How blockchain adoption affects supply chain sustainability in the fashion industry: a systematic review and case studies

Abstract

The fashion industry is the fourth biggest industry globally, with a value of $3 trillion and a workforce of 3384 million. However, the rapid development of the fashion industry negatively impacts the environment. With industrial practice, blockchain technology is found to be efficient and effective in helping fashion supply chain members cope with sustainability issues with accessibility, security, traceability, and transparency. This paper makes a systematic literature review and in‐depth exploration of adopting blockchain technology to facilitate sustainable supply chain practices with a particular case study on the fashion industry in coastal areas and a discussion of the application of blockchain technology in the global fashion industry. Based on the combination of the literature review, the case study, and the discussion, managerial insights are generated concerning blockchain adoption for boosting sustainability in the fashion industry in various domains. Future research opportunities are also discussed.