Assessing through a gender-inclusion lens the social Impact of circular strategies in the Apparel Value Chain: The Dutch case

Abstract

Following on various aspects of consumption such as food packaging (Chapter 7) and the legal grounding of CE (Chapter 8) this essay is focusing on the CE aspects of the apparel industry that is often stigmatised by the take-make-waste model, unfair working conditions and environmental degradation. At the same time, purchases of apparel consumers globally are essential for ensuring the livelihood of millions of workers in developed and developing countries. In this contradictory institutional environment a growing number of apparel businesses are adopting CE as their framework of operations to achieve sustainability. However, currently there is a lack of knowledge to assess the social impacts generated by the adoption of circular practices by apparel businesses. Therefore this chapter will investigate the current social impact of circularity in the apparel sector in terms workers and community wellbeing and inclusiveness. It also aim to propose a new social impact assessment framework in the apparel sectors where both companies as well as policy-makers can be guided by SSE and CE principles.