The Textile and Clothing (STV) sector in Portugal increased its reporting capacity and deepened sustainability indicators, according to the third Sustainability Report of the be@t project, released by CITEVE and supported by PRR.
The document reveals a growing participation of companies and signs of greater maturity in the strategic reading of ESG data.
In the third year of reporting, 105 companies participated — an increase of 36% compared to the first report — representing more than 15,800 jobs.
The number of environmental certifications rose 13%, to 2,526 certificates, a value that the report considers representative of a sample whose actual total of certifications will be significantly higher.
In environmental matters, the sector registered improvements: total consumption of renewable and non-renewable fuels fell by around 6%, despite more companies starting to report this indicator (6% more).
The incorporation of recycled materials increased by 3%, now representing more than 11% of the materials used, and materials of organic or biological origin increased by around 4%, reaching around 25%.
As for chemical management, 68% of companies reported a reduction in the consumption of chemical products — an increase of four points compared to 2023 — and 79% invested in replacing them with less harmful products (an increase of six points). The number of companies reporting safe chemical practices also grew, standing at 90% and 88% according to the aforementioned indicators.
“What this third Sustainability Report highlights is clear: more companies reporting, more metrics, more transparency, more maturity”, says the general director of CITEVE.
Braz Costa also adds that “the sector no longer looks at sustainability as an active instrument of commercial positioning, but as a critical infrastructure for competitiveness”.
Advances in sustainability arise in a more complex economic context: STV exports decreased by 3% in 2024, totaling 5,576 million euros — a drop of 189 million compared to 2023 — affected by geopolitical instability, contraction in international demand and tensions in European markets.
Still, the report highlights that progression in ESG practices contributes to industrial resilience.
The document also highlights the strategic role of the bioeconomy for the sector, pointing it out as a tool to reduce external dependencies, value local resources and comply with brand and European regulatory requirements.