## 3 Materials and Methods
### Phase#2: Survey
#### 3.2.3 Step#2.3: Design the Survey
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt}} \hline \hline
**Section** & **Question** & **Rationale for the Choice** \\ \hline Section 1: General Information & Type of the company & Identifies the company’s legal structure, which influences its financial capacity and ability to adopt sustainability practices. Helps understand the company’s role in the supply chain, impacting their ability to contribute to sustainable practices. Provides insights into regional factors affecting sustainability practices, such as local regulations and resources. \\ Company’s ATECO code & Company’s ATECO code & Identifies the specific industry sector, aiding in understanding the company’s alignment with textile sector sustainability practices. Larger companies often have more resources to implement sustainability, while smaller ones might face barriers due to limited resources. \\ Staff composition & Reflects labor-related sustainability practices, including fair wages, inclusivity, and equal opportunities. \\ Staff demographics & Reveals insights into workforce training needs and generational perspectives on sustainability practices. \\ Educational qualifications of the staff & Indicates the expertise within the company to execute complex sustainability strategies and practices. \\ Disabled employees & Measures the inclusivity of the company in terms of providing equal opportunities for disabled workers, an important aspect of social sustainability. \\ Percentage of women in the staff & Gender diversity is crucial for inclusive workplaces. Higher female representation could indicate a focus on gender equality. Assesses support for working mothers, linking to social sustainability practices and family-friendly policies. \\ Section 2: Sustainability and standards & Sustainability certifications or standards, highlighting their commitment to environmental and social sustainability. \\  & Use of renewable energy & Directly measures efforts in reducing carbon emissions by transitioning to renewable energy sources. \\  & Water recycling and reuse & Critical resources in textile manufacturing (water) and reducing waste. \\ Waste management and minimization practices & Measures efforts in minimizing waste and reusing materials, a key practice in circular economy models. \\ Emission and pollutant reductions & Assesses commitment to reducing environmental pollutants. \\ Barriers to implementing sustainable practices & Identifies challenges faced by companies in adopting sustainable practices, helping to understand the barriers that need to be addressed. \\ Services necessary to increase & Guides policymakers and service providers on the type of support circularity and sustainability & companies need to improve their sustainability practices \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 10: Rationale for the questions choices. Each of these questions, along with the corresponding answer choices, has been chosen to give an in-depth understanding of the sustainability efforts and barriers within the companies. By asking about certifications, workforce composition, emissions, waste management, and the support services needed, the survey aims to capture a comprehensive picture of both the practices and the challenges faced by companies in the textile sector when it comes to sustainability and circularity. The aim of the questionnaire was to explore the challenges faced by companies in adopting circular solutions, as well as to identify the perceived opportunities for development and innovation in the future.