Digital Technology for Global Supply Chain in Fashion: A Contribution for Sustainability Development

The global fashion industry is the second most polluting industry in the world. In the last few years, with globalization and fast fashion, the pollution has increased. It is easy to see that fashion markets are, day after day, more synonymous with rapid change, and as a result, commercial success or failure is largely determined by an organization’s flexibility and responsiveness (Christopher, M., Lowson, R., & Peck, H., International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management 32:367–376, 2004). When a firm competes in any industry, it performs several discrete but interconnected value-creating activities, such as operating a sales force, producing a component or delivering products, and these activities are connected with the activities of suppliers, channels and customers (Azevedo, S. G., Ferreira, J., & Leitão, J., The role of Logistics’ Information and communication Technologies in promoting Competitive Advantages of the Firm (1359), 2007). The recent embracing of new business models that encourage design for reuse and improve materials recovery represents a departure from historic production and consumption systems. In fact, classical economic theory posits that disproportionate production and consumption patterns represent a natural or desirable outcome since they drive the creation of wealth resulting from economic activity (including the flow and use of raw materials and resources) and trade of goods and services (Genovese et al. 2016). Based on this information, this chapter seeks to show an approach to present a solution. Digital technology to source in a global supply chain for fashion, how this tool can be a plus for the fashion business, to sustainable development and the benefits in using these kinds of platforms in a supply chain context from an environmental, market, policy and societal point of view. Regarding the methodology approach, digital platform development was made as an adaptation of the project methodology. To conclude, digital technology can contribute significantly to facilitate and improve sourcing in the fashion industry, and it could be a plus not only for the global fashion market but also for new entrepreneurs that need to grow and globalize their business, minimize costs and time losses, and contribute for the sustainability.