Water Risks & Opportunities in North Carolina’s Textile Industry: A Management Guide
Abstract
Textiles have been a critical driving force in North Carolina’s economy, identity,
and history. Textiles have always depended heavily on North Carolina’s water resources,
evident when one realizes that much of North Carolina’s water infrastructure was built
around thriving textile operations. However, North Carolina faces increasingly tangible
challenges as we look to the future. Climate change and related droughts, along with
a growing population and associated demand impose pressures on our precious water
supply and the infrastructure that treats it and delivers it. Textile firms in North
Carolina face risks that stem from these challenges. Water scarcity, interruptions
in supply, or degradation in quality can pose catastrophic impacts for an industry
where water is the lifeblood of its operations. I incorporate findings from literature,
interviews, and plant visits to develop an understanding of water related issues the
industry faces. These sources suggest that the textile industry in North Carolina
is characterized by overwhelming heterogeneity and a preliminary finding emerged that
a more engaged approach will be required. I conclude by proposing a process-based,
strategic engagement approach founded on principles and an operational framework for
addressing water issues: collaborative engagement, the real opportunity.
Type
Master's projectPermalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/6859Citation
Clift, Jonathan (2013). Water Risks & Opportunities in North Carolina’s Textile Industry: A Management Guide.
Master's project, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/6859.Collections
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