Design for Sustainability in Fashion Accessory: how sustainable design methodologies are applied to the design process

The fashion industry has become one of the most polluting industries in the world. Nevertheless, designers can contribute to solutions by applying Design for Sustainability (DfS) criteria, which enable and promote the design... [ view full abstract ]

The fashion industry has become one of the most polluting industries in the world. Nevertheless, designers can contribute to solutions by applying Design for Sustainability (DfS) criteria, which enable and promote the design of more sustainable products and services. Therefore, the “Slow Fashion” movement has been receiving the attention of researchers, designers and customers who are concerned about sustainable development. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of Design for Sustainability in fashion. In particular, how sustainable design principles can be applied to Fashion Accessory in order to minimize the negative impact on the environment and society. The research method of this study is qualitative, utilizing a multi-method case study approach. Grounded theory analysis was applied to analyze the data from the case studies and to obtain the results. The research findings indicate that Design for Sustainability applied to the Fashion Accessory design processes might have great potential and win-win approaches toward a sustainable future. An important implication is that understanding the concepts and applying DfS to fashion accessory design processes can support designers to face challenges and seize opportunities. Furthermore, identifying the key concepts of sustainability and social responsibility could raise awareness on sustainable fashion among both producers and customers more effectively.