The SURF Framework Applied to the Textile Industry

Abstract

One of the major challenges of the twenty-first century textile industry is transformation for sustainability. There are various metrics by which textile players can evaluate sustainability performance, but practitioners often say that at least one key component of the sustainability paradigm is missing or inadequate. The SURF Framework aims to fill the gap between tools, which address specific aspects of the sustainability model and the very broad definitions that surround sustainable development. SURF (supply chain, user, relations, and future) addresses the quadruple bottom line of sustainability: social, environmental, economic, and intergenerational equity results. This chapter provides an overview of the SURF Framework, providing specific case studies in the realm of cotton textiles. Section 1 provides an overview of the SURF Framework; Sect. 2 summarizes the various textile-specific initiatives, standards, methods, and tools that relate to each component of SURF; Sect. 3 provides an example of the SURF Framework applied to cotton textiles in particular; Sects. 4 and 5 describe case studies of how the SURF Framework applies to two different companies selling cotton shoes and jeans, respectively; Sect. 6 is a conclusion for the chapter.