sustainability
Article
Examining the Nexus between the Vs of Big Data and the
Sustainable Challenges in the Textile Industry
Rosangela de Fátima Pereira Marquesone *






Citation: Marquesone, R.d.F.P.;
Carvalho, T.C.M.d.B. Examining the
Nexus between the Vs of Big Data
and the Sustainable Challenges in the
Textile Industry. Sustainability 2022,
14, 4638. https://doi.org/10.3390/
su14084638
Academic Editors: Kirsi Niinimäki
and Natalia Moreira
Received: 9 February 2022
Accepted: 5 April 2022
Published: 13 April 2022
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral
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Copyright: © 2022 by the authors.
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
This article is an open access article
distributed under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons
Attribution (CC BY) license (https://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
4.0/).
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084638
and Tereza Cristina Melo de Brito Carvalho
Escola Politécnica, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-010, Brazil; terezacarvalho@usp.br
* Correspondence: rosangelapereira@usp.br
Abstract: Despite its substantial economic power, the textile industry currently faces environmental
and social challenges, such as continuous extraction of natural resources, extensive water consump-
tion and contamination, greenhouse gas emissions, increasing generation of waste, and inadequate
working conditions. In this context, the literature indicates that Big Data contributes to solving these
challenges, enabling the extraction of insights and the improvement of decision-making processes
from the volume, variety and velocity of data. However, there is still a gap in the literature regarding
the directions of how Big Data must be applied by an organization to achieve this goal. Therefore,
this article aims to explore this gap, presenting an analysis regarding the nexus between Big Data and
sustainability challenges of the textile industry. To this end, a set of 12 textile industry challenges
were extracted from an assessment of 108 case studies. These challenges were categorized and contex-
tualized according to Big Data dimensions, and a discussion of the applicability of Big Data to solving
each challenge was presented. From this approach, this article contributes to the textile industry by
presenting a categorization of sustainable challenges of the industry and also by providing directions
regarding the resolution of such challenges from a data-driven perspective.
Keywords: big data; sustainability; textile industry; sustainable textile; sustainable fashion; data-
driven decision making
1. Introduction
The textile industry is considered one of the oldest industries, and is responsible
for the generation of a large number of jobs [1]. Since the first industrial revolution, the
industry has undergone significant changes and innovations, adapting to market trends [2].
However, even in the face of such innovations, the linear production model, adopted in the
first industrial revolution, still prevails in the industry. Although it can generate economic
growth, it is identified that the adoption of this model, combined with factors such as the
globalization of the industry and the wide adoption of fast fashion, has resulted in alarming
environmental and social challenges [3,4].
Regarding environmental aspects, challenges are identified in the stages of production
in the supply chain (e.g., spinning, weaving, dyeing, printing) and in the stages of con-
sumption and post-consumption [4]. Examples include the continuous extraction of virgin
raw materials, the high use of water in the manufacturing processes of fibers, fabrics and
clothing, and the extensive volume of waste generated, which harm the environment when
incinerated or deposited in landfills [5,6]. Concerning social aspects, alarming challenges
are also identified, referring to precarious working conditions, low wages, and lack of labor
rights [7,8]. Given this scenario, studies are being carried out to identify how the textile
industry can solve such challenges, adopting a sustainable production and consumption
system, in harmony with economic, environmental and social dimensions [6,9,10]. Thus,
such challenges are considered alarming due to the impacts generated, contributing to the
negative effects of climate change and increasing social inequality [11,12]. From a business
perspective, it also results in increased risks for the company, due to shortages and rising
prices of raw materials, as well as pressure from consumers, for a sustainable strategy [13].
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 2 of 17

Currently, it is also noticeable that we are experiencing the generation of an unprece-

dented volume of data, especially in the digital world, revealing the possibility of using
different data sources to improve products and services, generating insights and improving
the decision-making process [14]. This context is often described as Big Data [15]. The con-
cept of Big Data can be understood by “the Vs of Big Data”, coined in 2001 by Doug Laney,
in a white paper [16]. These Vs (volume, variety and velocity) are used to describe the
challenges and opportunities in data management, and currently are also used to highlight
how and why they must be carefully evaluated in a Big Data project. As stated by Gartner,
Big Data is defined as large volume, variety and velocity data, which demand innovative
and cost-effective ways of processing information, for greater insight and improvement in
the decision-making process [15].
After the three Vs had been popularized, a vast number of dimensions were used
to characterize Big Data, such as variety and value [17,18]. However, there is still a
consensus on including the original three Vs in such proposals. From these dimensions,
it becomes possible to identify requirements and opportunities related to factors such as
data governance, data ingestion, data analytics, and data monetization [19]. In fact, due to
the growing interest in data-driven solutions and the availability of data and technological
resources for the development of innovative solutions, it can be perceived that Big Data
has been applied for a myriad of purposes [20]. Examples include the applicability of Big
Data in medicine, agriculture, banking, and retail [21].
Considering its capability, one of the approaches that have been explored in recent
years is the use of Big Data towards sustainability [22–24]. Companies, and entire indus-
tries, including the textile industry, are creating initiatives to understand how data-driven
solutions can help them define, execute, and monitor sustainable practices in their strategies
and value propositions. However, considering the fact that the textile industry faces a
series of challenges related to sustainability, on the one hand, it is considered a challenge
for Big Data researchers who are starting in the area to understand a broad view of such
challenges, and to obtain a big picture of this scenario. The challenges are diverse and
inherent to different stages of the supply chain, involving operational, technological and
strategic aspects. On the other hand, it can be a challenge for professionals in the textile
industry to identify how Big Data can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) in this industry [25].
With the aim of interconnecting aspects of Big Data and sustainability in the textile
industry, this article has two main objectives. First, the objective is to extract the sustain-
ability challenges of the textile industry and their categorization in the context of a set
of dimensions, in order to further the understanding of such challenges by professionals
who are starting in this area of study. The second objective is to present a discussion
on how Big Data can contribute to the resolution of each identified challenge, providing
insights for future research aimed at exploring this intersection of themes. Therefore, this
article seeks to answer the following research questions: How can the volume, variety
and velocity dimensions be understood in the context of the textile industry in terms of
sustainability?How can Big Data help solve sustainability challenges in the textile industry?
In this context, it is important to emphasize that the challenges of the textile industry
presented in the article are already known, and there is a wide discussion about them in the
literature [4,26–29]. However, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that aims
to present a perspective of such challenges from the lens of a set of dimensions, such as the
Vs of Big Data, while also featuring a discussion of how Big Data can provide significant
resources to address each of these challenges.
To achieve this goal, this research was performed as a two-phased study. First, we
conducted an assessment of a set of case studies, seeking to understand the challenges of
the textile industry. The selection of case studies was obtained from a public online library,
available on a platform called Knowledge Hub [30]. A total number of 108 case studies
were analyzed in this study. Second, from these case studies, the challenges existing in
this area were extracted, and a literature review was conducted to identify relevant works
that discuss and address the challenges identified. As a result of this approach, the article
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 3 of 17

presents how these Vs provide an insight into the sustainability lens in the textile industry.
We argue that a perspective from the same dimensions can help in the understanding
of the challenges existing in the textile industry, as well as providing insights into the
intersection of Big Data, sustainability and the textile industry, stimulating the emergence
of new studies based on this perception.
The remainder of this paper is structured as follows. In Section 2, the method applied
to conduct the research on the case studies is described. After, in Section 3, the three Vs
are explained, considering Big Data and sustainability challenges in the textile industry.
A discussion about the obtained results is presented in Section 4, and, finally, the final
considerations are described in Section 5.

2. Materials and Methods

This study was first carried out from a set of case studies related to the circular
economy in the textile industry, publicly available on the Knowledge Hub platform [30], as
a valuable source for understanding sustainability practices in this industry. Although the
circular economy is not the only possible approach to achieving sustainable development,
with other proposals such as the bioeconomy and green economy existing, this choice is
justified by the fact that the circular economy has been considered a promising approach to
ensure sustainability [31,32].
Created by the not-for-profit organization Circle Economy, the Knowledge Hub plat-
form offers a digital library of case studies from different areas (e.g., the textile industry,
civil construction, food) that address the concept of a circular economy [30]. At the time the
study was carried out, a total number of 4222 case studies were available, and regarding the
textile industry, the platform presented more than 500 cases studies, and 108 of these were
approved by the platform’s curators. The approach of assigning a curator to the evaluation
of case studies gives greater credibility to the content of the platform, allowing readers to
have access to information previously validated by experts in the field.
The majority of the case studies related to textile industry were captured from a project
called World Circular Textiles Day (WCTD) [33], which aims to annually assess the global
status of the circular economy in the textile industry, until the year 2050, when the industry
is expected to be fully circular. As described in the WCTD website, it “aims to build the
world’s largest digital library of circular textiles activities, #TheWCTDCollection, to provide a
snapshot of what and where circularity is happening around the globe right now.” Within the
WCTD, the Global Mapping Project (GMP) was also carried out, with the participation of
40 researchers and students from 26 countries, who, for 3 months, researched worldwide
case studies on circularity in the textile industry.
Each case study approved in the Knowledge Hub contains information related to the
following topics: an overview of the case study, the problem that the case study aims to
solve, the proposed solution, and the outcome obtained from the case study. In addition,
keywords related to the impact caused by the case study and keywords related to circular
economy activities.
To conduct this research, the following steps were carried out: initially, all case studies
approved by the platform’s curator team were downloaded and tabulated. With the
objective of analyzing the existing challenges in the textile industry, the texts referring to
the problem section were extracted, to extract the challenges presented in each study. After
the extraction, the challenges were categorized, resulting in 12 main topics which were
contextualized in the context of volume, variety and velocity dimensions. After extracting
the challenges from the case studies, we started a literature review focused on validating
the extracted information, verifying if these same challenges are also discussed in the
literature. Figure 1 contains a summary of the research method applied.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 4 of 17

Access to the Knowledge Hub

Filtering by textile industry case studies

(506 case studies)

Selection of case studies approved by

curators (108 case studies)

Download the case studies

Extraction of challenges from the

problem section (12 challenges)

Categorization of the challenges into the

3 Vs (volume, variety and velocity)

Literature review to explore the

challenges

Figure 1. Summary of the research method.

All case studies used for this research are available for public access. The selection was
made using the filters available on the platform, selecting case studies from the “fashion
and textiles” area, and approved by the curator.

3. Results
In this section, we present an analysis of how the volume, variety and velocity dimen-
sions can be characterized both in Big Data and in relation to the sustainability challenges
of the textile industry. For each dimension, the definition of Big Data is briefly presented,
followed by a more broad definition of the dimension within the textile industry context,
extracted from the case studies.

3.1. Volume
The volume dimension in the context of Big Data refers to the unprecedented amount
of data generated and currently available at a global level. Being the most expressive
attribute of this concept, the data volume brings countless possibilities to business com-
panies, offering the ability to extract value from massive amounts of data, improve the
decision-making process, better understand their consumers, and develop innovative busi-
ness models [34]. To achieve these results, the large data volume results in the need for
new technologies for collecting, storing, and processing data, such as Hadoop, Spark, and
NoSQL technologies, so that data can be processed according to the required performance,
even on a terabyte or petabyte scale [17]. In addition, companies need to be innovative
in their data collection, storage and management strategies, identifying solutions that
would allow them to deal with the growing volume of data in a timely and cost-effective
manner [15].
Considering the same dimension, now under the lens of the textile industry and
its sustainable challenges, it can be identified that the volume can be characterized by
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 5 of 17

numerous challenges within this industry. The following factors were identified in the case
studies, considering the volume dimension:
• The large volume of clothing currently being produced;
• The large volume of raw materials extracted;
• The large volume of polluting gases emitted;
• The large volume of water used;
• The large volume of waste generated.
The first factor included in the volume dimension expresses the current scenario of the
textile industry, which comprises an increasing volume of clothes being generated on a daily
basis. The number of garments has doubled since 2000, exceeding 100 billion garments
for the first time in 2014 [35]. For this production, it is estimated that approximately
111 million tons of fibers were used in 2019, a growth of 50% compared to 2008 [36].
Among the factors identified for this increase is the emergence and wide adoption of the
fast fashion concept, which shortened the time and cost of clothing production, allowing
for the frequent introduction of new collections [27]. In addition, there are also previous
studies that indicate that this increase has been due to the greater competitiveness of the
industry [25]. Given the short life cycle of the products, there are difficulties in forecasting
the demand for a new collection, and thus, in order to meet the demands of time and
desired quantity, the industry ends up generating an excessive production of clothes.
This unprecedented volume of clothing being produced on a global level, despite the
potential economic power offered, has resulted in alarming environmental consequences.
One example is the second factor, referring to the large volume of raw materials extracted
for the manufacture of clothing. The textile industry uses both natural (e.g., cotton) and
synthetic (e.g., polyester) resources for the production of clothing, and both generate critical
environmental challenges [37]. With regard to the extraction of natural resources, it is
identified that in the textile industry, the linear production pattern “take-make-dispose”
predominates, resulting in factors such as soil degradation and biodiversity loss. In addition,
the growing volume of clothing produced has generated an increase in the extraction of
these resources, resulting in resource scarcity [38]. Given the exhaustion of resources and
their continued extraction, there is a debate that the linear model is reaching its limit [5].
While extracting natural resources presents challenges in the context of sustainability,
the shift towards synthetic fibers does not make the industry more sustainable. The main
challenge is the fact that these materials are mostly fossil-based, such as polyester, resulting
in the accumulation of micro-plastics that are discharged daily into the oceans, polluting
the seas [37]. In this context, circular economy projects have invested in researching new
biodegradable materials that can be grown using a sustainable approach and that can be
reused from waste, reducing the extraction of new raw materials.
The third factor identified also presents alarming challenges. The textile industry is
considered the second largest pollutant in the world [6,39], being responsible for approxi-
mately 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions [37]. According to a report of 2020, 71%
of emissions occur in the production process, 6% in brand operations, while around 23% of
emissions are related to consumer actions in the use and end phase of usage [40]. One of
the factors identified by the high emissions in the production process is the fact that the
production of energy from fossil fuels predominates in this industry.
In line with the third factor, there is also the fourth, referring to the growing volume
of water used in fiber production, clothing manufacturing and use phases. It is estimated
that 93 billion cubic meters of water are consumed annually by the textile industry [3,29].
Cotton, one of the main raw materials used in clothing production, is one of the most water-
intensive materials in its production [41]. For example, it is estimated that approximately
2700 L of water is used in the production of a cotton T-shirt. In addition, it is also estimated
that a pair of jeans is responsible for the consumption of 9500 L of water during the
manufacturing process, involving steps such as fiber production, dyeing and garment
finishing [42]. In this way, it is necessary to create strategies along the supply chain that
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 6 of 17

make it possible to reduce the volume of water used for the manufacture of clothes, as well
as the awareness regarding the volume of clothes produced.
In addition, consequently, this mass production and the growing volume of clothes at
low prices available on the market have resulted in the last factor presented, referring to
the growing volume of textile waste discarded in landfills or being incinerated, generating
severe environmental impacts on the environment [3,43]. It is estimated that 92 million
tons of textile waste are generated annually, with 134 million tons per year expected by
2030 [37,44]. The waste is generated both in the pre-consumption and post-consumption
stages. This large volume of clothing being incinerated or landfilled not only results in
environmental impacts, due to the emission of polluting gases, soil deterioration and
marine pollution, but also represents a great economic loss, since the clothing materials
could be reused for the development of new fibers, garments or even other materials.
Besides the solutions related to recycling, some circular economy initiatives are being
proposed and discussed in academia and the business sector, within a perspective of
identifying new business models and strategies that can solve these challenges. As an
example, one of the case studies raised by WCTD was that of the circular denim brand
MUD Jeans [45,46]. Aiming to reduce the volume of jeans produced, and consequently,
reduce the volume of extracted resources, used water and discarded clothes, this company
proposes the “lease a jeans” model, which allows its customers to exchange their jeans for
other ones, thus avoiding the accumulation and improper disposal of clothes. In addition,
the jeans received by the brand are recycled and transformed into new items.
From the topics presented, it is possible to identify how the volume dimension is
characterized in the textile industry, considering sustainability challenges. Table 1 presents
an overview of these factors, in order to understand the level of magnitude that the
industry presents.

Table 1. Summary of the volume dimension of the textile industry.

Dimension Description Global Amount

Large volume of clothing currently being produced Billion garments per year
Large volume of raw materials extracted Million tons per year
Volume Large volume of polluting gases emitted Billion tons per year
Large volume of water used Billion cubic meters per year
Large volume of waste generated Million tonnes per year

Only from the dimension of the volume is it possible to identify the challenges of the
textile industry and its demand for strategies to achieve sustainability. It is possible to note
that the challenges presented occur at a global level, however, global, regional and local
measures are required to reduce the current impact of the industry. In addition, it is also
identified that such challenges are included in specific SDGs. For example, all the challenges
presented are related to SGD 12, referring to responsible production and consumption. In
addition, the large volume of virgin raw materials extracted is also related to SGD 15, which
seeks to promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. The challenge regarding the
emission of polluting gases is also related to SGD 7, focused on clean and affordable energy,
and also SGD 13, related to actions to prevent climate change and its impacts. Finally, SGD
6, referring to clean water and sanitation, and SGD 14, referring to the prevention of marine
pollution, are related to the challenge of a large volume of water used.

3.2. Variety
In addition to volume, the variety dimension of Big Data represents this new scenario
that has emerged for companies, allowing them to generate and use both internal and
external data in their business strategies, coming from a variety of sources and formats,
which can be data generated by humans (e.g., social media, messages, reports, emails) or
by machines (e.g., logs, sensors) [47].
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 7 of 17

The variety of data enabled the development of a vast field of data-driven products
and services by companies, which began to extract and integrate data with a focus on
generating new insights for the decision-making process. In addition, the variety of data
also made it possible to improve the understanding of consumers’ needs, based on data
available from sources such as social networks and review sites. Now, companies are able
to offer personalized experiences based on recommendations generated in algorithms that
process the data captured from consumer behavior. Added to this, these insights also make
it possible to predict trends and provide data-driven services, such as recommendation
systems and sentiment analysis. Pech and Vrchota also highlight that not only Big Data, but
also digitalization and industry 4.0 technologies make it possible to integrate data streams
from different stages in the design of a product, in addition to enabling sensors and smart
products to be used as key resources in the product customization process [14].
Regarding the variety dimension in the context of sustainability challenges in the
textile industry, the following factors were identified from the case studies:
• The large variety of stakeholders, steps, and materials involved along the supply chain;
• The large variety of unknown and hidden information;
• The large variety of inappropriate working conditions in the industry;
• The large variety of chemical components used in the production.
The first factor is one of the intrinsic characteristics of the textile industry. The supply
chain of this industry is considered highly fragmented, multi-layered, and complex, due
to the fact that its chain comprises the stages of production of raw material to the sale of
clothing, and because, during these stages, there is the integration of numerous sub-stages,
such as yarn manufacturing, fabric creation, manufacturing, transportation, and retail [48].
Along the value chain, there is a wide variety of stakeholders involved, responsible for a
specific activity in the production cycle. This scenario makes the objective of achieving
a sustainable textile industry even more challenging, because, given the complexity, the
data referring to each stage become sometimes obscure, are not disclosed to consumers,
and often are not even identified by the large brands, which should be responsible for
transparency regarding the supply chain [49].
The linear model adopted, as well as the progress of globalization, caused the supply
chain of this industry to become geographically dispersed and with multiple actors [11].
Currently, the clothing manufacturing process is more concentrated in developing countries,
such as India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Vietnam [50]. However, the materials to produce
these clothes are often obtained from other countries, such as Brazil, and at the end of
manufacturing, these clothes are again transported to large retailers in developed countries,
such as the United States and Europe. In this context, added to the fact that the industry is
fragmented, it becomes even more difficult to identify and track the products used and the
socio-environmental impact at each stage of production [48].
The second factor is related to the variety of unknown and hidden information related
to environmental and social impacts of the textile industry. The characteristics of the textile
industry’s supply chain (fragmented, complex and geographically dispersed), combined
with factors such as competitive advantage and marketing strategies, culminate in the lack
of transparency and traceability of the life cycle of a garment. However, some initiatives
are currently being adopted. For example, to address the possibility of dealing with the
wide variety of stakeholders and practices existing in the supply chain, and thus, to identify
which practices are and are not sustainable, technologies such as blockchain and Near-Field
Communication (NFC) have been adopted [51]. This adoption has made it possible for
each stakeholder, including the consumer, to visualize and understand all the steps carried
out in a particular piece of clothing, thus boosting awareness and pressing retailers to act in
an increasingly sustainable way [52]. An example identified in the case studies investigated
is that of the company Lablaco [53], which offers an online platform in which consumers
and other stakeholders can, using a QR Code, track and verify the history of clothing
manufacturing, identifying the partner suppliers and the impact caused in each step. This
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 8 of 17

is possible through a tag that stores data via blockchain, allowing the information to be
immutable and traceable.
The third factor identified also poses an alarming challenge for the textile industry.
Just from the economic potential and the number of direct and indirect jobs generated by
the industry, a series of social issues are identified that need to be evaluated and corrected.
Supported by factors such as a lack of transparency and a lack of stricter legislation, fiber
producers, suppliers and clothing manufacturers report poor conditions in their workplaces.
This scenario occurs mainly in developing countries, such as Bangladesh, where the textile
industry is predominant, with the majority of the workers being women who work in
factories with precarious conditions of installations, in addition to receiving low wages
and a lack of support on labor rights. These violations and social impacts of the textile
industry received greater visibility following the occurrence of incidents in textile factories,
such as the one that occurred at the Rana Plaza factory in 2013, resulting in the death
of 1134 workers [54]. This tragedy touched many people and NGOs, generating social
movements to pressure companies for adequate working conditions in the textile and
fashion industries. One of these examples is the social movement based on the use of the
hashtag #whomademyclothes, with the aim of bringing greater awareness to consumers, so
that they pressure brands and authorities to be more transparent in relation to its supply
chain, avoiding the occurrence of new collapses.
However, although there are already initiatives in the social context, one of the crit-
icisms in the circular economy context is that, although its proposal aims to present an
approach that considers not only the economic dimension, but also the social and envi-
ronmental ones, some authors report that most of the proposed solutions rely only on the
economic and environmental aspect, with few initiatives aimed at the social scope [26,55].
Considering the fact that the textile industry is characterized as a labor-intensive industry,
this dimension requires attention. Mies and Gold argue that sustainability can only truly
be achieved within the circular economy if there is a balance between the three dimen-
sions [32]. They state that one of the reasons for the less attention given to this dimension is
due to the lack of conceptual clarity, which would allow for a deeper understanding of the
needs of society. Based on a significant study with an emphasis on social aspects within the
scope of the circular economy, they highlight a series of factors that must be evaluated and
measured in this context. Examples include workers’ health and safety, fair wages, access to
education and training, equity, and social justice. They also present a study on the barriers
that prevent progress towards achieving these goals, such as the need for collaboration and
mutual trust between stakeholders, active participation by society, well-established policies
and a lack of transparency, as mentioned in the previous factor.
Finally, the last factor identified in the use cases refers to the variety of chemical
products used in the manufacturing and processing of clothes. As shown in the volume
attribute, in addition to the high consumption of water used in the production cycle of
a garment, there is also a concern regarding water pollution during this process [4]. For
example, in the traditional dyeing process, a wide variety of chemicals are used which end
up being sent to the water, polluting and causing health and environmental impacts [27]. It
is estimated that approximately 20% of all industrial water pollution comes from the textile
industry [6]. In addition, another impact that this causes is difficulty in recycling fabrics,
since it is common to mix different fibers in clothing manufacturing, in addition to the use
of different chemical products. In this context, one of the use cases investigated, and one
which seeks to solve this sustainability challenge, is that of the company Colorifix, which
develops a technique for dyeing clothes that does not use chemical processes, in addition to
reducing the amount of water during this process. Instead, the technique applied is based
on DNA sequencing from an animal, plant or microbe [56].
Table 2 contains a summary of the topics related to the variety dimension, as well as
examples of values presented in each one. As for the variety of Big Data, it is not possible
to have an exact measure of all the items that fall under each topic, given the extent that
each represents.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 9 of 17

Table 2. Summary of the variety dimension of the textile industry.

Dimension Description Examples

Large variety of stakeholders,
steps, and materials involved
along the supply chain
Large variety of unknown and
hidden information
Variety
Large variety of inappropriate
working conditions in the industry
Large variety of chemical
components used in the production
- Stakeholders (suppliers, yarn manufacturers, designers,
retailers, consumers, . . . )
- Steps (fiber production, garment manufacturing, dyeing, . . . )
- Materials (cotton, cotton, wool, leather, polyester, silk, . . . )
- Lack of information about raw materials used, social
conditions, suppliers, production footprints, . . . )
- Low wages
- Factories with precarious conditions
- Lack of regulation
- Child labor
- Pesticides for the production of raw materials
- Chemical dyes
- Chemicals in the treatment of clothes

Considering the challenges included in the variety dimension, in addition to SDG 12,
it is identified that such challenges are also related to other SDGs. The wide variety of
unknown and hidden information is also related to SDG 16, referring to peace, justice and
strong institutions, aiming at the development of transparent institutions. The challenge
regarding the variety of inappropriate conditions in the textile industry is related, in
addition to SGD 12 and 16, to SGD 5, referring to gender equity, and to SGD 8, which seeks
initiatives for decent work and economic growth. Finally, it is observed that the challenge
regarding the variety of chemical components used in the production of the textile industry
is also related to SDG 14, which aims to prevent marine pollution.

3.3. Velocity
Finally, velocity is considered a key factor in the context of Big Data, referring to the
velocity with which data is currently generated, as well as the velocity with which it must
be analyzed and used in the decision-making process [15]. Real-time processing solutions
are increasingly in demand, so that companies can develop strategies that improve the
customer experience, reduce their risk and can predict the best course of action [57]. In
this context, real-time processing systems and Big Data streaming analytics have received
great attention, such as Spark Streaming, Storm, and Flink, as a way to deal with large
data in motion, for example, from data stream sources from the Internet of Things (IoT)
context [58,59].
When analyzing the case studies, considering the velocity dimension, the following
factors were presented:
• Large velocity at which clothes are being produced;
• Large velocity at which clothes are being consumed;
• Large velocity at which clothes are being discarded.
Currently, the textile and clothing industry is dominated by the fast-fashion concept, in
which clothes are mass-produced. As a result, the industry has been majorly contributing to
the increase in the number of clothes produced in recent decades. One of the changes that
occurred and caused this increase is the reduction in the periods with which collections are
launched. Some brands have been producing new clothing collections and publishing mer-
chandise every four weeks, generating programmed obsolescence of clothing, encouraging
consumers to buy new pieces and discard the old ones [60].
The fast-fashion concept is characterized by factors such as the low-cost production
of clothes, low-paid workers, and the short time that consumers wear clothes [7]. From
this model, added to the previously mentioned occurrences, it is possible to identify that
currently, the volume of clothes produced is increasingly fast. At the same time, this
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 10 of 17

growing volume of clothes has generated the second factor presented, referring to the large
amount of clothes that are currently being disposed of in landfills or being incinerated.
For example, It is estimated that USD 3 billion worth of clothing and textiles are landfilled
every year, causing harmful impacts to the Earth and generating the waste of valuable
resources [6].
Just as the volume of clothes is increasing, the second factor identified also occurs,
referring to the velocity with which clothes are being consumed. The literature points out
several factors that have culminated in this scenario. Researchers point to the fact that
marketing strategies have driven the increasing volume of clothing being produced [49].
Through programmed obsolescence, major brands produce collections in increasingly
shorter periods, and use marketing strategies to encourage consumers to purchase garments
from the new collection. That is, the purchase of a new item has become more practical
than the repair of an already purchased garment. In [43], the authors also state that, in
recent years, consumers have been losing emotional attachment with their clothes, which
favors the fact that they frequently change their clothes for new ones. They also argue
that many clothes are currently being discarded due to the fact that new generations do
not have knowledge or interest in clothes’ mending. As a result, there is low consumer
awareness, in addition to a lack of infrastructure that allows them to receive support from
companies for the conversion and repair of their clothes.
In this context, some solutions identified in the case studies are being created to
mitigate this challenge. For example, the Fixing Fashion project [61] created by One Army
presents a proposal for workshops and an online platform to promote the teaching of repair,
renovation and upcycling of clothes, presenting creative alternatives to encourage people
to prolong the use of their clothes. Through these resources, the founders of this project
hope to promote greater consumer awareness, as well as to stimulate other companies and
create solutions beyond the direct sale of clothing.
Finally, directly related to the previous factor, is the velocity with which the clothes
are being discarded. Today, not only are people wearing clothes less often, but they are also
discarding clothes in landfills or incinerating them at an ever-increasing rate. As shown in
the volume dimension, the number of clothes that are reused through recycling processes
is still low, with the need for additional research, investments and new business models
to make this practice viable [4]. One of the factors observed in the literature is the need to
share the responsibility between the consumer and the clothing seller after the clothing is
sold, until the end of the clothing item’s life [62]. At the moment, responsibility is passed
from the seller to the consumer at the time of sale, so that the company becomes exempt
from the need to provide adequate mechanisms and services for the consumer in relation
to solutions such as reuse, recycle, repair or disposal of clothes. In this context, some
initiatives are being addressed, focusing on the adoption of regulations in the context of
extended producer responsibility (EPR) [43]. Another challenge observed in this context
is related to the process of sorting and separating fibers, since it is currently common to
manufacture mixed fabrics composed of two or more fibers. However, most recycling
companies currently do not have adequate technology to automate this process, as well as
others such as sorting and disassembly [63]. In this context, the circular economy concept
can facilitate this scenario, with clothes being designed to be recycled and thus resources to
be reused.
Table 3 presents a summary of the factors identified in the velocity dimension. The
characteristics observed in each factor are also presented, providing an overview of the
main aspects related to each one.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 11 of 17

Table 3. Summary of the velocity dimension of the textile industry.

Dimension Description Characteristics

- Fast fashion
Large velocity at which clothes are
- New collections every four weeks
being produced
- Planned obsolescence
- Marketing strategies to encourage the purchase of new clothes
Large velocity at which clothes are
Velocity - Lack of emotional attachment to clothes
being consumed
- Lack of knowledge to repair and mend clothes
- Lack of consumer awareness
Large velocity at which clothes are - Lack of infrastructure for clothing recycling
being discarded - Lack of support from companies in providing solutions that
avoid waste

It is observed that the challenges related to the velocity dimension are associated with
SGD 12, requiring the implementation of sustainable actions that enable the production
and consumption of clothing and other textile products in a responsible and conscious way,
which allows for reducing material extraction virgin raw materials, the non-generation of
waste and reducing negative impacts on the ecosystem through sustainable management
models supported by innovations and technological advances.

4. Discussion
From the volume, variety and velocity dimensions described, it is possible to identify
the main factors related to sustainability challenges in the textile industry. Figure 2 contains
a summary of the Vs from both perspectives. Similar to the Vs applied to Big Data, the Vs
of this industry denote how each of these factors should be considered and evaluated in
the development of a business strategy.

Figure 2. The Vs of Big Data and the sustainable challenges of the textile industry.

From the characteristics identified in this research, it can be seen that the sustainability
challenges of the textile industry refer to the large volume, variety and velocity with which
natural resources are being extracted, water is being used and polluted, in which polluting
gases are emitted, chemical components are used and the inappropriate working conditions
are observed, as well as the lack of transparency of supply chain, resulting in an increasing
volume of clothing being produced, consumed and disposed of inappropriately. We argue
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 12 of 17

that this definition can inspire future works regarding the adoption of data-driven solutions
towards the sustainability challenges of this industry.
Therefore, the challenges presented by the textile industry demonstrate that achieving
holistic sustainability is challenging, requiring a paradigm shift throughout the value
chain, collaboration and awareness of multiple stakeholders, as well as a balance between
economic, environmental and social dimensions [32,55]. For example, a strategy that
emphasizes only the environmental dimension through the adoption of biodegradable
materials may not consider the working conditions of stakeholders along the supply chain,
which may negatively impact the well-being of workers, and thus, may contrast with
sustainable development. However, it must be recognized that many organizations are still
in the process of transitioning to the circular economy, as identified in the case studies, and
that, although such solutions do not fully incorporate circularity, they already present a
promising approach towards a more sustainable economic system.
We can also identify that, although the Vs of Big Data do not currently necessarily
refer to challenges, but also to opportunities, the Vs of the textile industry presented
refer to the challenges, denoting how they need to be evaluated to achieve sustainability
goals. For example, the large volume of clothes produced, as well as the large volume of
waste generated, must be evaluated, seeking a reconfiguration of the business models that
offers economic, social and environmental benefits. This context has been evaluated in the
circular economy proposal, which aims to provide an alternative to the “take-make-dispose”
model prevailing in the textile industry. Thus, the circular economy proposal introduces
alternatives and business models focused on reducing, recycling or repairing clothes [55].
The proposal is to eliminate the generation of waste so that the process along the production
chain makes it possible for the outputs of a given phase to be used as input for the next
phase, in a closed-loop approach. In this way, it aims to reduce or eliminate the factors of
the volume dimension of the textile industry.
Ertz et al. argue that Big Data plays an important role in the development of business
models such as product rental and sharing [64]. Awan et al. also identify that Big Data
allows for improving the quality of the decision-making process in sustainability strategies,
providing insights into the best course of action regarding the reformulation of products,
the improvement of material efficiency and the end of the life cycle of these products and
materials [65].
With respect to the integration between the challenges identified in the textile industry
and the techniques and technologies in the context of Big Data, some observations can
be made. For example, regarding the combination of the volume of Big Data with the
volume present in the sustainability challenges of the textile industry, the need to collect
more information during all stages of the supply chain of this industry is identified, so
that Big Data analytics strategies can be applied, including machine learning and artificial
intelligence methods, to extract insights and predictions that can help decision makers
understand how to reduce the volume of natural resources, water and waste generated by
this industry [25]. For example, based on data collection strategies in the clothing design
and manufacturing process, machine-learning and computer-vision techniques can be
used to determine the best position for cutting clothing patterns to avoid pre-consumer
waste [66]. That is, the greater the volume of data, associated with the adoption of Big Data
analytics techniques, which enable the integration and analysis of this data, the greater the
possibility of identifying strategies that make this industry more sustainable.
In addition, one of the challenges to the textile industry advancing in sustainable
development refers to the lack of transparency along the supply chain. In this context, the
large volume of data can be used with a focus on contributing to increased transparency,
facilitating collaboration between stakeholders and contributing to the sustainable devel-
opment of business models [64,67–69]. From the collection, integration and analysis of data
from the entire life cycle of the textile product, together with the ability to monitor the
performance of equipment and environmental indicators, it becomes possible to extract
insights based on a holistic view, which enables the exchange and integration of data
throughout the supply chain [70].
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 13 of 17

Considering the use of Big Data techniques to meet the sustainability challenges of
the textile industry in the context of variety, it was identified that, from solutions such
as the integration of data from different stakeholders, the possibility of analyzing and
understanding the social and environmental impact becomes easier throughout the entire
chain, identifying processes under which it becomes necessary to adopt new sustainable
practices [52,67,71]. In this context, the adoption of strategies such as the data lake and
data lakehouse can be beneficial, as they facilitate the storage and processing of data from
different sources and formats, offering resources for extracting insights from an integrated
view of the data [72].
Jabbour et al. also make a significant contribution to the context of circular economy
and Big Data [73]. Based on the framework ReSOLVE proposed by the Ellen MacArthur
Foundation [74], the authors present a proposal for integrating the framework with the
capabilities obtained from large-scale data. This integration is also proposed considering
the relationship between the elements of the framework, the dimensions of volume, variety,
velocity and veracity of data, in the context of Big Data and the stakeholders, such as
suppliers, producers and consumers [73].
In the context of Big Data techniques and the velocity dimension, techniques aimed
at behavior analysis and recommendation systems can be highlighted. The faster compa-
nies identify the impact of their sustainable strategies on changing the behavior of their
consumers, the better they will be able to achieve their goals and recommend actions that
can help society to also adopt sustainable practices. In addition, the ability to process a
large volume of data from the textile industry’s supply chain can improve clothing demand
forecasting, enabling retailers to be more assertive in determining the volume of clothing
produced [25].
In addition to the three Vs mentioned, some authors also consider the veracity and
value of data to be relevant to understanding the concept of Big Data [19,75]. Data veracity
refers to the need, in a Big Data project, to assess to what extent the data are adequate
and consistent with the real scenario they are representing. This attribute denotes the
need, even in the face of a vast amount of data, to perform a careful analysis of the data
before using them to extract insights [73]. Additionally, the importance of using data to
create sustainability indicators and to analyze their veracity is also highlighted, improving
sustainability awareness within industries [76].
Considering the textile industry context, veracity can be highlighted as the veracity
of the practices adopted by companies in the life cycle of clothing production. The lack of
transparency is a barrier that is still present in this industry, which makes it impossible
for regulatory institutions, governments, NGOs and consumers themselves to have a real
perception of how their clothes were produced [28]. Another V also adopted by some
researchers refers to the value of data, which aims to identify which data, among so many
available, should be used in an integrated way in a given analysis, in order to extract the
desired value from them. Considering the textile industry, the value dimension can be
evaluated to identify how companies and consumers can extract value from clothes, not
only for economic, but also environmental and social thinking. More recently, Munawar,
Qayyum and Shahzad presented Big Data from 10 attributes, including, besides the five Vs
mentioned, the volatility, validity, variability, vulnerability, and visualization [77]. Never-
theless, the study of such attributes, considering the context of the textile industry, can also
be significant, making it possible to assess whether the challenges of the industry can also
be evaluated on the same vanguard, as well as identifying how Big Data technologies can
contribute to such aspects.
Finally, although the Big Data theme is being applied to solve sustainability challenges,
such as those identified in the textile industry, there is still a need to expand studies in this
area, identifying strategies to apply Big Data effectively. For example, Ertz et al. emphasize
that Big Data solutions in the context of the circular economy focus only on the stage of
product use, and it is necessary to expand this study to other stages, such as the design
and recovery of [64] products. Nobre and Tavares report the need for additional studies to
assess the link between circular economy, Big Data and the IoT [78]. Still in this context,
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 14 of 17

Jabbour et al. highlight twelve research propositions regarding the integration between
circular economy and large-scale data, with a focus on expanding theoretical and practical
studies regarding the intersection between Big Data and the circular economy [73].
Therefore, the case studies investigated have demonstrated the possibility of rethinking
clothing production, consumption and post-consumption in the textile industry, seeking
solutions, strategies and business models towards sustainability. Such proposals, added
to the introduction of digital technologies such as cloud computing internet of things,
blockchain, and artificial intelligence, denote that the large volume, variety and velocity
components of the textile industry may be replaced by a large volume, variety and velocity
of sustainable practices.

5. Conclusions
This article presented a proposal to identify the sustainability challenges existing in
the textile industry, from the perspectives of the volume, variety and velocity dimensions,
already widely known in the concept of Big Data. From the analysis of circular economy
case studies in the textile industry, it was possible to identify that these dimensions can
represent numerous social and environmental challenges that permeate this industry. In
summary, the following contributions were identified in this study:
• An investigation of sustainability challenges in the textile industry from a set of
case studies, making it possible to identify 12 main challenges, categorized from the
perspective of volume, variety and velocity.
• A discussion of the applicability of Big Data to the identified challenges, present-
ing proposals for technologies and techniques and Big Data that can contribute to
their resolution.
It is also important to mention that despite the relevance of the article, this work has
some limitations. First, the sustainability challenges identified in the textile industry were
identified based on case studies of a single platform, focused on circular economy solutions
for the textile industry. Thus, even covering a significant number of case studies, other
studies not included in the investigation may present additional challenges. A second
limitation refers to the fact that the discussion of the applicability of Big Data to the
identified challenges is based on studies presented in the literature, thus there is a lack of
studies that evaluate results obtained from practical applications. Therefore, to advance
this research, empirical research on the literature is suggested for future work, to identify
how Big Data techniques and technologies are being adopted in terms of each of the
sustainability challenges identified in this article, as well as to identify which other Vs can
be observed in the textile industry, which is important considering the expansion of the Vs
of Big Data.
Considering that there is currently a growing number of professionals working with
Big Data and other interconnected areas such as data science, analytics, business intelligence,
and artificial intelligence, the perspective presented, based on the Vs of Big Data, can
contribute to encouraging researchers and practitioners in these areas to explore, debate
and develop solutions towards solving the challenges of this remarkable but challenging
industry in terms of sustainability.

Author Contributions: Conceptualization, R.d.F.P.M.; methodology, R.d.F.P.M.; software, R.d.F.P.M.;

validation, R.d.F.P.M. and T.C.M.d.B.C.; formal analysis, R.d.F.P.M.; investigation, R.d.F.P.M.; re-
sources, R.d.F.P.M.; data curation, R.d.F.P.M.; writing—original draft preparation, R.d.F.P.M.; writing—
review and editing, R.d.F.P.M. and T.C.M.d.B.C.; visualization, R.d.F.P.M.; supervision, T.C.M.d.B.C.;
project administration, R.d.F.P.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of
the manuscript.
Funding: This research received no external funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 4638 15 of 17

Data Availability Statement: Not applicable.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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