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TextileGenesis, based in Hong Kong and India, is one of many apparel companies adopting blockchain so it can track the sourcing of raw materials through to production and shipment of finished garments.

The fashion and apparel industry is moving to introduce sustainable materials such as recycled cotton, lyocell (made from wood pulp) and viscose (made from wood) in place of less environmentally friendly fibers like polyester and nylon, which contain petroleum, coal and chemicals. Blockchain would help apparel manufacturers source, track and certify their use of the new materials.

Piramal Glass, an Indian company that makes bottles and glass packaging for the pharma, cosmetics and perfume industries, is using blockchain to get supply chain transparency and auditability.

Another important advance is the use of digital or virtual twinning.

The flood of data available from the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing makes it possible and cost effective to create digital 'twins' that model and simulate processes with potential to deliver environmental benefits.

'This pairing of the virtual and physical worlds allows analysis of data and monitoring of systems to head off problems before they even occur, prevent downtime, develop new opportunities and even plan for the future by using simulations,' says Forbes.

The Port of Rotterdam is using digital twinning to model automation, design and sustainability features that are part of its push to become 'the world's smartest port.' Twinning gives port planners the ability to virtually test use of autonomous ships, 'digital handshakes' for documentation exchanged between vessels and the port, and emissions-lowering port call practices.

Without digital twinning, port officials would have no way to test the transformational processes without disrupting operations at a sprawling port that handles 8.8 million containers and 15 million twenty-foot equivalent units a year.

'In a virtual environment, we can verify and validate solutions before the real tests begin, maturing solutions much faster. We also don't have the safety risks or hazards we would in real-life tests and that's why this digital environment is better and faster for development and validation work,' says Karno Tenovuo, CEO of Awake.AI, the Finnish company that is Rotterdam's smart-port development partner.

Tenovuo says ports will able to lower CO2 emissions 10% by adopting the features and optimization methods that will be harnessed in Rotterdam.