The Environmental and Social Impact of the Garment Industry: The Case of Developing Countries

This conceptual chapter seeks to examine the environmental and social impact of the garment industry focusing on developing countries in the context of the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Goal 6: clean water and sanitation; Goal 8: decent work and economic growth; Goal 12: responsible consumption and production; and Goal 13: climate action. Across all countries, findings reveal that the garment industry in Africa significantly impacts the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 6, SDG 8, SDG 12 & SDG 13. It can be argued that in recognition of the substantive intricate linkage between human activities in the context of the garment industry and the environment, the restructuring of production and consumptive processes is necessary to effectively deal with the consequent ecological crisis.