Does Fashion Really Care About Eco-Design? Sustainability Seen Through the Eyes of Fashion Designers

The purpose of this research was to investigate the awareness and the perception of eco-design among fashion designers and which elements determine their attitude and behavior towards eco-design. Data were gathered through both primary and secondary research. The latter was carried both online and offline to adequately deepen the background literature, while the primary research focused on the perception of eco-design through the eyes of fashion designers. More in detail the qualitative research was conducted through 8 interviews with designers working in fashion firms and/or as independent consultants for almost 6 years while the quantitative research featured a survey conducted on a 200-person sample, ensuring a good distribution in terms of gender, age range, geographic region, area of expertise, company’s sector, features of the company. The major findings of the research were discovering relevant factors that influence designer attitude and behavior towards eco-fashion design. The findings from the research are meaningful and indicate that these factors include age (fashion designers under 30 are more sensitive and attentive to eco-design), education level (fashion designers with postgraduate education show a deep knowledge of the concept of eco-design), and some features of the company, such as the market segment (fashion designers working in luxury and made-to-measure companies have more frequently applied eco-design principles).