Closed-loop supply chain opportunities for SMME retailers in the South African fashion industry=Amathuba e-closed-loop supply chain kosomabhizinisi abasafufusa eNingizimu Afrikha embonini yengqephu.

Abstract

Abstract Enhancing the social and environmental sustainability of the fashion industry’s supply chain has become an important topic in recent commercial and scholarly discussions. Consequently, closed-loop supply chains are emerging as opportunities for stakeholders to extend their roles and reduce post-consumption waste. This circular approach has been pioneered by large international retailers in developed countries, with research focused on their perspectives. As a result, SMME stakeholders have been neglected, but they contribute substantially to South Africa’s emerging economy. This study addresses the gap in the literature by investigating the potential for closed-loop supply chains for South African based SMME retailers in the fashion industry. Furthermore, consumer perceptions of this approach had not been probed in African countries. Research also shows that younger consumers are more inclined to support sustainable practices. As a result, this study selected to explore the responses of university students as potential consumers and supporters of the activities of closed-loop supply chains to evaluate possible market opportunities. As an accessible, emerging economy committed to introducing more sustainable practices, South Africa provided a suitable location for the study. The study used a mixed methods approach to better establish the presence of opportunities through evaluating perceptions, from multiple stakeholders, regarding the collection, recovery and redistribution of used fashion. Qualitative data were collected using interviews conducted with twelve SMME retailers of new and used fashion, one Cut, Make and Trim stakeholder, and one non-profit organisation. Quantitative data were gathered from questionnaires answered by 300 university students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The findings reveal that there are opportunities for SMME retailers to adopt and coordinate closed-loop supply chains in South Africa. They also reveal that there is consumer willingness to participate in the activities of these systems. Based on these findings, the study provides a comprehensive decision support model to enable SMME retailers and their partners to exploit the opportunities presented by closed-loop supply chains, despite the limitations of their relatively small size and their operation in a developing country.

Iqoqa Ukwengezelela ekusimamiseni inhlalo kanye nesimo emkhakheni wengqephu mayelana nemboni yokuhlinzeka ngezinto ezizoba izihloko ezibalulekile emuva kwezingxoxo ezifaka ukudayisa kanye nongoti. Umphumela walokho, ukuvala kokuhlinzeka kuletha amathuba kulabo abayingxeye ukuqhubezela iqhaza kanye nokunciphisa incithakalo. Lokhu kungumzungezo wokwenza kahle okuqhakambiswa abathengiselwa emazweni asethuthukile, nalolu cwaningo olugxile kweyabo imibono. Umphumela walokhu kube ukunganakekelwa kosomabhizinisi abasafufusa, kodwa kunikela esimisweni sokuvela komnotho eNingizimu Afrikha. Lesi sifundo silungisa igebe mayelana nemibhalo ephenya okungenzeka kwabahlinzeka abangosomabhizinisi eNingizimu Afrikha embonini yengqephu. Uma sinezezela, iso labathengi kule ndlela yokwenza alikaze livukuzwe eNingizimu Afrikha. Ucwaningo lubuye lutshengise ukuthi abathengi ebasebancane ibona abanogqozi lokusekela ukusebenza okusimeme. Njengomphumela, isifundo sakhetha ukuphenya izimpendulo zezitshudeni eNyuvesi njengabathengi kanye namasekeli ezenzweni ezivale i-loop yabahlinzeki nokuhlonza okungaba amathuba emakethe. Njengoba kufinyeleleka, ukuphakama komnotho kuzibophezela ekwethuleni ukwenza okusimeme eNingizimu Afrikha, kunika isizinda esikahle sokufundwayo. Okufundwayo kusebenzise izindlela zokwenza ezixubile ukwakha amathuba amanje ngokuhluza ukuma kwezinto, kwababambe iqhaza abahlukene, mayelana nokuqoqiwe, nokutholiwe kanye nokusabalalisa osekusebenzile kwengqephu. Ulwazi lwaqoqwa ngokwekhwalithethivu kusetshenziswa izingxoxo ezenziwa nabathengelwa abasebasha kanye nokusebenzisa ingqephu, ukusika, ukwakha nokwehlisa kwababambisene nokuthi kungabibikho nzuzo enhlanganweni. Ulwazi ngekhwantithethivu lwaqoqwa ngamaphepha emibuzo eyaphendulwa abafundi baseNyuvesi yakwaZulu-Natali. Imiphumela iveza ukuthi kunamathuba kosomabhizinisi abasafufusa ekuthatheni nasekuzimaziseni ukuvalwa kwe-loop yabahlinzeki eNingizimu Afrikha. Luphinde lwaveza ukuthi abathengi abekho madolonzima ekubambeni iqhaza kuzo zonke izinhlelo. Ngokuncika kule miphumela, lesi sifundo sinika ukusekelwa kokuthathwa kwenzinqumo ezisekela osomabhizinisi abasafufusa kanye nabalingani babo abaxhaphaza amathuba athulwe okuvaliwe kwe-loop yokuhlinzeka, ngaphandle kwemikhawulo emincane ngokosayizi kanye nokwenziwayo ezweni elisathuthuka.