This master's thesis focuses on the challenges facing the fashion and textile industry, widely recognized as one of the world's most environmentally and socially impactful industries. It examines the environmental and social issues generated by the industry and seeks to address these challenges from a holistic perspective by exploring opportunities for a just transition towards more sustainable practices.
The thesis investigates emerging business models and sustainable approaches, while examining the influence of the circular economy on sustainable fashion and textile design. Furthermore, it explores the potential of local production and product development based on transparency and accountability towards consumers. It questions whether fashion and textile design can assume a different social role in contemporary society, serving not only as a means of producing garments but also as a tool for connecting people from diverse communities and fostering the inclusion of marginalized groups, individuals from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, and people with intellectual disabilities.
The thesis establishes both the theoretical and practical foundations for the creation of Creative Centre Sončnica (Sunflower), a social enterprise that challenges conventional design practices characterized by rigid hierarchies between creative directors, designers, and makers. Instead, it proposes a participatory design model that shifts creative agency and aspects of the production process towards vulnerable groups. Within this framework, professionally trained designers assume the role of facilitators, guiding creative processes and providing education rather than acting as the sole authors of the final products.
The research investigates examples of best practice that have inspired the establishment of the centre and practically explores methods of co-designing a textile and fashion collection through workshops involving vulnerable groups. In doing so, it demonstrates how participatory design can contribute to more socially inclusive, environmentally responsible, and community-oriented approaches to fashion and textile production.
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