## 6 Conclusions
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), research that does not involve sensitive data only needs to ensure compliance with data protection laws and does not require formal approval from ethics committee. Not applicable. The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author. We acknowledge support under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.1, Call for tender No. 1409 published on 14.9.2022 by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR), funded by the European Union--NextGenerationEU--Project Title \"GENIUS--A GrEn Network for an Integrated bUsiness Strategy to monitor sustainability measures\" CUP E53D2301682 0001 Grant Assignment Decree No. 1385 adopted on 01 September 2023 by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR). The authors declare no conflict of interest. The questions used in the survey administered to participants are presented in this appendix, categorized by main themes to facilitate the understanding of the methodological framework adopted in the research. \begin{tabular}{l l} d. & Other (more than 250 employees) \\
6. & Your company's staff is made up in percentage of \\  & a. & Local workers (region--municipality) \\  & b. & National workers \\  & c. & European workers \\  & d. & Non-EU workers \\
7. & Your company's staff is made up in percentage of \\  & a. & Young (15-35 years) \\  & b. & Adults (36-64 years) \\  & c. & Elders (65 years and over) \\
8. & Your company's staff is made up of people who present as qualifications \\  & a. & University degree \\  & b. & High school diploma \\  & c. & Middle school diploma \\  & d. & Primary school diploma \\  & e. & No qualifications \\
9. & Are there any disabled employees on the staff? \\  & a. & Yes \\  & b. & No \\
10. & How many women make up your staff? \\  & a. & 0\% \\  & b. & 1-25\% \\  & c. & 26-50\% \\  & d. & 51-75\% \\  & e. & 76-99\% \\  & f. & 100\% \\
11. & How many of the women who make up your staff are mothers? \\  & a. & 0\% \\  & b. & 1-25\% \\  & c. & 26-50\% \\  & d. & 51-75\% \\  & e. & 76-99\% \\  & f. & 100\% \\ \end{tabular}   
_Appendix A.2 Section 2 Sustainability and Circularity_  
12. & Indicate any certifications or standards held regarding sustainability \\  & a. & ISO 14000 \\  & b. & Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) \\  & c. & EU-Ecolabel \\  & d. & B Corp \\  & e. & LCA Certification \\  & f. & ESG Certification \\  & g. & OECO-TEX certifications \\  & h. & Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) \\  & i. & Global Recycle Standard (GRS) \\  & j. & Other \\
13. & Do you use renewable energy sources in your processing facilities? \\ \end{tabular}  
* No
* Do you use any water recycling or reuse systems in place? * How is waste generated during textile fiber processing managed and minimized? * Minimizing water usage in dyeing and finishing processes
* Recycling leftover fibers or scraps for reuse
* Utilizing pre-colored fibers to eliminate dyeing altogether
* Composting organic waste like cotton seeds
* Disposing of excess chemicals down the drain
* What practices are in place to reduce emissions and pollutants in textile manufacturing? * Optimizing processes to minimize water and chemical usage
* Utilizing energy-efficient machinery in various stages of processing
* Implementing waste heat recovery systems to capture and reuse heat generated during processes
* Employing natural and biodegradable fibers
* Adopting closed-loop systems for water and chemical reuse in dyeing and finishing
* Utilizing pre-colored fibers to eliminate the dyeing process and associated pollutants
* Investing in air filtration systems to capture and reduce harmful airborne emissions
* Treating wastewater
* What barriers do you encounter when implementing sustainable, circular textile practices? * Organizational (lack of infrastructure, conflicting goals and interests, lack of policies, strategies and vision, etc.)