Thirsty Textile and Fashion Industry PART I: Water Distribution on Earth and Virtual Water, Water Footprint Concepts

Volume 2 - Issue 5

RB Chavan*

Received: September 25, 2018;   Published: September 20, 2018

DOI: 10.32474/LTTFD.2018.02.000150

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Abstract

Textile and fashion industry is the thirstiest for water as it is one of the largest water consumers from fibre production to finished product. Unfortunately, all the scientific reports and opinions of renowned water experts are predicting the severe water scarcity in the near future in many parts of world particularly the developing countries where textile and fashion industry production activities are located because of cheap labour and less stringent environmental laws. The gloomy picture of water scarcity is good enough to caution the textile and fashion industry to take appropriate measures to use the water resources sustainably and make all efforts to save water at every stage of supply chain.

In the first part of this series attempt has been made to provide a critical review of water distribution on earth, inequitable water distribution in different regions of world and predictions on the dangers of water scarcity which the humanity is going to face in the near future. In order to face the situation of water scarcity scientific community is working on developing concepts and tools for sustainable water management. In this first part of the series, the development of virtual water and water footprint concepts have been highlighted. Water footprint concept is further elaborated with water footprint analysis, pointing out difference between virtual water and water footprint concept and how these two concepts are used synonymously, comparison of water footprint concept with carbon footprint, ecological footprint and life cycle analysis concepts, environment impact and strategies to reduce environment impact, criticism on water footprint concept and the various other tools developed for sustainable water management and certification and labelling. The subsequent parts of the series will highlight the water footprint of textile and fashion industry from fibre production to finished product stages.

Keywords: Water distribution on earth; Climate change; Water scarcity; Virtual water; Water footprint; Direct and indirect water footprints; Water footprint analysis

Abstract| Introduction| Water Distributions on Earth| Estimate of Global Water Distribution| Regional Inequity in Water Distribution| Climate Change| Virtual Water and Water Footprint Concepts| Water Footprint Concept| Supply Chain of Cotton Product| Water Footprint of a Nation| Components or Colors of WF| Difference between Virtual Water and Water Footprint| Criticism of the Water Footprint Concept| Grey Water| Development in Water Footprint Methodology| Water Footprint Assessment| Setting Goals and Scope| Water Footprint Accounting| Water Footprint Sustainability Assessment| Response Formulation| Assessment Tools| Charting Our Water Future| Relationship Between Water, Carbon and Ecological Footprints| Environmental Impacts of a Water Footprint| Strategies to Reduce Environmental Impact| Consumers/Community| Business| Government Agencies| Water Footprint Certification and Labelling| Certifying Organization| European Water Partenership| Conclusion| References|