Framework for Assessment of Carbon Footprint and Reduction Strategies for MSMES: Case of Textile and Garment Industry

Abstract

In India, MSMEs play a vital role in contributing to GDP and overall exports. In the industry sector, 90% contribution is from MSMEs leading to a 45% contribution in employment. So, for proper functioning Govt. formed the Ministry of MSMEs to promote such innovative ideas and establishment.
In MSMEs, textile and garment industries are the major contributors with India being the 5th biggest exporter in the world. Being such a large industry, the amount of power and water consumption is way too high, implying the generation of a higher carbon footprint. Carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases generated by any product or process or organization. The textile industry is such a major industry in India that there is a need to keep a check on the emissions generated by these
industries. This research is intended to develop a framework for assessing the carbon footprint generated by processes involved in the manufacturing of a garment. The study provides information regarding the various processes involved in the textile industry which helps in forming the framework and system boundary for the assessment of the carbon footprint. Various methodologies and tools present which have been used by different organizations to calculate the carbon footprint. The most used is the GHG protocol with the GaBi database to provide a carbon footprint. The same is used to analyze the emission factors and calculate the carbon footprint of a garment industry. On analysis, the major contributing processes found were sewing and fusing & pressing which contributed to GHG emissions. To decarbonize or reduce the carbon footprint various interventions like the use of clean energy, renewable materials, reducing, reusing, and recycling of waste materials and various such interventions can be incorporated into the garment industry. Such interventions are proposed in the research.