How Digital Transformation Drives Sustainability in Fashion Retail: The “Moda 4.0” Research Project

Abstract

This paper presents the outcomes of the Moda 4.0 research project—carried out by the Design_Kind Lab at Politecnico di Bari in collaboration with Emme Evolution S.r.l.—showing how digital transformation drives sustainability in the fashion retail sector. By developing and integrating digital systems and tools for multimedia content creation, distribution, and consumption, the study illustrates how emerging technologies inform new skill sets in product and service design while fostering novel cultural values. The research guides the partner fashion company's digital transition through a structured, multidisciplinary design approach, emphasizing sustainability across products and processes. The project delineates three digital strategies related to technologies: (I) metaverse and virtual worlds, (II) Virtual and Augmented Reality, and (III) Non-Fungible Tokens. Ultimately, the findings highlight that holistic, future-oriented digital strategies enhance creative expression and customer experiences and reinforce environmentally responsible and agile innovation in the fashion industry.