Green Economy Journal Issue 60

PRODUCTION
ECO-INNOVATION
Invest in
for textile companies
Industrial Efficiency
• Long term sustainability through resource savings
The textile industry is a significant global commodity that generates
job opportunities and contributes to the economy. However, its low
reuse and recycling rates raise concerns about resource waste and
carbon emissions.
BY LESEGO HLALETHWA, NCPC-SA
Lee-Hendor Ruiters,
Innovation and Strategy
Manager, NCPC-SA.
THA 23-2023
• Economic growth
• Environmental compliance
• Contributes to social development
Services include:
Green skills development
Industry and sector knowledge sharing
Company technical support
National Cleaner
Production Centre
South Africa
A national industrial
support programme that
partners with industry to
drive the transition towards
a green economy and
save money.
Contact us for a free assessment
www.ncpc.co.za
ncpc@csir.co.za
Funded by the dtic, hosted by the CSIR
To strengthen the South African textile sector, promote
circularity, sustainability and enhance competitiveness, the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the National
Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA) and the Centre
for African Resource Efficiency and Sustainability (CARES) have
collaborated on the implementation of a three-year project funded
by the European Union – the Innovative Business Practices and
Economic Models in the Textile Value Chain or InTex.
In July 2023, the InTex Project implementing partners, the NCPC-SA
and CARES, hosted roadshows across two provinces to facilitate a
dialogue between the project steering committee including the
Department of Science and Innovation, Department of Forestry,
Fisheries and Environment, provincial and local government as
well as government stakeholders and participating small and
medium enterprises (SMEs). The roadshows resulted in numerous
resolutions based on the challenges shared by SMEs. While the list
is not exhaustive, the SMEs raised the following:
• A need for third-party verification systems or a form of certification
to verify the implementation of processes in sustainable innovation.
• Municipalities’ availability to offer support to the textile and
clothing industry as well as access to a contact person to provide
such support.
Eco-innovation can help
companies access new
and expanding markets.
• Solutions to dispose of synthetic fibre waste in an environmentally
friendly manner.
• A need to address prevalent job losses in the sector due to factors
such as the energy crisis and natural disasters.
• Prioritising skills development for the sector.
• Prioritising access to finance for circular economy and other
green projects, as well as incentives for their implementation.
In the resolutions, access to funding proved the most eminent. The
NCPC-SA and CARES have already started to roll out interventions to
address this. They recently co-hosted a green finance workshop. The
NCPC-SA manager for strategy and innovation, Lee-Hendor Ruiters,
says: “Having previously organised green finance workshops for
various industries, we recognised the need to tailor our approach to
cater specifically to the textile sector.”
The green finance workshop was presented by financiers from
renowned commercial banks, development institutions and the
Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. The primary objective
was to unpack the various finance mechanisms that support the
implementation of green projects and explain the different government
incentives available to support the sector.
“One of the things that makes the green finance workshops a success
is that they offer valuable insights and solutions to overcome the
financing challenges that hinder the textile sector’s progress towards
a green economy. Furthermore, the inclusion of a presenter from
the Global Reporting Initiative enhanced the workshop by helping
companies to better understand their contribution to a sustainable
global economy and facilitating the reporting of their environmental
impact,” Ruiters adds.
Through this intervention, the duo (NCPC-SA and CARES) hopes to help
SMEs accelerate their access to finance journeys while strengthening
participation in eco-innovation. Eco-innovation can help companies
access new and expanding markets, increase productivity, attract
new investment, increase profitability and stay ahead of regulations
and standards.
To unlock similar opportunities for your business, contact the
NCPC-SA at ncpc@csir.co.za or visit www.ncpc.co.za to learn more
about free business interventions.
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