Towards a Just and Transformative Circular Transition in the Textiles and Apparel Value Chain

Abstract

The Textile and Apparel Value Chain (TAVC) is one of the most resource-intensive sectors, generating significant waste and relying heavily on a vulnerable workforce. In recent years, businesses in this sector have adopted Circular Economy (CE) strategies to address sustainability challenges. However, most CE efforts focus narrowly on material efficiency and waste reduction, often neglecting social dimensions. This PhD dissertation addresses this gap by exploring how to integrate social justice and equity into CE transitions at the business level. Through case studies in the Netherlands, Spain, and India, it investigates how businesses can adopt circular practices inclusively and how policymakers can enable a more just circular transition. Using a transformative research (TR) approach that combines gender, Just Transition, and systems-change lenses, the study centers on co-creation and stakeholder diversity, engaging academic experts, businesses, policymakers, and especially vulnerable workers. A mixed-methods design ensures a comprehensive understanding of socio-environmental impacts across different contexts. Key findings highlight that the social dimension is critical for CE to contribute to sustainable development. Without explicit attention to social impacts, CE risks reinforcing inequalities, poor working conditions, and power imbalances. The research calls for an integrated approach linking CE’s environmental, social, and justice goals, providing new geographical evidence on impacts on vulnerable workers. The concept of Transformative Circular Futures (TCFs) emerged as a promising pathway, enabling social transformation through active co-creation aligned with Just Transition principles. The dissertation makes two critical contributions: i) The Social Impact Assessment Framework for Circular Economy (SIAF-CE⚥), which offers companies a structured method to evaluate and improve social outcomes—such as working conditions, fair wages, and gender equality—within CE strategies. ii) The co-creation of a Just Transition (JT) Policy Framework, applied to the EU Green Deal circular textiles strategy, and adapted into policy briefs for India, Spain, and the Netherlands. Theoretically, the study calls for integrating socio-environmental dimensions in CE conceptualization to avoid trade-offs that undermine sustainable development ambitions. Practically, it advocates a systemic approach to embed inclusion, diversity, and justice in CE practices, emphasizing regular assessment of social gaps and focusing on vulnerable workers. Finally, it underscores the need to identify system conditions and mechanisms that either hinder or enable change, with targeted actions to support these workers. In doing so, this dissertation contributes to advancing a just and transformative circular textile and apparel value chain.