Center Spotlight: Dr. Aydin Alptekinoglu, Professor of Supply Chain Management at Smeal

Professor Alptekinoglu on his research into sustainability and mass customization, working with FoodRecovery.org, and making real environmental difference in the business world.

Sustainable Fashion and Mass Customization

"My first foray into sustainability topics was actually about the fashion industry," Alptekinoglu explained. His previous academic work and dissertation, "Is Adopting Mass Customization a Path to Environmentally Sustainable Fashion?" in 2022 and "Can Mass Customization Slow Fast Fashion Down? The Impact on Time-to-Disposal and Willingness-to-Pay" in 2023 have shaped his work, leading to his current drafting of a third paper. His main focus is on mass customization, which he describes as made-to-order fashion on demand, instead of the standard stock fashion we often see.

Alptekinoglu shared that "some nonprofits...say 30% of everything produced never gets sold. They either get burned or they try to greenwash by donating the clothing to nonprofits. But in the end, really, most of that gets wasted". And to the recycling point, he clarifies, "there's really no recycling solution. Currently...1% of supposedly recycled clothing actually gets recycled, meaning made into another thing".

His research led him to conclude that the main issue with fashion is overproduction. "Mass customization, by definition, prevents overproduction," Alptekinoglu states. "You are producing on demand rather than on forecast". He explained that, though mass customization won't solve all the sustainability issues associated with fashion, it can help fix some.

However, to make a real impact, Alptekinoglu realized that there must be an "economic incentive for companies to do the right thing". This led him to his research's current pursuit, questioning "what are the economic incentives in place for firms to adopt mass customization, and if they do so, does it really help the environment?". In the lab, he found that mass-customized products can be priced higher, since consumers are willing to pay more for the pieces. "In the end, this could be a win-win for firms...[though] they would be selling fewer items because people buy less frequently, they would be charging more for each item. So, in the net, the firm could actually make more money than selling mass".

An interesting insight that he uncovered was that mass appeal firms (think fast fashion) are more successful with mass customization than luxury firms. He explains that this is "kind of good news, because most of the environmental impact comes from mass appeal firms".

While his research is mainly conceptual now, Alptekinoglu says he "would really love to work with a fashion firm or a nonprofit that would help improve the applicability of these ideas".

"I think that would be the real dream, out of my research or other people's research. Eventually, if Zara and H&M and Gap, if they come to this idea, I think the world would be a better place".

Food Waste Solutions

Alptekinoglu identified the interrelated problem of food waste and insecurity, and realized he could play a part in developing a solution. To pursue real-world impact, Alptekinoglu teamed up with FoodRecovery.org, which "connect(s) food donors with nonprofits to fight hunger and reduce waste". He explains how the system works: "for example, the donor organization could be something like a school district, or a hotel, or casino, and the recipient organization could be something like a church group (or) food bank".

"I contacted them and asked them, can I help you do better? And this conversation basically grew into multiple research projects," Alptekinoglu explains. One major problem FoodRecovery.org faced was distributing the donated food fairly. Currently, the food is claimed on a "first come, first serve" basis, which results in bigger, more resourced organizations getting the majority of the food, leaving smaller organizations in the dust.

To adjust for this inequity, Alptekinoglu and his co-author implemented a small change to the algorithm that makes the food available to select smaller organizations first for a limited time, then opens up the offering to all organizations. The initial window is kept short in order to insure food is claimed before it spoils, allowing for more fair practices without increasing food waste. Currently, this improved system is being implemented in Florida for a pilot test.

Advice to Students

When asked what his advice would be for current Penn State students wanting to get involved with sustainability, especially in the business sectors, Alptekinoglu emphasized getting into entry roles, even if they don't have a sustainability component in the beginning. "If you get into sustainability roles, it might pigeonhole you," he explained. Additionally, he suggests getting experience in your desired field and learn how the system works, then transition into a sustainability position later.

"In positions of influence, I think [sustainability] is very important, and this is one of the things that business schools can do really well".

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Thank you to Dr. Aydin Alptekinoglu for your insight!