Resumen de Sustainability integration in luxury fashion supply chains: an empirical investigation of leather and textiles in Italy
This study explores the extent to which both environmental and social sustainability is integrated in luxury fashion supply chains producing textile garments and leather shoes in Italy. Firstly, a systematic literature review was conducted in order to categorise environmental and social sustainability practices implemented in fashion operations. Subsequently, from a natural resource-based view perspective, a multiple case study method was adopted, covering ten companies located at multiple stages of Italian textiles and leather supply chains. To investigate sustainability integration in luxury fashion supply chain management, industrial practices were systematically decomposed into product, process and supply chain levels in accordance with the three dimensional concurrent engineering framework. Hazardous chemical elimination and organic material use appeared to be the emergent product-level practices that deliver operational benefits such as cost reduction and market benefits such as improved product quality. Process-level practices, on the other hand, mainly focused on water and energy reduction due to cost reduction strategies rather than environmental stewardship. Supply chain-level practices encompassed traceability and supplier audits but only to a limited extent as a consequence of a lack of supply chain visibility. Furthermore, the study investigated the factors impeding sustainability in luxury fashion supply chain management. Lack of knowledge, lack of awareness, lack of supplier engagement, and competing commercial pressures impede sustainability and make it difficult to translate sustainability objectives into daily based activities. Results reveal that supplier engagement, collaboration, innovativeness and knowledge sharing are greatly needed across supply chains in order to advance transparency and supply chain traceability. Lastly, the study concludes that relational and technical components must be developed and deployed across supply networks and that sustainability must be embedded in the business philosophy to embark on rather radical strategies to truly embrace sustainability in luxury fashion.
