The Historicity of the Textile Industry in Brazil: Origins, Transformations and Legacies

Objective: Conduct a systematic review of the textile industry and its waste, in light of sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), at global, national and regional levels, with a focus on Pernambuco, identifying practices, challenges and opportunities. Theoretical Foundation: It is based on the historical evolution of the sector, textile waste management, sustainability in fashion and SDGs (8, 9, 11, 12 and 13), discussing environmental, social and economic impacts such as water pollution, microplastics and productive informality. Methodology: Systematic review according to the PRISMA protocol, covering publications from 2015 to 2025, in Portuguese and English, in the Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Of 1,539 initial records, 11 studies comprised the final sample. Results and Conclusions: Advances have been identified, such as the use of agri-food waste in biotextile production, the application of advanced oxidative processes for effluent treatment, the integration of Lean Production and Cleaner Production, and water reuse in laundries. However, challenges persist, such as low recycling rates, the absence of specific policies for textile waste, deficiencies in effluent management, informal production, and technical and financial barriers to the adoption of clean technologies. The most common environmental impacts include water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, the generation of microplastics, and the waste of natural resources. The findings support the formulation of public policies and business strategies aimed at the circular economy and sustainability in the textile sector. Originality/Value: A multi-scalar and interdisciplinary approach that integrates historical, socioeconomic, and environmental analyses, offering a comprehensive overview of the topic and pointing to concrete paths for the sustainable transition of the textile sector.