The Human Factor of Sustainable Textile Waste Recycling in Pakistan: The Function of Managerial Skills in the Green Transformation

Abstract

Although textile industry is the spine of Pakistan economy, it is also among the major waste-generating sectors producing nearly 267,000 Metric ton of textile waste annually. Most discussions are in the domain of technology and policy measures, but this study takes a completely different perspective: the study explores the role of managerial skills that can ultimately influence up scaling sustainable textile waste recycling. Using purposive sampling between November 2019 and September 2020, this qualitative study gathered detailed data from mid- and senior-level managers and frontline workers in key textile hubs. Twelve semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions were conducted, transcribed, and systematically analyzed thematically within the NVivo 14 software. The key management skills are leadership, strategic planning and communication. Managers who incorporated sustainability in KPIs and encouraged collaboration across departments in companies were able to reduce landfill waste and increase material reuse by as much as 28% and 20% respectively, despite lacking significant infrastructure. On the other hand, a widespread skills gap with less than 12% of managers being formally trained in sustainability was the leading obstacle It concludes that managerial will and skill are more important than technology and provides a pragmatic framework for developing sustainability-literate leadership to enable a circular economy transition in Pakistan's textile sector.