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Innovation has become an indispensable driver for companies to thrive. But can this innovation go hand in hand with sustainability to generate real impact? In this interview, we look at how companies can strategically integrate digitalization and sustainability to build a more responsible and competitive business model.
- Why is digitalisation important to improve traceability and waste management in the textile sector?
Many times, we approach circularity thinking about the waste of the product I sell, but there are many flows in many other phases that must be controlled and known. That is why traceability and data are important, how to associate it with the operational process: where things come from, how you transform them and where the flows that are generated in the operation go. Digitalization is important in the traceability of materials, to know their origin and destination.
- What technologies do SMEs that want to measure their textile footprint usually start with?
Companies usually have an invoicing ERP that begins to digitize on the commercial side, the relationship with direct suppliers, sales or ecommerce. It is usually the first thing to be digitized and then tools are added to have the necessary data. The idea is to draw up an optimized and effective roadmap according to the possibilities of SMEs to transform themselves little by little.
- What is the main challenge for textile SMEs to digitize in compliance with the new regulations?
The main challenge is to understand where to start, because it is not easy. Now they are going to have to declare the product put on the market because the regulations of extended producer responsibility are coming. The data that the SME must declare can take advantage of and give a digitization twist to its operations and structure the system based on what the regulation will require. Start making a digitalisation calendar that is aligned with the obligations they are going to start having.
- What kind of data can measure environmental impact and circularity in the textile sector?
Business data makes the tool effective. Suppliers, materials, sales that are made, with whom waste management is done... This data can be redirected to obtain circularity indicators. Thus, knowing if the inputs are circular, if the end-of-life management of the materials is circular, giving rise to a general circularity value that is combined with the Circular Transition Indicators. In the end, all this data can be used for environmental, traceability, circularity or compliance measurements. If you have the traceability of materials and suppliers, and the mapping of the supply chain and products very well anchored, you have already done 80% of the work.
- How can measuring and communicating its circular impact benefit an SME?
The most interesting thing about working with them is that they realize that they are more circular even if they do not measure or count it, they cannot value it, either internally or in front of customers to tell them a story of circularity and differentiate themselves from the competition. The next step is how to measure it and the data they need to value it, which is worked with.
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