In 2020 Value the Citizen conducted a research project addressing the lack of Australian-based contextualized research in circular design and product development in the fashion sector. As 80% of a products environmental impact is determined at the design phase, and with 88% of Australian apparel manufacture made up of SMEs, this project focused on the design processes and associated business models of fashion SMEs as an influential group for systems change to the linear take/make/waste fashion model widely operating in Australia.
With a core framework of product stewardship and employing design-thinking strategies; the SME’s in this research are building new design processes, new business models and new relationships around circular purpose. The project goal was a visual, communicative and accessible tool that could be distributed widely to stakeholders for education, a pathway for change and leverage for transformative action.
Importantly, the research identified the need for wider stakeholder support for SMEs and larger enterprise in moving to circular and product stewardship approaches. This takes the form of education of the community and industry; legislation and mandating around the collection and disposal of textile waste; and investment in infrastructure and technologies.
This research and the Design Map and Digital Article developed from this project are tools to support the pathway to circularity in the Australian fashion industry; visually storytelling the complex interrelated relationships and strategies of circularity in an Australian fashion context to the diverse stakeholders involved.
