Fashion Digital Transformation: Innovating Business Models toward Circular Economy and Sustainability

The fashion industry is at a stage of profound transformation of its operating paradigm. Because of their stakeholders’ pressure, companies have begun to pursue strategic solutions that include sustainability as a guiding principle. Such strategies push for effective organizational solutions and production models that take into consideration the conservation of the planet’s resources, respect for people, and the sustainability of their profits. In this context, the fashion industry is now recognizing the circular economy (CE) as the primary BM to address sustainability-related industry issues. The authors have adopted a specific technological-driven perspective that attempts to analyze today’s context and map digitally driven practices in European fashion companies. These practices are emerging to support fashion organizations so that they can focus their sustainability agendas and better implement circular BMs. This perspective is consistent with the current fashion context, where digital transformation is recognized as an asset that could transform the industry into a more sustainable business. This proposed objective is realized through an iterative process of modeling data. The BMIs identified here are grouped according to Bocken’s eight archetypes: maximize material and energy efficiency; create value from ‘waste’; substitute with renewables and natural processes; deliver functionality rather than ownership; adopt a stewardship role; encourage sufficiency; re-purpose the business for society/the environment and develop scale-up solutions. They guide the authors in modeling mechanisms and solutions that help build business innovations that work to ensure circularity. Analyzing the current best practices, this article introduces a taxonomy that highlights current approaches that lead to incremental changes toward CE through digital solutions

Fashion Design for Sustainability. A transformative challenge across the European fashion education system

[EN] Today, we are witnessing the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had, and is still having, on social, economic and cultural life worldwide. In particular, the educational dimension has seen the regular operating of schools altered, with an indeterminate closure of educational institutions, as well as the impossibility to perform face-to-face lectures, and their transposition to digital platforms (Sà et Serpa, 2020). These difficult conditions can be a moment of opportunity to accelerate a process of digital transformation that was beginning to shift in higher education institutions (HEIs). HEIs are using digital transformation strategies to refine how they work, to digitalize their existing operations while designing new digital models, to create entirely new digital models or to fully digitize their current ones (Rodrigues 2017). In the European fashion education system this can result in addressing the transformative challenges that are nurturing the discussion on the future of HEIs (Moja, 2008; Sterling, 2011; Fletcher and Williams, 2013). Therefore, digital innovation becomes the means by which implementing a positive transformation of the sector on key issues that will permeate our daily lives and that can no longer be postponed. Among the pivotal topics there is sustainability which today is slowly trying to establish itself (Wolff, 2020). Trough the analysis of best practices, this paper will decode current behaviors in Fashion Design for Sustainability (FDfS) throughout the European fashion education system.This paper is the result of common research and findings; nevertheless, Federica Vacca edited section 1, and Erminia D’Itria sections 2 and 3. The methodology presented is the result of research studies and projects undertaken in recent years by Fashion in Process (Fip), a multidisciplinary research laoratory within the Design Department of Politecnico di Milano.D'itria, E.; Vacca, F. (2021). Fashion Design for Sustainability. A transformative challenge across the European fashion education system. En 7th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'21). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 679-686. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd21.2021.13029OCS67968

Support report mapping sustainable fashion opportunities for SMEs

The report maps the current initiatives and key organisations in sustainable fashion and textiles across Europe. It also provides an overview of opportunities and challenges in adopting environmentally and economically sustainable business models in the fashion sector. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up the majority of businesses in the fashion sector. Therefore, they are recognised as key agents of change. With the right support, they can lead the transition towards a more sustainable fashion industry. Corporate authors: Centre for Sustainable Fashion, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (European Commission), Institut Français de la Mode, London College of Fashion, Middlesex University, Politecnico di Milano, University of the Arts Londo

VEG-HIVE. An easy to grow veg-kit for urban farmers.

The idea of growing food in cities is not a new one; agriculture has been practiced in urban areas for millennia, often out of necessity or to obtain a food security against sudden food shortages but these are not reasons that we have to face in the modern cities. The growing interest in urban agriculture can be attributed to other factors: healthy food access, green space, air and water quality, economic development, and community engagement. People see it as a tangible and accessible opportunity to become involved in issues of food provenance, security and to reconnect with a system that many feel far from them. Even though today’s larger scale urban agriculture might have attracted more people, that isn’t to say that urban agriculture can’t still save our environment or food supply. The next step is crucial to understanding if it is possible to amplify the benefits that urban agriculture currently provides to a small group to a larger constituency. The next challenge is to make people able to farm in their own spaces. I really believe urban agriculture is an area in which architects and designer can play a strong role by thinking innovative e practices and expanding its presence in our cities

Exploring diverse dimensions of design research and innovation in the changing world

In today's fast-changing world, the design field has expanded to encompass many dimensions and applications. Starting with an analysis of the short papers proposed in the context of the IASDR 2023 conference, this essay delves into the fascinating range of topics, approaches, and formats covered and presented. This analysis has shed light on the different aspects of design research and innovation that drive progress in various design-related sectors. These papers collectively underscore the multidisciplinary and transformative nature of contemporary design research, demonstrating how innovation in technology and design, coupled with attention to social concerns and education, can shape a brighter and more sustainable future. Specifically, this essay discusses the evidence emerging from the current changes in design research, including its contents, research actions, and methods of dissemination, from the point of view of young researchers (Ph.D. candidates and junior researchers in academia). The results present not only a change in design research contents – emerging from the broad range of short paper topics featured in each conference track – but also a tendency to adopt emerging and engaging formats for research dissemination (short papers, posters, exhibitions, podcasts, etc). They underline the importance of exploring different dimensions of research and dissemination of design and innovation that are consistent with our changing world

FashionSEEDS

FashionSEEDS (Fashion Societal, Economic & Environmental Design-led Sustainability) is a European collaborative network of fashion universities, using radical design-led approaches to envisage a fashion education system that nurtures graduates with the skills, capabilities, and knowledge of fashion design for sustainability. Whilst fashion is a global industry providing livelihoods to 50+ million people and generating over €2.4 trillion each year, its practices are built on systems that are causing severe environmental and social damage. The economic sustainability of the industry is also at risk, as fashion design practices do not take account of the diminishing resources upon which the industry relies. The fashion industry requires new models of education and environments for innovation, revised course contents, assessment methods and the means for tutors to develop new knowledge and practices. The contents of this website have been developed over three years of research, reflection and co-design by a group of fashion tutors from across four universities in Europe; University of the Arts London, Politecnico di Milano, Estonian Academy of Arts, Design School Kolden with Professor Dilys Williams as Principle Investigator. The FashionSEEDS partners share an imperative commitment to transform design-led fashion sustainability education to restore nature and equality. FashionSEEDS, explores what a transformed education system in Fashion Design for Sustainability could look like. FashionSEEDS have collated, analysed, and developed a range of resources to support educators in fashion design for sustainability teaching and learning. The resources include: The FashionSEEDS Reader The Benchmarking Report The Framework Document The Future Skills Foresight 2030 The Guidelines for the Adoption of a Design-led Sustainability Education Framework The Handbook of Sustainability Teaching Material