Re-think. Re-design. Re-start: New Tools for a More Sustainable Fashion Design Process

The object of study in this research is the possibility of integrating new tools into the Fashion design process in order to implement the sustainability and productivity of the process. By new tools, we mean (a) digital prototyping with three-dimensional models as an additional tool to physical prototyping and (b) the introduction and application of zero waste methodology in pattern design. The study analyze the application of these tools in existing design processes and research testifying to the state of the art. The Covid-19 pandemic facilitated and, in some cases, intensified the use of new technologies in design processes and the development of new technologies to implement design phase transformation. At the same time, the pandemic period has encouraged and stimulated reflection on the issue of sustainability within the fashion supply chain, bringing to light the various possibilities offered by the design of a zero-waste mode. The increasing introduction of technology into production processes has accelerated and implemented the design possibilities of designers and style offices, improving the interaction between the creative and production sectors. Despite the adoption of various solutions, only a few companies have fully integrated 3D prototyping into their production workflows. Fashion schools and training programs have begun offering courses and modules to prepare future digital designers, but skepticism persists in the industry that hinders technological evolution.