Modelling the enablers of circular economy in textile and apparel industry: an integrated fuzzy TISM and fuzzy DEMATEL approach

Purpose The textile and apparel (T&A) industry is one of the most prominent waste-generating industries and is criticized for environmental and social sustainability. This research work aims to demonstrate the crucial enablers for implementing circular economy (CE) in Bangladesh’s T&A industry. Design/methodology/approach This research work followed a purposive sampling method in three stages of data collection from a small expert focus group. This study employed two integrated Fuzzy methods: fuzzy total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) and fuzzy decision-making and trial evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) to evaluate the CE enablers. Findings The TISM model discovered that stakeholder involvement is the most impactful enabler for implementing CE practices in the Bangladeshi T&A industry. Consequently, the DEMATEL method revealed the causal relationships among the enablers and identified the effective reverse logistic process as the most impactful enabler. Originality/value For the first time, this study attempts to ascertain the inter-influential relationship and the causal relationship among the enablers precisely in Bangladesh. The influential relationships among the enablers were illustrated in a modelling-based hierarchical framework and causal relationships were demonstrated in the degree of effect diagram.