Short answer

Designers should adopt a systemic perspective, considering how their innovations interact with broader industry dynamics and potentially contribute to both positive and negative sustainability outcomes.

Field: Innovation & Design
Source: Fashion and Textiles (2023)
Method: Conceptual framework development supported by illustrative examples.
Evidence: Moderate effect

The fashion industry's shift towards sustainability is not a linear progression but a dynamic interplay of conflicting institutional logics and framing contests across different levels of the system. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Fashion and Textiles. Using Conceptual framework development supported by illustrative examples., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should adopt a systemic perspective, considering how their innovations interact with broader industry dynamics and potentially contribute to both positive and negative sustainability outcomes.

Study

Innovation & DesignRecentModerate effect

Fashion industry transitions are complex, balancing sustainability gains with negative impacts.

The fashion industry's shift towards sustainability is not a linear progression but a dynamic interplay of conflicting institutional logics and framing contests across different levels of the system.

Fashion and Textiles · 2023

Key Findings

01The fashion industry's sustainability transition is characterized by complex interactions between niche, regime, and landscape levels.
02Established players (regime) often adopt corporate sustainability initiatives, new business models, and collaborations, but these do not always lead to net positive environmental and social outcomes.
03Tensions arise from the diffusion of heterogeneous institutional logics and framing contests among industry players.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When developing new products or business models, consider how they might be perceived and adopted by different stakeholders, and how they might inadvertently support unsustainable practices within the wider system.

Project actions

01When researching sustainability in your design project, consider the broader industry context and not just your own product.
02Think about who benefits from sustainability claims and who might be disadvantaged.

Method & Evidence

AimTo explore the multi-level and multi-dimensional interactions within the fashion industry's transitions towards sustainability, identifying tensions between positive and negative developments.

MethodConceptual framework development supported by illustrative examples.

ProcedureThe research draws on literature from sustainable transitions (multi-level perspective), institutional logics, and framing contests to develop a conceptual framework. This framework is then illustrated with examples from the fashion industry to demonstrate the interplay of various sustainability developments.

ContextThe fashion industry, specifically focusing on transitions towards sustainability.

Variables

IVIndustry-level sustainability initiatives, institutional logics, framing contests.

DVPositive and negative environmental and social sustainability developments.

CVNiche, regime, and landscape levels of the transition.

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Addresses an under-explored context (fashion transitions) in sustainability research.
+Provides a nuanced view of sustainability, acknowledging both progress and setbacks.

Limitations

It can be challenging to gather comprehensive data on all the 'levels' (niche, regime, landscape) and 'logics' influencing sustainability in a specific industry for a design project.

Reliability & validity

The conceptual nature of the framework and reliance on illustrative examples may limit generalizability. Validity is based on the coherence of the theoretical integration and illustrative power of examples.

Think critically

How can designers actively work to resolve the 'framing contests' and 'conflicting institutional logics' within their industry to drive more effective sustainability transitions?

Design Principles

"Systemic Sustainability Integration: Design solutions must account for the complex, multi-level interactions within their industry context to achieve genuine and lasting sustainability."

Understanding these complex interactions is crucial for designers and businesses aiming to navigate the transition to more sustainable practices. It highlights that superficial sustainability initiatives by established players may coexist with or even mask detrimental practices elsewhere in the value chain.

What This Means for Your Design

The fashion industry is trying to become more sustainable, but it's complicated. Some companies do good things, but other parts of the industry might still be causing problems, and different groups have different ideas about what 'sustainable' even means.

How to use in your project

1.Use this research to justify why a holistic approach to sustainability is necessary in your design project, moving beyond simple material choices to consider systemic impacts.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The transition towards sustainability within the fashion industry is a complex, multi-level phenomenon, marked by competing institutional logics and framing contests. As highlighted by Dzhengiz, Haukkala, and Sahimaa (2023), while established players may introduce corporate sustainability initiatives, these can coexist with detrimental practices, necessitating a critical, systemic approach to design for genuine environmental and social progress.

Source

Fashion and Textiles

(Un)Sustainable transitions towards fast and ultra-fast fashion

journal · 2023

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about fashion industry transitions are complex, balancing sustainability gains with negative impacts?: Designers should adopt a systemic perspective, considering how their innovations interact with broader industry dynamics and potentially contribute to both positive and negative sustainability outcomes. Evidence: Fashion and Textiles (2023).
Why does "Fashion industry transitions are complex, balancing sustainability gains with negative impacts." matter for design?: Understanding these complex interactions is crucial for designers and businesses aiming to navigate the transition to more sustainable practices. It highlights that superficial sustainability initiatives by established players may coexist with or even mask detrimental practices elsewhere in the value chain.
How can designers apply this research?: Designers should adopt a systemic perspective, considering how their innovations interact with broader industry dynamics and potentially contribute to both positive and negative sustainability outcomes.
What were the main findings?: The fashion industry's sustainability transition is characterized by complex interactions between niche, regime, and landscape levels.. Established players (regime) often adopt corporate sustainability initiatives, new business models, and collaborations, but these do not always lead to net positive environmental and social outcomes.. Tensions arise from the diffusion of heterogeneous institutional logics and framing contests among industry players.
What research method was used?: Conceptual framework development supported by illustrative examples..
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Fashion and Textiles.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When developing new products or business models, consider how they might be perceived and adopted by different stakeholders, and how they might inadvertently support unsustainable practices within the wider system.
What are the limitations?: The study relies on a conceptual framework and illustrative examples, rather than empirical data from a large-scale survey or experimental design.