Sonika Soni Khar- Symbiosis Institute of Design, Symbiosis International (Deemed) University, Pune, India
Background: Sustainability in fashion design education is crucial to address environmental and social challenges posed by the fashion industry. At present, fashion design education still offers mainstream fashion design courses that scarcely incorporate sustainability within their curricula. A well-defined educational framework that emphasizes environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability in ways that are both theoretical and practical is required.
Methods: This study is an integrative review of 81 papers from peer reviewed journals on fashion and textile education, sustainability, consumer behavior and technology from 2014 to 2024. A systematic approach of indexing and categorizing research articles was formulated. By synthesizing research, this study identified fundamental framework on three major key aspects of sustainability viz., environmental, economic and social. A systematic approach of indexing and categorizing research articles was formulated.
Results: A multifaceted evaluation of these three aspects proposes a new theoretical framework which can be implemented in two stages as an elective of 2 weeks duration to the undergraduate students. To enhance the effectiveness of these electives, Bloom’s Taxonomy was incorporated as a tool in this framework to ensure that learning outcomes progress from basic knowledge acquisition to higher-order skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
Conclusion: The proposed theoretical and practical modules offer a comprehensive framework that fosters both conceptual awareness and hands-on application, aligning with experiential learning strategies and Bloom’s hierarchical cognitive development. This framework can serve as a model for curriculum development, ensuring that sustainability remains a core pillar of fashion education.
1 Introduction
Fashion education should equip aspiring designers to implement sustainable approaches that balance artistic, vocational, and business-oriented skills (Murzyn-Kupisz and Hołuj, 2021). To achieve this balance, the newer curriculum should aim to introduce alternative practices for using clothing longer, maintaining them better, and investing in a smaller wardrobe. A structured sustainable design should become an integral part of fashion education, solving environmental issues associated with fashion (Kim and Lee, 2022). At present, fashion design education still offers mainstream fashion design courses that scarcely incorporate sustainability within their curricula. A well-defined educational framework that emphasizes environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability in ways that are both theoretical and practical is required (Daukantienė, 2023).
Recent literature confirms growing interest in integrating sustainability in fashion and textile education, but also reveals substantial gaps. For instance, many studies are pilot or case studies focused on specific components (e.g., materials innovation, circular economy principles) without offering comprehensive elective modules or frameworks that span multiple sustainability dimensions. Zabidi and Jamaludin (2024) observed that systematic literature still lacks detailed pedagogical models for undergraduate curricula that balance theoretical foundations with hands-on application. Wood et al. (2023) demonstrated material innovation in practice but largely within experimental or secondary-school contexts, not in structured elective modules for undergraduates. Moreover, though the integration of SDGs and circular economy ideas is proposed in many university programs, yet many descriptions are surface level, lacking clear articulation of course/module design, assessment, and scaffolding across student levels.
To address the gap, this paper presents an integrative review of scholarly literature on various aspects of sustainability in fashion education, focusing on materials, processes, consumption, and economy with the explicit goal of translating those findings into a concrete, research-informed elective structure. Building on this analysis, the paper synthesized key themes, strategies, and challenges identified across existing research. And proposed two electives based on the foundation of the framework derived for third-year undergraduate fashion students. Elective one will emphasize theoretical foundations, whereas elective two will offer practical application through hands-on design work, material experimentation, and collaborative projects. Together, these electives aim to create a cohesive learning experience that bridges conceptual understanding with real-world practice. The electives are created synthesizing the review data and aims to include most of the identified concerns in the pedagogy. The objective of this paper was twofold viz., (i) To synthesize the existing literature on sustainability in fashion education, with a focus on sustainability (ii) To develop a coherent, research-informed elective structure that addresses the complexities of sustainability in a way that is both critical and actionable for undergraduate students.
2 Methodology
This study adopts an integrative review methodology to critically examine existing research on fashion sustainability and its pedagogical integration within undergraduate fashion education. The integrative review framework, as defined by Whittemore and Knafl (2005), was selected for its capacity to synthesize diverse theoretical and empirical studies, enabling a comprehensive understanding of complex educational phenomena. The process was guided by the PRISMA 2020 protocol to ensure methodological transparency, reproducibility, and rigour. The overarching aim of this review was to explore how sustainable practices, values, and systems thinking have been embedded within fashion education over the past decade and to use the insights derived to inform the design of an elective module on fashion sustainability for undergraduate studies. A structured and systematic search strategy was employed across major academic databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, ensuring comprehensive coverage of peer-reviewed literature. The search utilized Boolean operators and controlled vocabulary with search string combined with key terms such as (“fashion education” OR “design education”) AND (“sustainability” OR “sustainable practice”) AND (“curriculum” OR “pedagogy” OR “teaching”).
The inclusion criteria of the papers were (a) work written in English language within the time frame of 2014–2024 (b) The presence of the search term in the keywords or title (c) full text availability and (d) relevant articles for sustainability in fashion education. The article selection followed the four-stage PRISMA 2020 framework—identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion—and the emerged categories (Figure 1). A thematic content analysis was employed to synthesize findings, enabling the identification of recurring pedagogical patterns, sustainability frameworks, and gaps in existing curriculum models. The synthesis process followed the four stages proposed by Whittemore and Knafl (2005): data reduction, data display, data comparison, and conclusion drawing. This analytical approach facilitated an evidence-based interpretation of how fashion sustainability is currently addressed in undergraduate design education. As the review relied solely on secondary data from published sources, no ethical approval was required, though all sources were duly cited in accordance with academic integrity standards.
Figure 1. Methodology - PRISMA flow diagram.
The questions that this research aimed to answer were
a. What are the fundamental terms used for sustainability in fashion?
b. What are the broader key aspects of sustainability that can define its fundamental framework?
c. Can a fundamental framework give a direction on designing a short-term course for undergraduate fashion design students using Bloom’s taxonomy as a tool?
Initial research started with 178 articles, and after careful consideration of inclusion criteria, eighty-one papers were included for review. A systematic approach of indexing and categorizing research articles was formulated. Each paper was studied, and a summary was extracted and put in the Excel sheet based on the emerging themes. Through the assessment of selected articles, four broad themes emerged (Figures 1, 2). The foundational principles that define sustainability within the fashion context includes the conceptual understanding of sustainability, its relationship with supply chain, the cultural significance of fashion consumption and waste, various forms of fashion waste, and the alignment of these concepts with the United Nations SDGs.
Figure 2. Fundamental framework of sustainability in fashion.
There were three main themes of fashion sustainability that emerged - economic, social, and environmental—which together form the fundamental framework of sustainability (Figures 1, 2). Each dimension was defined through recurring keywords identified across the literature: the economic aspect emphasizes value creation and circular business models; the social aspect highlights ethics, equity, and inclusivity; and the environmental aspect focuses on resource efficiency, waste reduction, and ecological impact. For an integrative review, this fundamental framework was used as a base to design curriculum for two electives (2 weeks each, theoretical and practical implications based on Bloom’s Taxonomy).
3 Review of literature
3.1 Fundamentals of fashion sustainability
Fashion sustainability focuses on reducing waste, conserving natural resources, and promoting ethical labor conditions throughout the production and consumption cycles (Shafie et al., 2021). Culture plays a vital role in preserving knowledge, supporting livelihoods, and fostering appreciation for environmentally conscious practices (Soini and Dessein, 2016). Sustainable fashion is often expensive; however, effective visual merchandising and storytelling shape consumer perceptions and willingness to invest in premium-priced sustainable garments (Gwilt, 2020). Fashion consumes excessive energy and water that leads to problems like water pollution, soil degradation, greenhouse gas emissions, and carbon footprint (Chen et al., 2021). Apart from that, a substantial amount of waste is generated, which is categorized into pre-consumer and post-consumer waste. Microfibers are another type of waste that is released during laundry (Daukantienė, 2023).
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a clear business framework and long-term global priorities, fostering alignment among policymakers, civil society, and the fashion industry for sustainable development (Pedersen, 2018). Fashion requires eco-friendly innovations, consumer awareness, and integration of natural laws with green chemistry to fit into the criteria of SDGs (Thakker and Sun, 2023). For SDGs, industry needs to address economic development, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability (Sachs, 2015). A supply chain generally lacks an effective system for selecting, evaluating, and monitoring sustainable sourcing, overproduction, and poor management of circular economies (Jia et al., 2020). However, blockchain technology enhances sustainability by collaboration between stakeholders. Therefore, improvising supply chain efficiency and promoting sustainable practices with benefits like accessibility, security, traceability, and transparency (Chen, 2024). A rent-based closed-loop supply chain can be practiced to enhance the conventional retail model (Hu et al., 2014). This also promotes sustainability across three levels: processes, operations, and promotional strategies.
3.2 Environment: fibres and material
Cellulosic eco-friendly fibres are biodegradable and have low density and great availability (Karimah et al., 2021). They are strong with good thermal and acoustic insulation characteristics (Liu et al., 2019). Regenerated fibres produced from post-consumer cotton waste, have good tensile strength, and eliminate the dyeing process. Chemical-free cellulosic fibres (Farghaly et al., 2024) are ecological, recyclable, and used for multifunctional clothing and have improvised fibre regeneration ability (Jianping and Xu, 2023). Alternative cellulosic fibres like hemp, bamboo, soy, and poly (lactic acid) (corn-based) also fall under the eco-friendly fibres. Natural protein fibres like organic wool help in creating functionalized biomaterials and work well for drug delivery, tissue engineering, etc., whereas nanospheres, viewed as globular proteins, have lower mechanical performance (Zhang et al., 2020). Other material like naturally colored textile falls into a group of environmentally friendly fibres (Chakraborty et al., 2023).
During enzyme treatment of fibres, eco-friendly gumming sustains the cellulosic content in the fibre. It helps in converting food and vegetable (FVW) waste into value-added products. The enzymatic valorization of waste creates biodegradable fibres like Poly lactic acid (PLA) and enables the enzymatic recycling of PET (Ray and Nayak, 2023; Chakraborty et al., 2023; Egan and Salmon, 2022). Alternatives like biomaterials, plant-based leather, artificial leather, or biomimicry also help as sustainable sources of textile materials. Mono materials play a vital role in making the recycling process easier. The list of environment friendly materials with their characters are summarized in Table 1.
Table 1. Environment friendly fibres, materials and characteristics.
3.3 Environment: design approaches for sustainable fashion
Designing garments using materials with low carbon footprints, easy recyclability significantly enhances sustainability (Jianping and Xu, 2023). Customization and Combining DFD (Design for Disassembly) with zero-waste pattern cutting (ZWPC) not only minimizes waste and CO₂ emissions but also extends product lifespans and promotes wearer affinity (Ramzan et al., 2023; Villa, 2022). AI-driven trend prediction optimizes resource utilization, ensuring a more efficient and sustainable fashion system (Gong and Khalid, 2020). Modularity as a design approach combined with recycling increases the lifecycle of the product and reduces waste, allowing individual garment components to be replaced independently (Farghaly et al., 2024; Jianping and Xu, 2023).
Participatory design incorporates stakeholders at multi-level governance for the effective implementation of SDS (Halbe et al., 2018). It involves key stakeholders in planning and shaping, leading to evolved decisions while keeping the local knowledge intact (Gaziulusoy and Ryan, 2017). The use of local resources, people, and infrastructure results in a balanced unison of traditional knowledge with new technologies while keeping the environment safe (Denaro and Petrecca, 2020). Design approaches for environmentally friendly sustainable fashion are summarized in Table 2.
Table 2. Design approaches for fashion sustainability.
3.4 Environmental: technology
Digital prototyping is eco-friendly and minimizes the use of water, chemicals, energy, materials and transport (Kaseris et al., 2023). Adopting alternative manufacturing methods, such as utilizing CAD blueprints and recycling materials, fosters innovation in parametric design and will contribute to a global goal of reducing energy and CO2 emissions by 5% by 2025 (Jeong et al., 2021). The C2CAD model, which incorporates an eco-capsule wardrobe and AI-driven 3D design, has great environmental, social, and economic impact (Hatef and Shaharuddin, 2019). This combination of digital technology’s customization and flexibility fosters creativity, sustainability, and industry readiness through real-world application and collaboration (Drakou et al., 2024). The laser technology is precise, accurate, and eliminates processes like wet processing and improves resource efficiency through no-contact printing. These innovations enable agile manufacturing, with significant advancements in digital storage and reduced environmental impact (Dudeja, 2018; Morgan, 2019). Keyword and collaboration analysis highlights an increasing integration of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies, such as virtual try-ons and fitting rooms, have improved the virtual shopping experience (Goel et al., 2023). This trend demonstrates global collaborations for the use of XR technologies and voice assistants, tackling sustainability challenges and enhancing digital shopping solutions (Morotti et al., 2022). The use of biocatalyst enzymes in recycling processes addresses the complexity of material breakdown and is a great example of the use of technology (Piribauer and Bartl, 2019). The use of technology in context with sustainability is summarized in Table 3.
Table 3. Emergent themes on technology integrating with sustainable fashion.
3.5 Social: dissemination of information
Consumer vulnerability, especially hyper-vulnerability can impede buying decision-making. Fashion retailers can provide clear information to educate consumers to encourage responsible purchasing choices (Ritch, 2015; Pereira et al., 2021). The Shades of Green (SoG) Instrument can act as a vitalizer in decision-making by providing clear information on three levels of sustainability: minimum, advanced integration, and innovation (Turunen and Halme, 2021). The creative approach in product design can encourage awareness and mindful consumption, which can avoid unnecessary purchases, supporting environmentally conscious decision-making (Daukantienė, 2023). Traceability and transparency are part of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), supported by blockchain technology for unalterable record-keeping. The significant issue in adopting authenticity and tracking the product life cycle (Rinaldi et al., 2022; Badhwar et al., 2023) highlights the need for digitalization to enhance efficiency and accountability (Masson et al., 2021).
Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) engages consumers toward mindful consumption behavior (MCB) but does not change the attitude toward second-hand clothes (Kim et al., 2021). The effective combination of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Norm Activation Model (NAM) helps to understand second-hand buying (SHB) intentions and visits to second-hand shops (Borusiak et al., 2020). The benefit of the environment leads to SHBs and counters negative subjective norms (Borusiak et al., 2020). Highlighting the economic advantages of SHCs educates consumers about the cause and hence can make the shopping experience more appealing (Silva et al., 2021). The consumer awareness and understanding in terms of sustainable fashion is summarised in Table 4.
Table 4. Emerging themes on consumer consciousness and knowledge for sustainable fashion.
3.6 Economic aspects of sustainability
Circular economy-oriented design focuses on optimum utilization of resources and minimizing waste from design to disposal. Sahimaa et al. (2023) suggested integrating a circular value retention hierarchy and a sufficiency-based consumption model to drive transformation at product, industry, and socio-ecological levels. Less consumption certainly leaves the environment greener (Mair et al., 2019). Croes and Vermeulen (2016) examined poverty measurement standards, and proposed alternative methods for fair minimum wages, and devised a system using absolute values for lower-income countries and relative values for higher-income ones.
Fast fashion dominates the market due to its low costs and quick production, whereas slow fashion struggles with higher prices and slower output, highlighting the need for both industries to adopt more sustainable practices (Liu et al., 2021). Ethical values play an important role, yet designers and companies face limitations, often adopting a narrow but practical approach to ecological and ethical choices (Niinimäki, 2015). Thrifting contributes to the circular economy by extending garment lifespans, reducing waste, and mitigating the environmental harm caused by the traditional “take, make, dispose” model (Loupias et al., 2024).
Digital-based circular business models, including blockchain-based supply chains, service-based models, and pull demand-driven models, are more environment friendly as they reduce resource consumption and waste emissions (Huynh, 2022). Blockchain, 3D printing, and big data improve predictability, customization, and automation, whereas consumer trends such as rental and subscription models help slow down the fashion cycle compared to traditional fashion practices (Periyasamy and Periyasami, 2023; Casciani and D’Itria, 2024). De-growth advocates claim that continuous GDP growth is hampered due to reduced consumption, economic restructuring, and social equity (Pfaffenbach et al., 2022). However, Green Growth supporters believe economic growth can coexist with ecological sustainability. The imbalance between the limited natural resources available and the constant economic growth highlights the need for alternative models like the circular economy, green growth, and degrowth (Vazquez-Brust and Plaza-Úbeda, 2021). The key motivator for rental services is sustainability, especially for occasion wear, but it is still challenging for everyday wear (Bodenheimer et al., 2022). This practice reduces garment production and consumption (Amasawa et al., 2023). Economic factors affecting sustainability are summarized in Table 5.
Table 5. Factors impacting the economy in sustainability.
4 Results
The fundamental framework (Figure 2) will equip a fashion design student to have general insights on sustainability and will be able to comprehend its key concepts. This fundamental framework is used as a guideline to propose two electives (each for 12 days duration) to be delivered within a gap of a semester for third-year fashion design students.
a. Elective one: Theoretical Understanding.
b. Elective two: Practical implications.
4.1 Elective one: theoretical understanding
Elective one serves as a conceptual framework that emphasizes a comprehensive theoretical understanding of sustainability in relation to fashion. This module aligns with the cognitive domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy, particularly focusing on the foundational levels of remembering, understanding, and analyzing to facilitate the integration of sustainability concepts (Bloom et al., 1956).
In week one, students will learn fundamental principles of fashion sustainability, exploring its intersections with economic, environmental, and societal factors. The learning objectives for week one align with the remembering and understanding stages of Bloom’s Taxonomy, ensuring that students develop a solid foundational knowledge base (Figure 3) through lectures, case studies, site visits, expert talks, and industry-led webinars, introducing students to sustainability-driven frameworks applied by contemporary fashion brands.
Figure 3. Elective one: theoretical understanding.
In Week two, the module transitions to analysis by engaging students with real-world case studies, industry collaborations, and interactive sessions with practitioners working in sustainable production, circular fashion systems, and ethical sourcing. This phase aligns with the analysing level of Bloom’s Taxonomy, as students critically engage with emerging technological advancements in sustainable fashion. Students will also undertake mini field visits, online certification modules, and guest lectures from designers or organizations pioneering sustainability innovations. These activities enhance the applicability of theoretical learning by embedding authentic industry contexts, enabling students to bridge conceptual understanding with practice-oriented insight.
This module also introduces foundational concepts of fashion sustainability, including ethical production, circularity, and environmental impact, aligning primarily with SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
4.2 Elective two: practical implications
Building on the foundational knowledge developed in Elective One, this module emphasizes the application of sustainability principles through hands-on, industry-engaged learning. It aligns with the higher-order cognitive levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy—applying, evaluating, and creating—to cultivate critical and practical competencies in sustainable fashion design. The module structure (Figure 4) centres on collaborative industry engagement and practice-based projects. Students will work on live briefs or mentorship-driven projects in partnership with sustainable fashion brands, textile clusters, or NGOs engaged in circular fashion, upcycling, or ethical production systems. These collaborations will allow students to apply sustainability-driven decision-making to material sourcing, production planning, and product development. Through guided experimentation, students will ideate and make prototypes that integrate environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability, which can be taken forward in their final projects.
Figure 4. Elective two: practical implications.
By synthesizing environmental, social, and economic sustainability factors, these elective bridges theoretical understanding with real-world applications, equipping students with the critical competencies required for sustainable fashion innovation. Such an approach aligns with contemporary academic discourse advocating for experiential learning in sustainability education (Fletcher, 2014; Gwilt, 2020). This elective not only reinforces academic learning but also prepares students for future industry roles as responsible innovators and change agents within the evolving global fashion ecosystem. This module emphasizes hands-on, project-based learning and industry collaboration to develop sustainable fashion solutions, supporting SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
5 Conclusion
In this paper an integrative review was conducted on eighty one articles relevant to the topics of sustainability in fashion design education. With the critical analysis of this article, three broader outputs emerged:
• Fundamental framework of elements in sustainable fashion.
• Proposed conceptual framework for a 2-week theoretical module/elective for undergraduate students on fashion sustainability.
• Proposed practical implication for a 2-week practical module/elective for undergrads on fashion sustainability.
This review provides an overview of various aspects of sustainability in fashion and how it can be integrated in fashion design education. The findings of this integrative review hold significant implications for the future of fashion design education by providing a structured approach for undergraduate curricula. The proposed theoretical and practical modules offer a comprehensive framework that fosters both conceptual awareness and hands-on application, aligning with experiential learning strategies and Bloom’s hierarchical cognitive development.
Future benefits of these results include equipping students with the critical competencies needed to navigate evolving industry demands, particularly in sustainable material innovation, circular design strategies, and ethical fashion production. Moreover, this framework can serve as a model for curriculum development, ensuring that sustainability remains a core pillar of fashion education. The long-term scope extends beyond academia, influencing industry practices by fostering a new generation of designers adept in sustainable methodologies and innovative problem-solving.
The proposed framework can also be applicable globally since it is built on universal sustainability principles—economic, social, and environmental—which align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its flexible structure allows adaptation across contexts; for instance, collaborations with institutes across the world to co-develop prototypes, sharing insights on circular fashion and local material innovations. By combining theoretical understanding with such practical, cross-institutional projects, the framework equips students worldwide with transferable skills to address diverse sustainability challenges in the fashion industry. In the long term, these modules are expected to cultivate responsible, sustainability-literate, industry-ready designers capable of innovating across ethical, environmental, and economic dimensions, while fostering transferable skills and global perspectives through cross-institutional collaborations. Future research could focus on longitudinal studies assessing graduates’ professional impact, the effectiveness of cross-cultural collaborations, and measurable contributions to sustainability goals, thereby generating empirical evidence for the broader role of education in advancing global fashion sustainability.
Author contributions
SK: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Investigation.
Funding
The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article.
Conflict of interest
The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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Keywords: fashion sustainability, fashion education, integrative review, course curriculum, undergraduate studies
Citation: Khar SS (2025) From review to reform: designing an elective module through an integrated review on fashion sustainability. Front. Sustain. 6:1684572. doi: 10.3389/frsus.2025.1684572
Edited by:
Michalis Skordoulis, University of West Attica, GreeceReviewed by:
Aleksandra Figurek, University of Nicosia, CyprusAnne-Marie Grundmeier, University of Education Freiburg, Germany
Copyright © 2025 Khar. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Sonika Soni Khar, c29uaWthLmtoYXJAc2lkLmVkdS5pbg==