Purpose The current study aims at reviewing existing manufacturing methods in the apparel manufacturing industry (AMI) and enabling sustainable process development (SPD) through the inclusion of value stream mapping (VSM) 4.0 and the interval-valued q-Rung orthopair fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (IVQROF-DEMATEL) method. VSM 4.0, a lean production method enhanced with Industry 4.0 technologies, is employed to optimize material and information flow, minimize non-value-added activities (NVA) and optimize operational efficiency and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). This hybrid framework enables advanced data-driven decision-making to encourage sustainable manufacturing practices (SMPs). Design/methodology/approach This study utilized integrated VSM 4.0 and IVQROF-DEMATEL method to enhance SPD in the AMI. The implementation of this approach commenced with the direct observation of AMI processes complemented by quantitative and qualitative analysis, and a current state map was drawn to identify NVA activities. Then, the prominence ranking of the finalized 15 strategies was determined through the IVQROF-DEMATEL method. The strategies were employed based on their prominence ranking, current state-identified problems and developing a future state map to evaluate performance improvement. Findings The analysis identified the strategies “S2,” encouraging QR code scanning, and “S12,” indicating single-minute exchange of die (SMED), as the most significant strategies to tackle NVA. The outcomes represented a major reduction in total manpower by 13.73%, total lead time by 17.31% and total NVA time by 23.05%, while improvement of overall equipment effectiveness and efficiency were by 5% and 8.87%, respectively. Originality/value This research fills the existing research gap by providing a novel framework through the integration of VSM 4.0 and the IVQROF-DEMATEL method to foster SPD in the AMI. The findings provide valuable insights to industry practitioners in emerging economies to enhance production competitiveness and sustainability performances.