co-Design for Circular Transitions: Empowering Consumers through Frontier Technologies in the Fashion & Textile Industry

Brief insight into Raco’s research world:

In the pursuit of sustainable and regenerative futures, transitioning to a circular economy (CE) is essential for overcoming the complex challenges of the linear Fashion and Textiles (F&T) supply chain. This research investigates the F&T post-purchase material flow life-cycle to uncover how digital frontier technologies, like blockchain, can transform the consumption-production process.

Focusing on Australia, the study explores how these technologies can enhance consumer agency within the CE framework. Using a Transition Design approach, it tackles the systemic challenges of steering the F&T industry towards circularity by engaging diverse industry stakeholders in collaborative efforts. Through transdisciplinary methods, including ethnographic research and co-designed workshops, the research aims to foster innovation and reshape industry practices.

RESEARCH PHASES:

PhD Candidate, School of Design, RMIT Melbourne/Naarm.

  • Aims to situates stakeholders within post-purchase resource networks via industry interviews and observations. Industry-partnered, co-designed workshops will explore the role of consumer agency and their stakeholder status.

  • Looks at reframing the role of blockchain traceability technology and in the fibre-to-fibre recycling supply chain of Australia waste, to assess its effectiveness in supporting material resource flows.

  • Envisions future interventions by probing themes of power, ownership, and trust in balancing consumer-producer relationships with digital frontier technologies in inner and outer material loops. This research seeks to provide insights to inform new ways of working, shaping industry practices along the way, and foster innovation towards a more sustainable and equitable F&T industry landscape.