Transforming the textile value chain
by Lis Suarez-Visbal and Jesus Rosales-Carreon
Circular strategies for a just and inclusive future
Get ready for a transformative session “Transforming the textile value chain: Circular strategies for a just and inclusive future” where Lis Suarez-Visbal and Jesus Rosales-Carreon will present key findings from their four-year collaborative research project on the social impact of circular strategies within the textile value chain in India, Spain, and the Netherlands. This session will answer this critical question by exploring the necessary steps to develop a sustainable textile industry that promotes decent livelihoods and leaves no one behind.
Despite aiming for high levels of circularity by 2050, many current circular economy practices mimic the linear value chain model, perpetuating poor working conditions, low wages and the feminization of the workforce. Without addressing these issues, the sector risks reinforcing patterns of oppression and worsening existing inequalities. This session will highlight the need for systemic change in how we produce, consume, and extend the life of our clothes to create an industry that is good for both people and the planet.
Key Takeaways:
- Social Impacts: Identify the social impacts most relevant to the sector’s circular strategies and the workers most affected by the circular transition.
- Transformative Visions: Explore transformative circular economy visions and pathways that can enhance the social ambitions of businesses and policymakers.
- Inclusive Practices: Learn how circular businesses can implement inclusive practices to drive change today.
- Policy Pathways: Understand how transformative policy pathways for the EU and the Global South can accelerate a just circular economy transition for the sector.
Lis Suarez-Visbal is an Ashoka fellow, social innovator, and Doctoral researcher at Utrecht University. With over 15 years of professional experience in supply chain sustainability in the textile and apparel sector across several countries, she has mobilized the industry towards more sustainable practices. Her expertise lies in the circular economy, system change, and social impacts in highly feminized value chains, approached through a lens of just transition and gender.
Jesus Rosales-Carreon is an Assistant Professor at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University. He holds a Master’s in Energy and Environmental Sciences and a PhD in Knowledge Management in Sustainable Agriculture. He focuses on the environmental and social implications of circular economy implementation and living labs. The Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development at Utrecht University is internationally renowned for its environmental and sustainability research, specializing in circular economy, social impact, and just transition.
