01 Extraction of crude fibres

The production of textiles begins with the extraction of crude fibres. Examples for ecological and social challenges when extracting natural or synthetic fibres may include:

Ecological challenges – natural fibres (e.g. cultivation of cotton)

• Use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers
• Land usage
• Land degradation e.g. through saliniszation of the soil
• Use of genetically modified seeds
• High water and energy consumption

Social challenges – natural fibres (in the cultivation firms)

• Low wages
• Lack of social security and irregular income
• Inadequate protection of workers from harmful pesticides
• Child and forced labour

Ecological challenges – synthetic fibres (in the production)

• Use of chemicals
• Consumption of crude oil
• High energy consumption

Social challenges – synthetic fibres (in the firms)

• Low wages
• Inadequate protection of workers from harmful chemicals

02 Production

During the production of textiles, crude fibres are processed into threads and fabrics. This creates the following ecological and social challenges, for example:

Ecological challenges

• Improper use of chemicals
• High energy consumption

Social challenges

• Low wages
• Health damage caused by lack of precautions for handling chemicals and machinery
• Child and forced labour

03 Processing

After processing crude fibres into fabrics, further processing is carried out, including refinement, for instance. This can create the following ecological and social challenges:

Ecological challenges

• Use of chemicals for special textile characteristics (e.g. water-repellent) or use of toxic dyes
• High water and energy consumption

Social challenges 

• Low wages
• Extremely high levels of, and often unpaid, overtime
• Prohibition of employee representatives
• Damage to health caused by poor lighting or inadequate ventilation in production rooms
• Inadequate work safety precautions
• Child and forced labour

04 Consumption

The use of textiles by the customer can present the following ecological and social challenges:

Ecological challenges

• Excessive use of detergents harmful to the environment
• High water and energy consumption in cleaning

Social challenges

• Health hazards from vapours and contact to chemically treated textiles

05 Disposal

Disposing of textiles can create ecological challenges such as emissions and contamination during incineration and landfilling.

06 Transport

Cotton from Kenya, fabrics from Turkey and processing of apparel in Bangladesh. That's how supply chains in the textiles sector often look like. From the extraction of crude fibres to the final product there are long transport routes to be covered. Fuel consumption and exhaust emissions have a negative impact on the environment and contribute to climate change. Furthermore they are harmful for human health. For transportation with heavy goods vehicles the Euro 6 emission standard (Commission Regulation EU/582/2011) has to be applied and should be integrated into the procurement process.