Reducing Carbon Emissions in Shoe Manufacturing Through Digital Twin-Enabled Project Management

This research addresses the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions in the footwear manufacturing industry by utilizing digital twin technology with project management frameworks. It focuses on identifying critical emission sources across the entire life cycle of shoe production from (i) material sourcing, (ii) manufacturing, and (iii) transportation, to (iv) end-of-life disposal. By data collection, infusing project management, and integrating digital twin approaches, the study offers a dynamic, data-driven method to simulate, monitor, and optimize carbon reduction strategies in real time. An extensive literature review and industry data analysis informs the assessment of carbon emissions and energy consumption patterns. Based on these insights, a tailored project management approach is followed to analyze the feasibility of the footwear sector to adopt sustainable practices such as renewable energy adoption, eco-friendly material sourcing, and closed-loop production systems. Validation was conducted using plant simulation software to model emissions scenarios and evaluate the effectiveness of proposed interventions. Case studies from leading brands, including Nike, Adidas, and Puma, were examined for Scope 1, 2 and 3, to extract the best practices and strategic insights. The research underscores the importance of combining digital tools with sustainability goals to create an environmentally conscious manufacturing ecosystem, highlights the role of policymakers in incentivizing green practices, and emphasizes collaborative industry efforts to accelerate change. The paper concludes by highlighting that digital twin systems provide effective, scalable solutions for reducing carbon emissions in footwear manufacturing.