Page 90 - AJWEP-v22i3

Hossain and Rahman

Table 3. Summary of Monte Carlo uncertainty and emissions control in the sustainable process. One
analysis practical implication is for factories to ensure they

Impact category Probability (%) have effective ETPs and pollution control devices. An
Climate change 99.9 ETP treats dye-house wastewater by removing excess
nitrogen, phosphorus, chemical oxygen demand, and
Water consumption 99.0 other pollutants, thereby reducing nutrient pollution
Terrestrial acidification 99.4 that causes eutrophication. Upgrading to modern
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Eutrophication 99.9 biological treatment stages for nutrient removal, along
Land use 0.6 with adding filtration and recycling units, enables
FRS 99.5 factories to reduce water pollution and reuse treated
HTP 99.2 water, thereby establishing a closed-loop system.
Note: Each probability represents the likelihood that the 3.3.3. Adopting renewable energy and improving
environmental impact of S2 is lower than that of S1 for the
given category, based on simulated variability in inventory energy efficiency
data and impact assessment. Values near 100% indicate very A more than 30% reduction in GHG emissions in the eco-
high confidence that S2 performs better environmentally in that friendly manufacturing scenario indicates that energy use
category, while values near 0% indicate that S1 performs better. optimization was likely a major factor contributing to
Abbreviations: FRS: Fossil resource scarcity; HTP: Human this result. Textile factories are therefore encouraged to
toxicity potential.
invest in renewable energy sources and energy-efficient
3.3. Practical implications of the findings infrastructure. For instance, installing solar panels on
This section provides actionable suggestions for how manufacturing rooftops or sourcing electricity from
denim manufacturers and the textile industry in general renewable energy providers can help reduce indirect
can reduce their environmental impact, using insights CO emissions. From an efficiency standpoint, switching
2
from the LCA results. Based on the study’s findings, the to energy-efficient motors, compressors, looms, and
dryers, and optimizing process energy use – for example,
recommendations give concrete suggestions on specific through waste-heat recovery systems and insulation to
technologies or practices to invest in. This study’s conserve heat in boilers and drying machines – will help
results offer guidance for industry practitioners seeking lower fossil fuel use. Many leadership in energy and
to improve sustainability in denim manufacturing, as environmental design-certified factories in Bangladesh
detailed in the following sections. already use technologies such as high-efficiency boilers,

LED lighting, and solar water heaters. 43
3.3.1. Investing in water-saving dyeing and finishing
technologies 3.3.4. Using sustainable raw materials and chemicals
The study revealed that water consumption was The LCA found that the main cause of land use and water
strikingly lower in the eco-friendly manufacturing consumption is cotton farming. To reduce upstream
scenario, with a 64% reduction observed. To achieve environmental effects, producers and brands should
such reductions, factories can adopt modern dyeing prioritize more sustainable raw materials. Organic
techniques that use less water. For example, low cotton or Better Cotton Initiative cotton, for example,
liquor ratio dyeing machines, foam or spray dyeing uses more water-efficient irrigation and less synthetic
technology, and waterless dyeing (such as supercritical fertilizer and pesticide. Another alternative is adding
CO dyeing) can greatly reduce the water required per recycled fibers, such as recycled cotton or polyester
2
fabric unit. In addition, implementing water recycling from plastic bottles, into denim, thereby lowering the
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and reuse systems can reclaim water from rinse baths or demand for fresh cotton acreage and the related water
wastewater treatment for use in non-critical processes. and land footprint. In addition, manufacturers are
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advised to use eco-friendly chemicals in processing,
3.3.2. Installing and upgrading effluent treatment such as low-impact dyes, enzymatic treatments instead
plants (ETPs) of harsh chemicals, and to avoid banned substances.
The LCA results showed the eco-friendly factories
had far lower eutrophication impacts (about 40% less) 3.3.5. Implementing LCA in decision-making
and acidification impacts (~50% less) than traditional The study’s findings encourage textile businesses to
factories, which suggests better wastewater management integrate tools such as LCA or carbon footprinting into

Volume 22 Issue 3 (2025) 84 doi: 10.36922/ajwep.6241