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Circular by Design: A Model for Engaging Fashion/Textile SMEs with Strategies for Designed Reuse

Unmaking Waste in Production and Consumption: Towards the Circular Economy

ISBN: 978-1-78714-620-4, eISBN: 978-1-78714-619-8

Publication date: 13 September 2018

Abstract

Fashion/textile small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are currently adding value to previously discarded textile waste by applying practical skills, knowledge and expertise to rework and reuse this material. As a result, sustainable design strategies such as zero-waste pattern-cutting, design for disassembly and upcycling are beginning to emerge. However, the scope for redesign will always be limited and the complete lifecycle of the material used needs to be considered at the front-end of the innovation process, to optimise material lifespans and reduce consumer waste. Further work is also required to inspire and educate the next generation of designers to the creative potential of reuse, and help the industry to understand its viability, scalability and role in the future. This chapter explores how the principals of the circular economy might support business model innovation within fashion and textiles. To this end, an exploratory canvas tool for SMEs, ‘Circular by Design’, was devised to aid SMEs to embrace closed-loop systems and to identify the most appropriate sustainable design strategies for their business.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the delegates who attended the Scottish Textile Symposium (2014) organised by the Scottish Textiles and Leather Association and Zero Waste Scotland for their time and contribution to this research. This research was funded by the AHRC through the Design in Action Knowledge Exchange Hub (Grant number: AH/J005126/1).

Citation

Ballie, J. and Woods, M. (2018), "Circular by Design: A Model for Engaging Fashion/Textile SMEs with Strategies for Designed Reuse", Crocker, R., Saint, C., Chen, G. and Tong, Y. (Ed.) Unmaking Waste in Production and Consumption: Towards the Circular Economy, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 103-121. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78714-619-820181010

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

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