A protocol-based approach to sustainability in the textile and apparel industry: The LACE model

Sustainability represents a pressing challenge for the textile and apparel (T&A) industry, driving a fast-growing but highly fragmented research stream. To tackle this issue, the study proposes a novel methodology, the LACE (Literature Analysis for thematic Classification and Evidence via topic Modelling) protocol, a data-driven approach that synthesizes extensive academic literature. Based on 881 peer-reviewed publications (2014–2024), the protocol combines systematic literature review principles with text mining techniques and topic modelling algorithms. The analysis identifies eight thematic areas shaping the research landscape: supply chain, circular economy, business models, environmental impact, social responsibility, sustainable practices, Industry 4.0, and consumer behaviour. Topic modelling reveals four cross-cutting patterns connecting these domains: performance-oriented optimization, governance-led stabilization, innovation-oriented transformation, and human-centered reconfiguration. The synthesis draws attention to the need for more integrative research approaches that examine how optimization, governance, innovation, and socially embedded practices interact across organizational and value chain contexts. Further research is needed to understand how digital and design-based technologies shape sustainability governance, how sustainability-oriented innovations are stabilized and scaled within institutional settings, and how social relations and consumption practices influence the adoption and persistence of innovative sustainability solutions and business models. Theoretically, the study advances a transparent and replicable approach for large-scale literature reviews, providing a structured synthesis of how sustainability is conceptualized in the T&A industry literature. Practically, the findings offer a lens for firms, innovators, and policymakers to assess current sustainability strategies and to identify where greater integration of governance arrangements, technological solutions, and business model innovation may be required to support more scalable and coherent sustainability initiatives across global value chains.