Recommendations For Reduction Of Waste Through Cradle To Cradle (C2c) Approach In Footwear Industry: A Case Study Of Bata Pvt. Ltd. Pakistan

Abstract

The ‘Cradle-to-Cradle’ framework provides a perspective in which the waste generated by one process can be used as the raw material for another process or product. Under this approach, products, processes and systems should be designed so that, at the end of their life cycle, they can either be reused without any loss of value (technical cycle) or returned safely to the environment as biological cycle that can decompose harmlessly. A key challenge lies in transitioning from the conventional “cradle to grave” production model to a cyclic “cradle to cradle” system, as well as identifying the[1] critical parameters that must be addressed during manufacturing to achieve sustainability through conscious design and development. Because the global production reached 22.4 billion (pairs) of shoes worldwide in 2023-24 and approximately 544 million pairs in Pakistan, positioning it on 6^th number worldwide. The footwear sector contributes significantly to the environmental footprint of the apparel industry. This paper reviews research and data pertaining to the footwear industry, whose products fulfill fundamental human needs and global ubiquity. Over the past few decades, the industry has undergone substantial transformation, particularly with the rise of outsourcing. Today, it exerts considerable economic and environmental influence, characterized by highly centralized manufacturing, intricate supply chains and emerging initiatives in sustainable product development factors that collectively render it as an important field for study. The research paper focuses to study the current manufacturing practices of the shoe industry and to analyze the manufacturing process of “BATA Pvt. Ltd. Pakistan” and suggest changes which can optimize the process change to cradle-to-cradle approach and make use of the after-life materials as a raw material.