers (brands and retailers) that are increasingly emphasizing sustainability. The purpose of this research was to understand the potential drivers of global buyer sourcing of products produced in the integrated supply chain. An online survey was conducted with industry professionals working for global brands and retailers, and a few large apparel manufacturers with their own brands.