Designing Sustainable Fashion: Role of Psychosocial Factors of Fashion Consumption and the Challenges of Design

Background/Objectives: The paper presents a theoretical framework for sustainable fashion design incorporating psychosocial factors of consumption. It calls for supplementing the fashion design models which usually cover life cycle analysis with an understanding of psychosocial factors relating to consumers. The paper identifies the psychosocial factors affecting fashion consumption, examines how these factors interact and the challenges for sustainable design. Further the implications of these on sustainable design are also identified. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The research is mainly based on theoretical data from academic publications, and research journal articles. The research covers the concept of consumption, models of sustainable fashion design, the shift from emphasis on sustainable production to sustainable consumption and the challenges of the psychosocial factors on sustainable design. Findings: In the present paper, the researcher suggests that the life cycle thinking used for sustainable fashion design should be complemented with an understanding of consumer psychosocial factors to facilitate engagement and consumer attachment. A designer should be able to appreciate the interplay of a mix of psychological factors: cognitive, affective and behavioural in order to facilitate better engagement and attachment. Consumers’ sociocultural factors influencing design must also be taken into consideration. The list of psychosocial factors affecting sustainable fashion design is presented in Figure 1. These factors are similar to [14 & 15]. However challenges with respect these factors are discussed in more detail. Factors discussed are psychological factors like needs/wants, meanings of consumption in relation to personal and social identity, and social factors like life style and values and the role of person – product attachment are discussed. The challenges these factors impose on sustainable fashion design are also identified. Application/Improvements: Sustainable fashion design needs to incorporate psychosocial aspects of consumption. These would motivate designers to discover new opportunities and consider novel designs and in turn would facilitate long term relationship between product and person.