Design and Optimisation of a User-Engaged System for Sustainable Fashion

The environmental and social impact of fashion throughout its lifecycle has been well-publicised and documented (see, for example, Fletcher, 2008). A wide range of environmental and ethical initiatives exist within the fashion industry, but there are few which wholly embrace a holistic view of sustainability. Although the use of low impact materials and cleaner production are valuable practically and relatively straightforward to implement in the industry’s current configuration, the fact remains that the ‘fast fashion’ paradigm is linear, continuously encouraging people to greater levels of consumption and waste generation. Allwood et al (2006) and Procter & Gamble (2008) have determined that the major environmental impacts of many individual garments occur in the use and end-of-life phases and are heavily influenced and determined by consumer behaviours; it is the constant purchase and disposal of fashion apparel which is the ‘bread and butter’ of the industry. Clearly, to provide truly sustainable fashion, a radical change to the business model is necessary

The Role of Craft in a Co-Design System for Sustainable Fashion.

The relationship between craft and design has been the subject of much discourse. Press and Cushworth (1997) have suggested that craft knowledge is fundamental to developing a vision of design in a “post-industrial future”, and McCullough (1998, cited in Kettley, 2005) supported this, noting “there remains a realm where scientific production cannot go, where mechanized industry finds too little demand to go, and where artistic discourses dare not go…there we find craft”. Contradictory to existing industrial-scale design processes, craft values social engagement and knowledge-sharing, is reflective and produces authentic products imbued with cultural meaning. It is these characteristics which suggest that craft has a significant role to play in developing sustainable practices. This paper explores the role of craft in supporting sustainable fashion design, production and consumption

Perceptions and attitudes towards sustainable fashion design: challenges and opportunities for implementing sustainability in fashion

The purpose of this research was to identify perceptions and attitudes toward sustainable fashion from personnel involved in fashion design and to uncover the challenges in implementing sustainable design practices. Data were gathered through qualitative open-ended questions in five interviews, and 50 fashion designers were selected as research subjects for a survey. The major findings of the research show that there are internal (personal and organisational) and external challenges to incorporating sustainability into the fashion design process. Internal challenges consist of the lack of consensus and knowledge regarding sustainable design, lack of design-led approaches implementing sustainability in fashion and perceived trade-offs with other design criteria, such as aesthetic styles, costs, and fashion trends. External challenges include the complexity of sustainability issues, perceived insufficient consumer demand, attitudes and behaviour gaps in consumer purchasing decisions on sustainable collection ranges and insufficient incentives or values for businesses to implement sustainable design strategies