Conveying Natural Dyes in the Fashion Industry Through a Design-Driven Innovation

Significant strategies persist in the context of the current European growth strategies toward sustainability through the digital transformation of the fashion industry. For instance, the industrial dyeing processes pose environmental and health risks, blend textiles are difficult to recycle at the end of life, and the “cut-and-sew” methodology of clothing assembly determines significant pre-consumer textile waste. Therefore, this study presents a case study based on a design-driven approach that encompasses circular strategies, such as zero-waste design, design for disassembly (DfD), and the use of bio-based textiles and natural dyes extracted from plants toward sustainability and circularity. The research focuses on natural dyes as a sustainable alternative to the current industrial and chemistry-based processes. However, current academic and industrial experiments face several hurdles, including color fastness and production scalability. Technological advancements, such as 3D digital tools, new dyeing technologies, and an integrated systemic and interoperable approach in the supply and value chain could empower the transition toward sustainable dyeing practices. The results of this study aim to harness the potential of natural dyes on bio-based and semi-synthetic textiles, reporting (i) the experimental results that enhance dyeing stability and expand the color spectrum, (ii) the design strategies such as zero-waste design, 3D digital design, and engineered printing techniques that reduce waste during dyeing, prototyping, and manufacturing stage, and (iii) a systemic circular model involving diverse supply chain partners, to extend garment lifetimes through customization and user engagement.