CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABLE FASHION: how recycling and up-cycling change value chains in the fashion industry.

Abstract

Circular economy is today a current trend and an important one for the future with an exponential growth in almost every sector and in particular in the fashion industry. When we talk about circularity we have also to consider sustainability; we will focus on the use of organic raw materials as biodegradable ones or originated from wastes. The other important object of analysis is the implementation of sustainable value chains both in terms of processes and methods and also in terms of nearshoring and reshoring strategies. Recycling and upcycling at the end of the normal life of clothes is the other tendency that important and consolidated brands as new startups are developing helping the enviroment but also social aspects for example reducing negative externatilities and creating positive effects for the community. All these elements have increased thanks to the pandemic because people increased their awareness toward such aspects and so it has become a sort of need for companies to develop such aspects as part of their core values and strategies. The obejective of this thesis is to analyze all these aspects emphazising the importance they have today in the competitve arena and how companies are facing these new needs for the market.