In the context of the textile industry facing many difficulties from rising production costs, fierce competition pressure and increasingly stringent requirements for environmental protection, green production has emerged as an essential solution. Not only does it help minimize negative impacts on the environment, green production also helps businesses improve business efficiency and meet sustainable consumption needs. The transition to green production is gradually becoming a “lever” to help the textile industry overcome challenges and open up a path for sustainable development in the future.
What is green manufacturing?
Green manufacturing is a manufacturing process that minimizes negative impacts on the environment, utilizes resources efficiently, and limits emissions. This is a model that helps protect the ecosystem, from reducing water and electricity consumption, to optimizing processes and materials to reduce waste. Enterprises applying green manufacturing often focus on modern technology and using sustainable materials, contributing to building an environmentally friendly production.
The role of green manufacturing in the textile industry
Green manufacturing not only helps reduce environmental impacts but is also an opportunity for the textile industry to improve its competitiveness in the international market. With the shift of consumers towards sustainable products, textile and garment enterprises applying green manufacturing have the opportunity to attract more customers and increase market trust.
In addition, green manufacturing helps enterprises reduce long-term production costs by saving energy and raw materials. This not only contributes to sustainable growth but also helps businesses easily access international certifications such as Bluesign, GOTS or OEKO-TEX, expanding export opportunities to demanding markets.
Current status of Vietnam’s textile and garment industry
Vietnam’s textile and garment industry is currently facing many challenges. According to the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), in 2023, textile and garment exports decreased by 8.5% compared to the previous year, reaching 39 billion USD. The main reasons come from the decline in international market demand, increased production costs, and competition from other countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia and India.
In addition, the textile and garment industry is also under great pressure from the sustainability requirements of international partners. Many large customers such as the EU and the US require businesses to comply with green standards, from production to the supply chain. However, Vietnam is still limited in applying green manufacturing technologies due to high investment costs and a lack of highly qualified human resources to operate them. To maintain growth momentum, the textile and garment industry needs to find solutions to overcome challenges and meet market demands.
How does green manufacturing help the Vietnamese textile and garment industry?
Applying green manufacturing brings many practical benefits to the Vietnamese textile and garment industry:
Reduce production costs
By optimizing processes, using renewable energy and saving resources, businesses can reduce long-term production costs. For example, some factories have used water recycling systems or solar power to minimize electricity and water costs, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Increase competitiveness
Eco-friendly textile products are very attractive to international consumers, especially the EU and US markets. When businesses comply with green manufacturing standards, their ability to reach potential customers and new markets will increase significantly. This is a competitive advantage that helps Vietnamese businesses stand firm against fierce competition from other countries.
Enhance brand and customer trust
Green manufacturing is an inevitable trend of the future. When businesses fulfill their environmental responsibilities, they will also build credibility and consumer trust. This not only helps increase brand value but also creates support from the community, customers and non-governmental organizations.
In line with the trend of sustainable development
With increasingly strict environmental standards and policies, applying green production helps textile and garment enterprises meet legal requirements and protect long-term interests. Many financial institutions and banks are also aiming to support lending and investing in enterprises that comply with green standards, helping enterprises access capital more easily.
Green manufacturing is an urgent solution to help the Vietnamese textile and garment industry overcome current challenges. To develop sustainably, enterprises need to actively invest in technology, improve human resources capacity, and implement green production processes to meet the needs of the international market. This is not only a lever to help the textile industry stand firm but also a factor for strong development in the period of global integration and competition.