Sustainable Fashion Design Research Articles

Sustainable Fashion Design: A Review and Perspective

Fashion sustainability may potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change by decreasing pollution and waste. However, sustainable fashion design received little attention in recent years. Here, the existing literature (237 publications) on sustainable fashion design is synthesized to understand the trends and future directions. Sustainable fashion design lacked systematic research methodology and paid little attention to down-cycling design. The sustainable fashion design can be classified into four categories of design methods, including reducing waste, reducing environmental impacts, redesigning, and extending the lifespan of garments. Slow fashion design was dominant and the hottest research topic in the past two decades. Further studies are required to explore the methodology of remake fashion design in sustainable fashion. Overall, this study has a large contribution to the theory and applications of sustainable fashion design by establishing a comprehensive documentation library, reviewing multiple aspects of studies, understanding the trends and development, summarizing the status and hot topics, identifying research gaps, and providing future research directions

The Role of Clothing Technology in Supporting Sustainable Fashion in the Post-COVID-19 Era

With the outbreak and ongoing spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, a wave of post-COVID-19 zeitgeist has emerged worldwide. From the perspective of fashion trends, an increasing number of consumers are demanding higher standards of health, environmental friendliness, and sustainability. Over the past 10 years, the integration of technology in clothing has facilitated continuous updates in both functionality and aesthetics. This article aims to explore the relationship between clothing technology and sustainable fashion in the post-COVID-19 era, seeking to enhance the development and innovation of sustainable fashion through the empowerment of clothing technology. This study conducts extensive research on the literature and online case studies, categorizing empowered sustainable fashion technology design cases into six major categories and four directional themes. It introduces an innovative sustainable fashion design assessment model, PCBS (Product, Customer, Business, Society). Subsequently, the knowledge framework is applied in design practice alongside consumer research to validate the system’s usability. Furthermore, this research synthesizes and summarizes the methods through which fashion technology can support sustainable fashion in the post-pandemic era. Designers and practitioners can reference these insights for more advanced sustainable design initiatives, thereby promoting a lower-carbon and environmentally friendly system that drives global innovation and development in a sustainable society.

Dressing the Future: The Bibliometric Interplay Between Sustainability and Fashion Studies Amidst the Neoliberal Era

The concept of sustainability has significantly influenced various industries, notably the fashion sector. This study conducts a thorough quantitative and qualitative analysis of the interplay between fashion studies and sustainability. Utilizing data from the Scopus database, 890 articles published between 2000 and 2023 were scrutinized through an integrated approach combining bibliometric and content analyses. The aim was to explore how sustainability, initially an economic notion, left its imprint on academic research in fashion studies. This research was accompanied by a critical assessment of the neoliberal context, which envisions a market-oriented political economy model in which the concept of sustainability emerged. Key findings include a steadily increasing emphasis on sustainability in fashion research. Notable journals leading the discourse include Sustainability, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Journal of Cleaner Production, Fashion Practice, and International Journal of Fashion Design Technology and Education. Interestingly, while fashion is rooted in the arts, significant contributions emerged from researchers in diverse disciplines, reflecting the field’s interdisciplinary nature. The study identified five critical thematic clusters within: sustainable fashion design, sustainable fashion production, sustainable fashion marketing, sustainable fashion consumption, and the theoretical foundation in sustainable fashion. This research not only enriches the literature by mapping the trajectory of sustainability in fashion studies but also highlights the evolving nature of fashion research, bridging traditional boundaries and embracing a more holistic approach to sustainability.

AI Technology Integrated Education Model for Empowering Fashion Design Ideation

The rapidly increasing importance of technology integration and generative AI in the fashion industry is prompting changes in fashion design education. This study explored a new design methodology utilizing AI for sustainable and future-oriented fashion design education. The methodology involved consulting practitioners to select ChatGPT and Midjourney as AI tools and technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK) as the theoretical framework. An AI prompt guide was developed based on specialized books, from which an educational program was created. An experiment with 30 third- and fourth-year fashion design students showed that their overall satisfaction with AI through TPACK was 4 out of 5, suggesting that TPACK enhances students’ creativity and efficiency through generative AI. Prompt guides received a satisfaction score of 4.7, indicating their usefulness for creative and efficient design outputs. AI-powered educational programs, like ChatGPT and Midjourney, also improved student creativity and learning efficiency, with ChatGPT scoring 4.5. However, concerns about technology dependency were noted. This study offers insights into integrating the latest technology into fashion design to improve process efficiency and creative output. This study not only provides a foundation for future research on AI design methodology but also explores practical directions for sustainable design in the fashion industry.

Enhancing Soft Skills through Generative AI in Sustainable Fashion Textile Design Education

This study explores the significance of incorporating soft skill training in fashion design education through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and examines various AI-based approaches for sustainable fashion textile design education employing a multifaceted methodology that encompasses empirical, quantitative, and qualitative methods. We investigate the aspects of Design Sprints, identify key soft skills that help students meet the complex demands of contemporary fashion design workplaces, propose a curriculum guide for AI textile design programs, and evaluate the soft skill training process. Participants included students who had completed basic fashion design courses over three to four semesters and had experience with the fashion design process. The findings confirmed that participants’ soft skills improved across four areas—digital competence, sense of initiative and entrepreneurship, problem-solving and thinking skills, and communication—through the AI-based fashion textile design curriculum. This study validates the importance of integrating AI technology into educational programs to enhance essential soft skills in the digital fashion industry environment. Additionally, it emphasizes the necessity of developing AI technology-specialized design prompts while maintaining a balance between traditional design education and digital design education for sustainable fashion design education.

Sustainability in design: Sustainable fashion design practices and environmental impact using mixed‐method analysis

AbstractSustainable fashion design arises as a crucial reaction to the industry's fashion necessity for environmental influence reduction and addressing sustainability challenges effectively. This study examines the nuanced dimensions of this pursuit and its influence on the industry's environmental performance. Through a mixed‐method research approach involving 268 designers and 159 participants included in the interview process (fashion experts, entrepreneurs, and business strategists), the investigation explored the efficacy of eco‐friendly practices in enhancing overall sustainability. The findings underscore significant improvements in environmental performance metrics for fashion companies embracing sustainable design practices, revealing a direct correlation between such practices and a reduction in carbon footprint. The study identifies key drivers prompting fashion businesses to invest in innovative sustainable design solutions, particularly in response to sustainability challenges and consumer demand for eco‐friendly products. Collaboration with eco‐conscious suppliers and transparent supply chain practices is pivotal for effectively addressing sustainability challenges. Besides, the research underscores the significance of incorporating principles of circular economy, including recycling and upcycling, to augment environmental performance within the fashion sector. By offering practical insights and theoretical reflections, our research enriches the discourse on sustainable fashion (SF), guiding industry stakeholders, policymakers, and researchers aiming for a sustainable and ethical future.

How Shapes and Colors Drive Sustainable Fashion aand Eco-Friendly Graphic Design.

Integrating shape and color theory into sustainable fashion and eco-friendly graphic design is more than a conceptual idea; it's a practical strategy that enables designers to create impactful, responsible designs. This approach encourages innovative solutions, efficient processes, and sustainability throughout the design lifecycle. In fashion design, using eco-friendly materials and experimenting with shapes and silhouettes optimizes material usage and minimizes waste. In graphic design, sustainable printing techniques and mindful color selection foster environmental consciousness. Both fields benefit from ethical branding, accessibility considerations, and collaborative practices, ensuring designs are inclusive and environmentally friendly. By embracing these principles, designers can inspire positive change and contribute to a sustainable future.

Upcycling Classics—Sustainable Design Development through Fabric Manipulation Techniques in Fashion Design Education

AbstractAs the sustainable fashion movement gains momentum, there is a growing need to introduce such concepts to the next generation of fashion designer. One approach to produce sustainable designs is upcycling, defined as the salvage and reuse of discarded or found items into new products. This study examines a pedagogical approach for engaging 2nd year undergraduate textile and fashion design students in sustainable fashion design practice. Working in groups, students are challenged to upcycle old clothing into a little black dress, using a keyword as direction for concept, design development, and garment construction techniques. To elevate value in post‐consumer textile waste, it is necessary to develop high‐quality contemporary design outcomes. This teaching approach aims to encourage the revaluation of recyclable resources, the exploration of the creative potential of fabric manipulation techniques, experimental design development, and professional production techniques. This is achieved through the implementation of a design brief that establishes original approaches to upcycling, contrary to the arbitrary processes that are typically used.

An analysis of sustainable fashion design brands in Ukraine: Reduce, reuse, recycle methods

Fifty-seven Ukrainian fashion brands are analysed in this article. All these brands are related to the manufacture of clothing and accessories, and the main part of the production of which is concentrated on the territory of Ukraine. For the analysis, brands are selected considering a hierarchy of waste management, including reduction to avoid waste, reuse of materials and methods to regenerate value, such as upcycling or recycling. Brands are systematized according to: production method (producing from new materials, decoration and customization of existing fashion items, upcycle, recycle), assortment (clothing, accessories, footwear), groups of materials (remnants of new materials, vintage fabrics, outlet and second-hand clothes, materials and components that were in use, secondary materials) and target audience (male, female, unisex). Common sustainable ways of manufacturing fashion products in Ukraine are upcycling, reducing and avoiding waste, decorating, customizing and recycling. There is a powerful raw material base for the production of clothes from secondary raw materials, and there are also textile recycling enterprises in Ukraine. But none of the analysed Ukrainian brands use the products of these enterprises in their production; instead, they use recycled materials purchased abroad. Due to insufficient technological support for the production of new textile materials from recycled raw materials, Ukrainian designers have a request for textiles made from recycled materials. Among the groups of materials by origin, second-hand and outlet clothes are in first place, and textile remnants from manufacturers are in second place. Among the analysed products of the brands, no children’s clothing was found, and almost no underwear and shoes were found. This research can be the basis for finding new niches in the production of sustainable fashion products; for finding new communication channels between stakeholders, such as designers, manufacturers of materials and clothing, consumers, scientists; for finding new ways of selling products and buying raw materials and for further research into technologies for the production of new raw materials from recycled materials.

ZERO WASTE AND MODULAR FASHION DESIGN: A SUGGESTED COLLECTION

Zero waste fashion design is a way and at the end of the pattern designing process occurs no cut-and-sew waste. Modular fashion design is a process in that one garment can have the appearance of different designs which can be modified by the consumer. The zero waste fashion design and modular fashion design are considered together as a multiple design methodology to supply sustainable fashion production. Although both design techniques are completely unique, the common aim of sustainability design results can be reached through the combination of the two. In this study, a collection was designed by integrating these two design methodologies: zero waste and modular fashion. If consumers have an active role in the sustainable design process, the responsibility for sustainable fashion design falls partially on them. The consumer is one of the three pillars of sustainable design philosophy, so they have a major role in helping create a balance on the sustainable fashion production and a sustainable fashion market. Thanks to this harmony, the design process should consider consumer-centered design options and consumer demands. In this study, an experimental development practicing method via modular and zero waste fashion design methods were used to create a suggested collection. At the end of this study, three garments were designed for that suggested collection, and each can be worn in three or four different looks.

Sustainable Fashion Design of Al-Sadu Fabric by Using Zero Waste

Sustainable Fashion Design of Al-Sadu Fabric by Using Zero Waste

Refashioning repair culture through the circle of value creation: A case study of the Japanese brand KUON

During the past ten years or more, sustainable fashion and slow lifestyle has received a growing amount of attention from design scholars, creative practitioners and fashion brands. In addition to new technologies of material development, the recent incorporation of repair-inspired designs into current fashion practice is also notable. Among the origins of global repair traditions, the Japanese patchwork boro receives a shared interest from a global creative network of fashion designers, textile collectors and artisans in their exploration of sustainable materials and reinvention of ancient craftsmanship. Born from humbleness, boro signifies a class of Japanese textiles that have been extensively mended and patched together by people who could not get or afford proper clothes. The recent resurrection of boro as a style and an eco-friendly fashion statement follows the trend for sustainable design, and also benefits from the recognition of Japanese aesthetics in western fashion and design industries. By investigating the boro-influenced patchwork menswear brand KUON from Japan, this case study acknowledges and exemplifies the historical and contemporary ideological alignment of sustainable fashion with Japanese repair culture, aesthetics and material interpretations. This research considers boro as an alternative solution to the current development of new material technologies, and the discussion of boro offers future possibilities to reimagine the meanings and representations of this traditional repair craft which may inspire creative practitioners to participate and contribute to sustainable fashion design.

Development of Sustainable Fashion Design Education Program

Development of Sustainable Fashion Design Education Program

THE EFFECT OF "THE FASHION OF THE GENES EDUCATIONAL EVENT" ON THE GIFTED STUDENTS’ POSITIVE ATTITUDE CHANGE ON FASHION AND SUSTAINABILITY

This study aims to reveal the importance of fashion awareness education on sustainable fashion design for gifted students and the change in their attitude and behavior. In addition, by teaching the attitudes and behaviors of sustainable fashion design; attention is drawn to the importance of applied (practical) training. The research was carried out at the Mamak Science and Art Center within the scope of the TÜBİTAK 4004 Nature and Science Schools “Modelling Agricultural Gene Resources with Technology” project. The study sample consists of 30 gifted students aged between 12-17 who voluntarily participated in this study. The quasi-experimental design approach was used with pre-and post-tests. In the study, named “the Fashion of Genes” theoretical knowledge training was applied with slide presentations and a collage workshop using natural materials. Statistical analyzes of the data were made with the Wilcoxon Ordinal Numbers Test by the SPSS program. After the training, it was observed that there was a significant difference (p=,000) in the sum of the student's attitude and behavior scores towards fashion awareness, and 50% of them planned to use their clothes for more than 2-3 years. It was concluded that the training on "the need to think about whether there is a reason (need) before purchasing the product" has a significant (p=,020) effect on increasing awareness. When the sums of general attitude and behavior scores in the subjects of "Fashion and Sustainability" (p=,013), "Fashion Ethics" (p=,003), and "Fashion Trends" (p=,002) are compared, it was found to be a significant change (p=,000). As a result, it was concluded that sustainable fashion design education affects the attitude and behavior change of gifted students. In addition, with sustainable fashion design education, awareness was created for students to think multi-dimensionally in future projects. Thus, an important step was taken to support the circular economy.

Development of education for sustainable fashion design using a challenge-based learning approach

ABSTRACT This study proposes a model for sustainable education in fashion design through the development, implementation, and assessment of a specific curriculum. It employed the challenge-based learning (CBL) approach to facilitate the learning of concepts involving sustainability and sustainable fashion design, using a postgraduate course in South Korea as an illustrative case study. Qualitative research was undertaken, including observational evidence for describing students’ learning experiences and outcomes and assessing the effects on students’ sustainability competencies using a grounded theory-based interview analysis. The results demonstrate that CBL provides learners with sequential and organised design thinking procedures, compared to the traditional method in which defining each step of a design process is not crucial. CBL promotes the development of competencies in sustainability involving metacognition and metadisciplinary studies from students’ genuine experiences, contributing to creative and problem-solving skills. This study provides concrete evidence for CBL’s potential as a pedagogical model for sustainable fashion design.

Sustainable Fashion Design and Bag Design Example

Sustainable Fashion Design and Bag Design Example

Practice of sustainable fashion design considering customer emotions and personal tastes.

This study aimed to determine a sustainable design practice approach that can satisfy customer emotions and personal tastes, which designers need in the early stages of the SFD process, and improve environmental performance. The research was conducted through a case study and interviews. For case studies, the specific design methods of fashion brands, which have been ranked sustainable over the last 3 years in the world’s top fashion magazines favored by the public, were researched. The results of the case studies were used to draw questions for the in-depth interviews. The results are as follows: first, the design approaches of SFBs were categorized into “eco-friendly materials,” “functional durability design,” “reuse and remanufacturing,” “emotional durability design,” and sustainable fashion technology. Each type’s specific design approach methods were organized into a checklist for the practice of SFD and then reflected in the interview questions. From the results of the interviews, it was noted that the sustainable design approaches perceived by Korean designers were “eco-friendly materials,” “reuse and remanufacturing,” and “functional durability design.” Moreover, it was mentioned that specific methods of emotional durability design and sustainable fashion technology need to be acquired. By applying the checklist to the interviewees, interview participants could conveniently and quickly recognize how to apply sustainable design through the inventory. This study is significant because it presents a checklist, an efficient tool for sustainable design approaches, and a sustainable design practice method that can satisfy customer emotions and personal tastes and improve environmental performance.

Current Development and Future Prospects of Designing Sustainable Fashion

Abstract In recent years, the entire fashion industry has been striving to develop in a more sustainable way. As the starting and crucial link of fashion product development, the process of design plays a decisive role in creating a healthier fashion supply chain. In this sense, the current work discusses from the design point of view the status quo and future direction of the development of fashion sustainability. The paper first describes the concept, the historical development, and the multi-angled significance of sustainable fashion design. Then, the current development of sustainable fashion design is studied by investigating the various ideas and approaches that are popular nowadays for the designing of eco-friendly and waste-free clothing. On this basis, the current work digs into the existing problems and finally points out the future prospects for the development of sustainable fashion design by putting forward some innovative and promising ideas and instructive “future-making” techniques.

지속가능한 패션브랜드의 바이오필릭 디자인 접근법

This study aimed to find the sustainable fashion design approach based on the biophilic design attributes of Indirect nature experience derived from previous studies in the field of architecture. The method of study comprised both theoretical and case study. The research results are as follows. we determined the expression types base on attributes of indirect experience with nature, which were the ‘Nature in Imitation’ design, ‘Nature in Abstract’ design, ‘Organic’ design, and ‘Nature in Traces’ design. The ’Nature in Imitation’ design relates to the biophilic design characteristics of images of nature, natural materials, natural colors, and biomimicry. The ’Nature in Abstract’ design relates to the biophilic design characteristics of simulating natural light and air, information richness, and natural geometric features. The ‘Organic’ design relates to the biophilic design characteristics of naturalistic shapes, and evoking nature. The ’Nature in Traces’ design relates to the biophilic design characteristics of natural materials, natural colors, simulating natural light and air, along with age, change, and the patina of time.

ANALISIS PENGEMBANGAN DESAIN FASHION BERKELANJUTAN DI INDONESIA

Analysis of Sustainable Fashion Design Development in Indonesia describes how a design approach strategy can be put into practice to contribute to the development of sustainable fashion. Fashion is an industry that has great potential for Indonesia's creative economy and employment, but on the other hand it has negative social and environmental impacts. Sustainable fashion is a new trend and aesthetic that is developing in urban society. There are various strategies to develop sustainable fashion, one of which is through a design approach. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, this paper further analyzes the implementation of this strategy through purposive sampling of the brand, Sej auh Mata Mem andang, as one of the pioneers of sustainable fashion brand in Indonesia. Based on the results of virtual observations and data analysis, it is concluded that there are six sustainable design strategies carried out by Sejauh Mata Memandang that can be used as references as best practices for developing sustainable fashion design in Indonesia.