Modelling the challenges to sustainability in the textile and apparel (T&A) sector: A Delphi-DEMATEL approach

The elimination or reduction of barriers to the growth of T&A sector helps in balancing three dimensions of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social). The purpose of the present investigation is to identify and model the critical challenges to sustainable development in the textile and apparel sector. With this view, fourteen critical challenges to the sustainable development of the case sector were identified through literature and expert opinion survey, and their cause-effect relationship was established using the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method. Results of the study highlighted that a lack of effective governmental policies and poor infrastructure were the most significant barriers demanding the maximum attention of the decision-makers for achieving sustainability in the case sector. The findings of the study are intended to guide the decision and policy-makers in understanding the influence of barriers to the sustainable development of the case sector, and for developing new strategies/policies or modifying the existing ones. Also, a few significant recommendations have been provided for improving the overall performance of the case supply chain.