COVID-19 is a global catastrophe.
Such events have a way of changing everything in their wake. We are seeing major changes from now
on in many areas of our lives. This pandemic has gone to show that our consumerism behaviour is not sustainable.
It has also impacted industries all over the world and many have not recovered.
Of course, the textile industry has been impacted too.
However, now we wonder what the future of it is going to be like.
LET’S EXPLORE THIS IN DETAIL.
Impact Of COVID-19 On Textile Industry
Factories and businesses were closed all over the world due to the lockdown.
This impacted both production and sales. No new sales or production was happening and the stock that
was already produced was just sitting in warehouses.
Now, everything is slowly reopening but the future is still bleak. The biggest challenge the industry is facing is that of manpower.
There have been changes in the number of people allowed in an indoor space and the hours of shifts.
This is not what the industry is used to so they can meet the demands of the people.
This is why the entire supply chain has been impacted. Another issue is that of changing consumer patterns.
People are now shifting more towards products that are sustainable and so they don’t want to invest
in home décor that is made using unsustainable practices.
The textile industry will also have to follow this changing pattern.
POST COVID19 FUTURE OF THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY
Experts have predicted that sustainable behaviour by consumers will intensify.
This is because the pandemic has shown the cracks in peoples buying behaviours and patterns.
Their confidence has taken a beating and so their behaviour will now be different.
They are shifting towards a more responsible and conscious lifestyle as they don’t want to experience such a catastrophe ever again. They are now understanding that they are dependent on nature.
This is why post COVID-19 consumers will shift towards more eco-friendly and green products.
In fact, many places all over the world are already utilising recycled plastic bottles to make sustainable textiles. This is known as Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which is used as a natural textile fibre in many items.
8.8 million tons of plastic bottles are thrown away each year so why not use them to make textiles?
After all, this is the future of the textile industry. Another prediction is that consumers will shift towards handmade rugs, carpets, cushions, and other textile items. This is because they are now learning the importance of supporting local industries rather than big chains.
Of course, all of this will significantly impact the global supply chain. All businesses that import these textile items will have to review their supply chain process and bring about changes accordingly.
Final Words Many businesses are already investing in sustainable practices so that the world can be ready for their products post COVID-19. If you are in the textile or home décor industry then you should too.
PET is a great material that you can use to make apparel, home décor, and reduce waste by at least
5 – 10%. All predictions by experts lean towards sustainable behaviour by consumers
and so that is what you should work on providing them.