Digital solutions for engaging end-consumers in the circular economy of the textile and clothing value chain - A systematic review

Abstract

The way each person dresses has been considered a cultural manifestation and a portrait of societies, where each one expresses their habits, customs and values. The improvement in living standards, especially in developed countries, accompanied by the emergence of Fast fashion, has led to an exaggerated increase in the consumption of clothing products. This increase has a growing impact on the environment, not only in soil erosion and water consumption, due to the production of fibers such as cotton, linen, and others, but also due to the use of chemical products in the manufacturing processes of these products. The increase in consumption and the reduction in the useful lifetime of garments has led to a large increase in textile waste, which often ends up in undifferentiated garbage. One of the ways to mitigate the problem is to embark on the circular economy. This requires the involvement of all actors in the value chain, including especially the end-consumer, as this is the main responsible for closing the cycle of the economy, by sending end-of-life textile products for recycling. In this article, a systematic review on digital solutions for involving the end-consumer in the circular economy of the Textile and Clothing value chain is made, not only in closing the cycle, sending end-of-life textile products for recycling, but also in extending the useful lifetime of their garments, and in the implementation of good practices in use, maintenance and disposal of their garments.

Keywords

• Sustainability
• Textile and clothing value chain
• End-consumer engagement
• Circular economy
• Traceability
• Recommender systems