Exploring challenges in unlocking circular supply chains for fashion and textile: blockchain for strategic solutions

Purpose The transition of the fashion and textile supply chain towards circularity faces persistent challenges, particularly in achieving traceability, transparency and accountability across complex global networks. This study investigates the key barriers to circular supply chain adoption and examines the potential role of blockchain as a trust-enabling technology to support circular practices. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a mixed-method research design, combining survey data with in-depth semi-structured interviews involving fashion and textile industry stakeholders and technology experts. The data are analysed thematically to identify and categorise barriers across regulatory, economic, societal, informational, technological, organisational and market-related dimensions. To enhance the generalisability of the findings, results are also compared with barriers reported in other industries and geographical contexts. Findings The findings reveal that barriers to circular supply chains are highly interconnected rather than isolated, with governance, information quality and digital infrastructure emerging as critical enabling factors. Inadequate data standards, limited information sharing and weak accountability mechanisms restrict traceability and undermine sustainability efforts. Blockchain is identified as having strong potential to support trusted data frameworks, provided it is implemented strategically and aligned with governance structures, data standards and stakeholder incentives. Originality/value This study contributes to the limited empirical research on blockchain-enabled circular supply chains within the fashion and textile sector by offering stakeholder-informed insights into systemic adoption barriers. It positions immutable traceability as a foundational requirement for circularity and sustainability and frames blockchain not merely as a technical tool, but as part of a broader collaborative infrastructure necessary for industry-wide transformation.