Institutional Pressures and Implementation Pathways of Digital Green Trade Cooperation in the Apparel Industry under the Belt and Road Initiative

Abstract

Under the twin transitions of decarbonization and digitalization, global apparel trade is shifting from speed- and cost-based competition toward speed with verifiable green compliance. This paper integrates Institutional Theory and Transaction Cost Theory to explain how external regulatory and normative pressures are operationalized through digital infrastructures. We argue that IoT-enabled MRV, blockchain traceability, and Digital Product Passports reduce information asymmetry, measurement burdens, and enforcement costs across fragmented apparel value chains. Using mixed methods—bibliometric mapping and comparative regional cases (China–ASEAN, China–Central Asia, and the Greater Bay Area)—the study identifies differentiated implementation pathways driven by rules, technology, and market-platform innovation. Policy implications emphasize inclusive digital infrastructure, cross-border carbon data governance, and interoperable standard recognition.