The fast fashion industry confronts substantial sustainability issues because of its high resource consumption and waste output. The literature reveals that past studies have less focused on circular practices in fast fashion supply chain. This study aims to identify and analyse the potential enablers of circularity within fast fashion supply chains, promoting sustainable production and consumption practices. Through a comprehensive literature review and expert consultations with 12 domain experts from academia, apparel manufacturing, and sustainability practices, sixteen enablers of circularity were identified. To understand the interrelationships and hierarchical structure among the identified enablers, Grey DEMATEL method was employed. The results from the study reveal that sound purchasing policies, reverse logistics and adoption of eco-friendly and recyclable packaging act as the most influential causal enablers, while selection of fibres and consumer awareness and acceptance of recycled, refurbished clothing emerge as key effect enablers. By mapping these interrelationships, the study offers actionable insights for fashion retailers, policymakers, and sustainability practitioners to strengthen circular strategies. The findings contribute to advancing circular economy theory in the fashion sector and provide a practical framework for accelerating the transition towards sustainable and circular business models in fast fashion.
BACKGROUND:This study evaluated the efficacy of woodcast (WC) versus thermoplastic (TP) splints for postoperative immobilization following carpometacarpal (CMC) joint suspensionplasty. The hypothesis was that WC splints would provide improved efficacy and compliance compared with TP splints, while also reducing waste generation. METHODS:A prospective, randomized controlled trial enrolled 26 patients, all older than 18 years old, undergoing CMC joint suspensionplasty. Participants were randomized to receive postoperative splinting with either a WC or TP splint. Exclusion criteria included additional procedures on the same arm or surgeon-determined unsuitability. Outcomes assessed included patient comfort, compliance, satisfaction, complication rates, and quantity of waste material generated by each splint type. RESULTS:The TP group demonstrated higher splint compliance and fewer splint-related complications than the WC group. Both groups reported similar satisfaction concerning their splints and overall treatment. However, the WC group generated significantly less waste (3.14 ± 1.38 g) compared with the TP group (20.88 ± 9.64 g), an 85% reduction. Functional outcome scores (Quick Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand, Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation, visual analog scale) were similar between groups at all time points. CONCLUSIONS:Thermoplastic splinting resulted in greater compliance and fewer complications but generated substantially more waste than WC splinting. As both splint types yielded comparable functional outcomes, the choice of splinting material should account for therapist expertise and health care waste considerations. The findings support exploring alternative biodegradable splint materials that support waste management without compromising patient care.Randomized Controlled Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06876350.
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic hypnosis as an alternative to or adjunct treatment with opioid medications for post-operative pain management following shoulder replacement surgery. A prior pilot study assessed the feasibility of a clinical trial by comparing standard care and hypnosis therapy groups, finding moderate reductions in pain and opioid consumption in the therapeutic hypnosis group. The design of the current trial was informed by findings from the pilot study. Participants in the therapeutic hypnosis group were given access to a video with therapeutic hypnosis narration, while the control group viewed the video without narration. Pain intensity (primary outcome) was assessed at baseline, at the preoperative visit, as well as 10 and 49 days post-surgery. Secondary outcomes included anxiety, pain medication use, and sleep disruption. Despite initial positive results from the pilot, the current trial revealed no significant differences between the treatment groups across all measures. Further research should consider alternative control conditions and examine outcomes in the immediate post-surgical period to better capture potential effects.
