Zero Waste Packaging Strategies in Ethiopian Textile Manufacturing: Environmental Sustainability and Cost Savings Analysis

Ethiopia's textile manufacturing sector is a significant contributor to the national economy, but it faces environmental challenges due to waste generation from packaging materials. A survey was conducted among 50 randomly selected textile manufacturing plants across Ethiopia, using a structured questionnaire to gather data on current practices, challenges, and potential solutions for reducing packaging waste. The findings indicate that about 40% of the surveyed plants have implemented some form of zero waste packaging strategy, with significant reductions in waste generation ranging from 25-30%, depending on the specific product line. Cost savings were noted at an average rate of $1,500 per month. Zero waste packaging strategies show promise for enhancing environmental sustainability and reducing operational costs in Ethiopian textile manufacturing plants. Encouragement should be provided to adopt zero waste packaging practices through policy incentives, training programmes, and industry collaboration. This will help achieve broader goals of sustainable development in the sector.