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Design+ Traditional handcrafting and sustainability

of the originating communities – remains a significant ethical practices.
challenge to sustainable fashion. 62,107 It is essential to • Rising consumer awareness: Consumers are becoming
ensure that local artisans are actively involved and increasingly conscious of the environmental and social
receive equitable compensation for the commercial impacts of fast fashion and are opting for products
use of their techniques, thereby safeguarding the that prioritize sustainability and quality. Studies
continuity and integrity of their cultural heritage. 144 indicate that the newer generation of consumers
• Changing consumer patterns: Slow fashion (e.g., Gen Z and Millennials) is shifting away from
encourages consumers to prioritize product longevity conventional fast fashion consumption patterns and
and to reduce the overconsumption associated is seeking alternatives that integrate product quality,
with fast fashion. However, this behavioral shift supply chain transparency, and ethical production
requires sustained education and awareness, as many standards. 148
consumers continue to be influenced by instant • Emphasis on transparency and traceability: Consumers
gratification and low-cost purchasing habits. 22,145 To are placing greater emphasis on transparency across
facilitate this transition, companies must promote the supply chain and increasingly favor brands that
transparency by disclosing information about product provide information regarding material sourcing and
origins and production processes, thereby supporting labor conditions. The integration of technologies
149
informed consumer decision-making. 146 such as blockchain can enhance traceability, thereby
• Geographical inequality and the value chain: The strengthening consumer trust and brand credibility. 150
fashion value chain often perpetuates structural • Digitization and innovation: The digitization of
inequalities between developing and developed production processes and the adoption of emerging
countries. Lower wages and less stringent technologies provide opportunities to enhance
environmental regulations in the Global South have efficiency and sustainability. The use of three-
contributed to the systemic exploitation of workers and dimensional printing and computer-aided design
natural resources. While slow fashion emphasizes tools can reduce material waste and enable the
147
ethical and sustainable production, its effectiveness as production of customized garments with minimal
an alternative depends on collaborative efforts among waste production. 147
value chain stakeholders to ensure decent working • Reuse and the circular economy: The circular economy
conditions and the protection of local communities. 48 provides a framework for material reuse and recycling,
• Innovation and new technologies: Technological thereby reducing the demand for newly extracted raw
151
innovations – such as biomaterials and circular materials and mitigating environmental impacts.
production systems – have the potential to Slow fashion businesses can implement practices such
reduce the environmental footprint of the fashion as upcycling and recycling to extend the lifecycle of
industry and foster more sustainable practices. The garments and minimize textile waste.
implementation of these technologies supports the • Collaborations and collective initiatives: Collaboration
development of new business models, such as the among diverse stakeholders – from designers and
reuse and recycling of materials, thereby reinforcing manufacturers to consumers and organizations – is
circular economy principles. Such transitions critical for advancing the slow fashion movement.
147
can enhance the industry’s overall sustainability by Initiatives such as the Fashion Revolution platform
reducing raw material consumption and limiting facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best
waste production. 131 practices, supporting efforts to improve transparency
and sustainability across the fashion sector. 136
These challenges highlight the need for a comprehensive
shift in the fashion industry’s operational paradigm, This research aims to serve as a foundation for future
emphasizing collaboration and continuous education for studies and to connect local craft communities with the
both consumers and producers. Promoting innovation “we-economy” concept and the evolution of sustainable
within local craft communities and ensuring respect for models in garment manufacturing.
human and environmental integrity are key to achieving Potential directions for future research include:
sustainability in the fashion industry. (i) Primary research in communities implementing the

5. Prospects “we-economy” in fashion: Rather than relying solely on
secondary literature, case studies can be conducted in
The slow fashion sector presents significant prospects for local workshops that integrate traditional techniques
the future, as increasing consumer awareness and evolving to examine how workers’ lives are affected
societal values highlight the need for sustainable and (ii) Quantitative and qualitative assessment of slow

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2025) 22 doi: 10.36922/DP025190027