Although the leather processing industry is vital in terms of employment creation, revenue generation, consumption of by‐products from the meat industry, and the production of the valuable commodity called leather, the industry is considered “red marked” due to the discharge of solid, liquid, and gaseous wastes from each unit operation. In addition, different cleaner production options were investigated to mitigate the negative effects of the leather industries. Cleaner options in curing were mostly focused on the use of plant extracts and the sodium chloride‐free preservation method, which eliminates the salinity and 70% TDS of the discharged water. The application of enzymes in the soak and unhairing facilitates the operation, reduces COD, BOD, and TDS in the effluent, and yields better results than the conventional method. Saltless and waterless pickling with nonswelling acid and chrome‐free tanning was considered cleaner options for pickling with salts and conventional tanning methods. This article provides an in‐depth analysis and review of conventional leather processing, hazardous chemicals in each unit operation, the environmental impact of conventional operations from curing to tanning, and cleaner leather production approaches in each unit operation.

Next to the oil industry, the apparel industries are strongly criticized for their negative impact on the ecosystem. Due to the current global trend, manufacturing industries are expected to consider sustainability issues beyond conventional business goals. In this regard, the study investigates the Ethiopian apparel and textile manufacturing industries’ sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices. A descriptive research design methodology using a cross‐sectional survey was used. Data were collected through self‐administered questionnaires. A simple random sampling technique to decide sample size and a purposive sampling technique to select respondents were employed. A total of 71 participants provided a valid response. The metrics for the survey were developed from different literature, and structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. The results demonstrated that the state of the implementation of SSCM practices by the fashion manufacturing industry in Ethiopia is still in its promising stages. The hypotheses test results showed that SSCM practices positively impact SSCM performance and competitiveness at p values of 0.05, except environmental practices with economic performance. The study provides additional insight into the growing field of literature that examines the relationships among SSCM practices, performance, and competitiveness. The findings offer insight for industrial policymakers to improve sustainability for global competitiveness. The Ethiopian government is making significant efforts to boost the manufacturing sector through the “Let Ethiopia Produce” campaign, and sustainability is among the significant necessities for the global competitiveness of the Ethiopian manufacturing industry.

Consumers in developing countries, particularly Africans, are strongly criticized for their unfavorable feeling about locally produced apparel products. With this concern, this paper explores the determinants of Ethiopian consumers purchasing behavior towards locally produced apparel products by using the extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) model. A self-administered questionnaire which consists of open and closed-ended questions was developed based on the literature. Cross-sectional data were collected from 478 Ethiopian consumers by following the convenience sampling technique and were analyzed by structural equation modeling with AMOS V.26.0. The ethnocentric tendency of Ethiopian consumers was found at a moderate level. The consumers had a very high purchasing intention towards locally produced apparel products but had a low actual purchasing behavior. The result also showed that Ethiopian consumers use price, garment fitness, comfort, and color as the most important attributes, while the country of origin and notions were found to be the moderate important attributes. Moreover, consumers attitude towards locally produced apparel products was found as the most influential factor, while perceived behavioral control and subjective norms were the least influential factors in affecting consumers purchasing intention. The studys findings provide insight into domestic apparel consumption as well as the factors affecting consumer purchasing intentions and behavior in the Ethiopian context. The study incorporates product attributes and ethnocentrism into the TPB model to investigate their impact on consumer purchasing intentions which are rarely investigated together.

Nowadays, there is an increasing concern about environmental challenges ranging from emissions to overconsumption. Most of the environmental problems today are direct consequences of human consumption. Understanding the factors that affect consumer purchasing decisions is critical to developing demand for and commitment to sustainable consumption. In this regard, this study aims to explore the environmentally sustainable consumption behavior of Ethiopian consumers by using an extended model of the theory of planned behavior. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire having open and closed-ended questions. A total of 523 Ethiopian consumers were selected using convenience sampling technique. Structural equation modeling with AMOS V.26.0. was applied for data analysis. The findings show that Ethiopian consumers have very low awareness about the impact of their clothing consumption and disposal. Their consideration of sustainability attributes during purchasing decisions is also low. The structural equation model analysis showed that all variables had a positive and significant effect on the dependent variables at p<0.05, except the effect of personal norms on an environmentally responsible purchasing intention. These results provide additional evidence on the role of environmental labels in purchasing sustainable apparel products. The results of the study allow a better understanding of the factors determining sustainable consumption behavior and suggest practical solutions to their producers. As theory-building activities, with implications for the conceptualization of sustainable consumption behavior are sparse in the literature, this work has also been able to detect sustainable consumption behavior trends and practices by using the availability of a sustainable apparel product and consumers price perceptions of environmentally responsible apparel as a mediating effect of intention and behavior in developing countries, particularly Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian textile and apparel (ETA) sector is considered a key driver of the national economy, generating employment opportunities and foreign exchange while supporting the country’s transition from an agriculture-based economy to manufacturing. The sector also has huge potential for growth and development. However, value chain (VC) inefficiencies constrain the ETA industry, despite its strong industrial potential. This study examines the ETA industry VC from a farm-to-fashion perspective using Porter’s VC model and diamond frameworks to determine performance drivers and constraints. We combined a cross-sectional survey of 112 respondents selected via simple random and purposive sampling from the textile and apparel sector, with a response rate of 66.7%. Qualitative insights were collected through interviews and focus-group discussions. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze quantitative data, and interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and content analysis were used to examine qualitative evidence. The findings demonstrate that the performance of the “farm-to-fashion” value chain significantly influences overall organizational outcomes, driven directly by core operations, outbound logistics, marketing, procurement, and human resource management ( p < 0.05). On the other hand, with severe constraints on institutions and capabilities, factors such as inbound logistics, service infrastructure, and technology adoption have indirect effects. The study’s distinctive strength is its full farm-to-fashion coverage that utilizes Porter’s VC model to diagnose internal micro-level processes and Porter’s diamond framework to capture external macro-level market dynamics and competitiveness. The study employed ISM and qualitative insights to identify systemic bottlenecks such as poor VC collaboration, low innovation capacity, and fragmented agricultural-to-industrial linkages, and structured them into a clear hierarchy for strategic intervention. The present research provides an empirical baseline for the ETA sector, but future research should extend this conceptual framework to include emerging global factors and digitalization. Researchers are also encouraged to move from this baseline toward multi-method cross-country comparative studies and very specific sub-industry analyses to follow the long-term evolution of value chains across developing manufacturing hubs.