Abstract:
1. Introduction
Sri Lanka's economy has always relied heavily on the apparel industry,
which creates jobs and boosts exports. However, many of its procedures,
such as washing, printing, and dying, use a lot of chemicals, which can
cause serious environmental problems like contaminated soil and water.
Chemical leasing is a cutting-edge business strategy that has shown
encouraging results all over the world and is intended to increase chemical
efficiency and decrease waste. The use of chemical leasing in Sri Lanka's
garment industry is still in its early stages, despite its potential. By
highlighting chemical leasing's role in encouraging sustainable practices
and reducing the environmental issues brought on by the industry's heavy
reliance on chemicals, this research seeks to uncover the enablers and
barriers to its effective implementation.
2. Research Methodology
The study used a quantitative research methodology, gathering
information from chemical engineers, manufacturing managers, and
sustainability managers using a survey technique. Key enablers and
barriers were identified using factor analysis, and their relative importance
was evaluated using ranking analysis.
3. Findings and Discussion
The factor analysis found Four categories of enablers: Operational and
Regulatory Support, Economic and Technological Advantages, Sustainable
Chemical Practices, and Supplier Reliability. On the other hand, two main
categories of barriers were identified: Behavioral and Knowledge Barriers
and Financial and Structural Constraints.
4. Conclusion and Implications
The results demonstrate how chemical leasing has a great deal of promise
to improve sustainability in the apparel sector, so long as the barriers are
successfully removed. A diverse strategy is required to overcome these
barriers, including financial incentives, technical assistance, pilot projects,
awareness campaigns, training, and steps to promote cooperation and
confidence
