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Design+ Traditional handcrafting and sustainability

Figure 21. Five positions of value creation 34

processes, thereby promoting sustainability and social
responsibility. 129,130 Patagonia, for instance, collaborates
with local artisans to produce environmentally friendly
clothing using sustainable practices, while also carefully
assessing the environmental impacts of fashion. 129,131
• Artistic integration of handicrafts: The work of Celia
Pym,an artist specializing in textiles and repair, is
significant in this context. Her practice combines
handicraft with artistic expression to explore themes
such as decay, repair, and the value of objects through
knitting and garment mending. Scholars have noted
a shift in contemporary handicraft toward artistic
curation and performative practice, as reflected in
Pym’s work, where the act of repair becomes a form of Figure 22. Celia Pym: Double Denim, photographed by Michele Panzeri.
creative expression. Her work negotiates the concepts Reprinted with permission from photographer Michele Panzeri. That is
of wear and regeneration, highlighting the tension Not My Age Copyright © [2025], Michele Panzeri. 133
133
between the old and the new. 132,133 In Pym’s approach,
the repair and reuse of garments are examined within modern fashion, thereby supporting sustainable
the broader context of circular fashion. Her emphasis on production and preserving cultural heritage. 135
repair as both an artistic and ethical act aligns with the • Role of advocacy organizations: Advocacy
current trend in sustainable fashion and supports waste organizations such as Fashion Revolution and the
reduction through recycling and reuse (Figure 22). World Hope Forum play central roles in promoting
• Fair compensation: Ensuring fair compensation sustainability in contemporary fashion. These
for workers across production chains is critical to organizations raise awareness of the need for
promoting social sustainability in the fashion industry. transparency and ethical practices in the fashion
Companies such as People Tree implement fair trade industry, focusing on innovative economic models
practices that guarantee fair wages and safe working and collective solutions that contribute to a transition
conditions. 134 toward a more equitable and responsible system.
• Ethical platforms and artisan empowerment: Platforms Fashion Revolution was founded after the Rana Plaza
such as XTANT promote ethical production, local tragedy in 2013 and campaigns for transparency,
sourcing, and artisan empowerment, aiming to decent labor rights, and sustainable garment
bridge the gap between tradition and innovation. production practices. Through campaigns such as
These initiatives not only support livelihoods but also “Who Made My Clothes?,” it urges the global fashion
contribute to the broader movement toward slow industry to recognize and protect the people and
fashion and conscious consumerism. XTANT is a resources involved throughout the value chain. 136
contemporary platform that celebrates and preserves • Collective economic approach: The World Hope Forum
traditional textile techniques, artisanal craftsmanship, incorporates the concept of the “we-economy” and
and cultural heritage within the fashion industry. emphasizes collective solutions to address global challenges
It connects global artisans with designers to foster such as overproduction and environmental degradation in
collaborations that preserve and evolve traditional fashion. It supports local communities by promoting the
practices – as exemplified by designer Gabriela use of traditional techniques and handicrafts to enhance
Martinez in Figure 23. XTANT seeks to elevate locality and foster solidarity through fashion. 137
handcrafting techniques – such as weaving, • Transparency in the production chain: Companies
embroidery, and dyeing – by integrating them into such as Stella McCartney, Ferragamo, and Vivienne

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2025) 20 doi: 10.36922/DP025190027