ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN KENYAN TEXTILE SUPPLY CHAINS: EVALUATING THE CONTRIBUTION OF GREEN LOGISTICS

Supply chains are crucial components of national economies, influencing diverse functions like operations, product development, marketing, distribution, and customer service. Despite their significant contributions, supply chains, particularly in the textile industry are implicated in environmental degradation through spinning, dyeing, manufacturing, packaging, and disposal. Addressing this concern, the growing practice of green logistics within supply chain management is gaining traction. This paper investigates the impact of green logistics on environmental sustainability in the textile supply chain, grounded in the Theory of an Inclusive Green Economy. Using an observational cross-sectional design and focusing on 265 staff members from textile firms in Nairobi City County engaged in supply chain functions, it assesses the retrospective influence of green procurement, production, warehousing, and transportation on environmental sustainability. Employing partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), the results show that green procurement, production, and transportation significantly and positively predict environmental sustainability. The study highlights the textile supply chain’s pivotal role in addressing the threat of the sixth mass extinction. The findings imply that aligning with the government’s green economy strategy through policy guidelines, standards, and enforcement of green logistics practices is crucial for the Kenyan textile industry’s environmental sustainability.