Eco-Labeling Criteria for Textile Products with the Support of Textile Flows: A Case Study of the Vietnamese Textile Industry

Abstract

Developing countries are confronted with difficulties in implementing eco-labeling schemes when they adopt eco-labelingcriteria from developed countries. Production-related criteria, in particular, must reflect the availability of necessary infrastructuresand local conditions. This study identified such criteria in a case study of the Vietnamese textile industry. It aims to (1) understandtextile flows by using the mass balance concept and the combination of available data (which is insufficient) in Vietnam and previousreports and (2) identify production-related eco-labeling criteria from resource consumption, 46 pollutants and toxicants discharged bythe textile industry. The results show that, in 2008, 1.67×10⁶ tons of textiles flowed through Vietnam, approximately 19.4 kg/person.Textile manufacturing represents a majority of the processes of the Vietnamese textile industry with 1.40×10⁶ tons of textiles beingprocessed (84% of total flows in 2008). T-shirts and trousers were the major products in the textile manufacturing, i.e., produced(64.8%), exported (17.1% and 13.7%, respectively). Thus, these products are ideal candidates for eco-labeling. By filtering indicatorsthrough three conditions (availability of data and testing methods, significant environmental impact, and economic feasibility) andvalidating the identified criteria through a field survey of T-shirt production, we concluded that water and energy consumption, andSO₂ and COD emissions could serve as eco-labeling criteria. However, other identified key indicators should be considered forfurther studies. These criteria are useful for the next steps of criteria development. Material flow analysis and the proposedidentification of eco-labeling criteria can resolve the constraints imposed by a lack of data in developing countries.