Table 3 Descriptive statistics for Dependent variable (Sustainable Business Practices)

We use recyclable and easily recoverable materials during the design of clothes

We have a provision of lending our recyclable materials (organic cotton waste, manufacturing scrap, old clothes) to vendors for further use.

We enter new environmental markets to ensure sustainability (e.g switched to organic cotton or sustainable fabrics where water consumption is less)

We take initiatives to redesign products to be environmentally sustainable such as to design clothes to avoid or reduce use of hazardous products or manufacturing process.

We source locally with a focus on reducing transportation time thereby limiting CO2 emissions linked to the movement of goods thereby limiting of distances traveled for raw materials and finished products

We use green parameter (GOTS, Oeko Tex, 100 etc./ certified) as one of the criteria for our supplier selection

We execute an environmental audit for the supplier’s internal management

We take measures to reduce energy consumption in our plants (e.g energy-efficient lighting, use of solar energy etc.

We use of water flow control devices to ensure that water only flows to the process when needed.

We follow emissions, effluents and waste management techniques.

We use green materials in dyes, additives and other processes.

We educate our suppliers about green initiatives .

Our chemical suppliers come up to us with green alternatives (e.g use of peroxide bleach as less harmful for textiles)

We invest in R&D to explore new sustainable methods to minimize energy generation and waste disposal in production process.

We cooperate with our suppliers for fulfilling environmental objectives.

We use leftover material for other activities postproduction (disposed water from dyehouse used for gardening, reusing cotton waste for making bags etc.)

We have pollution control instruments / measures in place.

We have a separate environment management team and professionals