The fashion, textile, and clothing industries are at a critical juncture, confronted with mounting pressure to adopt sustainable practices while simultaneously addressing the rising consumer demand. Digital innovation and smart manufacturing technologies are emerging as transformative forces, facilitating waste reduction, improving operational efficiency, and promoting a shift toward a circular economy. Contemporary discourse frequently reports and examines various technological applications within the context of complex fashion projects. Nevertheless, the extent to which digital technologies empower sustainability in fashion and alter traditional workflows remains inconclusive in existing literature. Consequently, systematic categorization is essential to elucidate the principal application domains alongside their respective advantages and limitations. This chapter explores significant technological advancements – such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, blockchain, and digital twins – and their role in optimizing design processes, production, and supply chain transparency. The research method encompasses a comprehensive literature review supplemented by reports and news sources, complemented by case studies about the recent implementation of digital technologies to enhance the sustainability in fashion brands. The analysis focuses on how these digital innovations contribute to sustainability by minimizing resource consumption, enabling on-demand manufacturing, and improving traceability. Furthermore, the chapter addresses challenges in technology adoption, including high implementation costs and workforce reskilling, while outlining emerging trends shaping the industry’s future. The findings identify four primary domains in which digital technologies are empowering the fashion industry: AI-driven design analysis, IoT and smart factory applications enhancing manufacturing processes, 3D printing and digital textiles, and blockchain technology safeguarding ethical practices. Although debates persist regarding the efficacy of digital technologies in supplanting conventional methods, several case studies demonstrate readiness of digital technologies to assist industrial sustainability. For instance, trend prediction and personalized style consultancy services have reduced product returns and increased customer retention by approximately 25%. Additionally, robotic systems in smart factories respond to orders 90% faster than human labor and reduce warehouse labor costs by 30%. Enhanced material traceability within supply chains contributes to a 30% reduction in fabric waste. The findings underscore the potential of digital transformation to harmonize economic growth with environmental responsibility, thereby fostering a more sustainable fashion ecosystem.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping contemporary fashion by transforming design processes, production systems, and sustainability strategies in the textile and apparel sector. Amid growing concerns over overconsumption, environmental degradation, carbon emissions, and social inequities, AI has emerged as both a technological enabler and a subject of ethical scrutiny. This study examines the influence of AI on creative practice, circular design implementation, and responsible innovation in fashion. Drawing on a qualitative synthesis of systematic literature, design theory, and industry case analyses, this study proposes a framework that situates AI within sustainable fashion discourse. Findings indicate that generative design tools, virtual prototyping, digital twins, and predictive analytics support waste reduction, virtual sampling, demand-responsive production, and informed material selection. AI-enabled resale systems, automated textile sorting, and blockchain-based traceability strengthen circular economy initiatives by extending product lifecycles and improving transparency. However, algorithmic decision-making challenges authorship, craftsmanship, dataset neutrality, and labor structures. Concerns over bias, intellectual property ambiguity, digital energy consumption, and workforce displacement complicate sustainability narratives. The study argues that sustainable transformation requires a human-centered governance approach in which AI augments rather than replaces creative agency and is supported by ethical regulation and critical design education. By integrating sustainability theory, computational creativity, and AI ethics, this research contributes a holistic framework for responsible AI adoption in fashion systems.
Abstract India’s handloom sector, the country’s second-largest rural employer after agriculture, faces existential threats from counterfeiting, power-loom imitations, fragmented supply chains, and declining artisan incomes. This study explores how blockchain-enabled traceability and Non-Fungible Token (NFT) integration can authenticate handloom products, protect intellectual property, ensure fair remuneration to artisans, and open premium global markets. Drawing on secondary data from government reports (2024–2026), academic literature, and emerging case studies, the paper finds that blockchain-based Digital Product Passports (DPPs) combined with NFTs can create tamper-proof provenance records while enabling royalty mechanisms for creators. Despite infrastructural and digital-literacy barriers, pilot initiatives demonstrate potential for 20–40% income uplift and reduced counterfeit penetration. The research highlights policy and technological pathways to integrate these tools with existing schemes such as the Handloom Mark and Geographical Indication (GI) tags. Ultimately, blockchain and NFTs offer a viable digital bridge between traditional craftsmanship and modern consumer demand for authenticity and sustainability.
Digital fashion, a burgeoning intersection of digital media and the fashion industry, consists of 3D-modeled garments and accessories that are represented through digital environments such as metaverses, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and sold or authenticated using non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Unlike physical fashion, these digital items do not exist in conventional material form and are not designed for physical wear, shifting the pictorial representation of fashion from digital photography to computer-generated imagery (CGI). This paper critically examines discourses surrounding digital fashion and the perceptions of immateriality as well as common associations between technological advancement and political and social progress. These discourses are often framed by technological determinism, which positions the rise of digital worlds as inevitable, and presents innovation as a natural response to historical developments. The aim of this paper is to highlight the materiality of digital fashion which arises from the engagement between physical bodies and digital spaces. Furthermore, this process relies on physical infrastructures, from technological hardware and servers to the environmental impacts tied to its circulation and storage, and is further shaped by the software and platforms that enable its production and use. This study provides a framework to engage critically with digital fashion’s conceptual and material dimensions, offering insight into its evolving role in the larger discourse on technology and culture as virtual spaces continue to expand.
Teknologi Non-Fungible Token (NFT) telah membuka peluang baharu dalam pemasaran aset digital, terutamanya bagi penghasil seni visual. Walaupun NFT semakin popular, masih terdapat cabaran dalam kalangan penghasil seni visual di Malaysia, termasuk kesedaran yang rendah, pemahaman teknikal yang terhad dan strategi pemasaran yang tidak efektif. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk membangunkan rangka kerja pemasaran aset digital berasaskan NFT (PVArt-NFT) bagi membantu penghasil seni visual di Malaysia memahami, mencipta dan memasarkan karya seni visual dalam ekosistem NFT. Bagi mencapai objektif kajian, pendekatan Penyelidikan Sains Reka Bentuk (Design Science Research) digunakan sebagai metodologi utama. Rangka kerja PVArt-NFT dibangunkan melalui analisis kandungan dan temubual kepada 7 perunding pakar dan seterusnya disahkan oleh 10 pakar yang lain. Ujian pra dan pasca dilaksanakan melalui bengkel NFT melibatkan 23 peserta untuk menguji keberkesanan rangka kerja tersebut. Rangka kerja PVArt-NFT yang dibangunkan mengandungi empat fasa iaitu: Analisis Nilai, Penciptaan Nilai, Penyampaian Nilai, dan Hubungan Pelanggan & Komuniti. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa terdapat peningkatan dalam pemahaman peserta selepas intervensi bengkel, namun terdapat perbezaan kecil dalam penerimaan terhadap minat, yakin, dan mempelajari NFT. Secara keseluruhan hasil dapatan kajian membuktikan bahawa bengkel ini memberi kesan besar dalam meningkatkan pemahaman peserta terhadap NFT. Kesimpulannya, rangka kerja PVArt-NFT ini memberi sumbangan implikasi pratikal kepada strategi pemasaran digital untuk penghasil seni visual. Selain itu, kajian ini turut memberikan sumbangan teoretikal berdasarkan Teori Innovation Resistence (IRT), Model Pemasaran Digital 7Ps, Teori Actor-Network (ANT) dan peranan pemasaran (role of marketing) ke dalam konteks seni visual berasaskan NFT. Seterusnya menambah dimensi baharu kepada literatur pemasaran dan ekonomi kreatif digital.
This paper investigates how Web3 technologies, particularly NFTs, can create value even in traditional manufacturing companies that are generally recognized as distant from more advanced technological innovation. Using Bulgari’s launch of its first high-jewelry NFT capsule collection as a case study, the research aims to understand how Web3 strategies can be effectively adopted by manufacturing, in particular luxury brands, with an exclusivity positioning, and what forms of value they can generate and capture. Through a case study based on secondary (company’s websites, social media, magazines and fashion journals) and primary data (semi-structured interviews and focus groups), the research shows that Web3 strategies can successfully reinforce brand storytelling, create new customer engagement avenues, and preserve brand prestige while innovating. Bulgari’s approach suggests that NFTs can serve not only as digital extensions of physical luxury products but also as tools for enhancing brand equity, reaching new audiences, and unlocking emotional and experiential value. The case illustrates that digital transformation in heritage brands does not have to come at the expense of tradition. Rather, when executed thoughtfully, technologies like NFTs can become powerful instruments for reinforcing brand identity, enhancing storytelling, and engaging new audiences. The study also highlights the importance of learning outcomes in entering new value creation processes during periods of discontinuity, before enabling technologies are mature enough to ensure a high level of customers’ experience
2 source records
Fashion and Cultural Textiles
Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification
Dijital teknolojilerin hızlı gelişimiyle birlikte illüstrasyon, geleneksel yöntemlerden uzaklaşarak dijital ortamda üretilen eserlerle zenginleşmiştir. Dijital illüstrasyonların geleneksel yöntemlere kıyasla daha hızlı bir üretim süreci sağladığı görülmektedir. Dijital araçlar, sanatçıların tasarım süreçlerinde zaman tasarrufu yapmalarına olanak tanımaktadır. Tekrar edilebilirlik, dijital illüstrasyonların bir diğer önemli özelliğidir. Sanatçılar, bir eseri kolaylıkla kopyalayabilir veya eserin üzerinde değişiklikler yaparak farklı versiyonlar oluşturabilirler. Bu durum hem zamandan tasarruf etmelerini sağlamakta hem de eser üzerinde denemeler yapma imkânı sunmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, teknolojik gelişmelerin illüstrasyon sanatına getirdiği değişimler ele alınmaktadır. Bilgisayarlar, grafik tabletler, yazılımlar ve dijital kalemler, sanatçılara sınırsız bir esneklik ve hız kazandırmış ve böylelikle görsel tasarım süreçlerini daha erişilebilir hâle getirmiştir. Farklı yazılımlar ve dijital araçlar, sanatçıların daha çeşitli teknikler denemelerine ve renk paletlerini kolayca değiştirmelerine yardımcı olmaktadır. NFT'lerin (Non-Fungible Token) ve yapay zekânın bu alana girişi ise, dijital illüstrasyonun hem ticari değerini hem de üretim biçimlerini değiştirmiştir. NFT'ler sayesinde dijital sanat eserleri benzersiz birer varlık olarak tescillenebilmekte ve uluslararası piyasada alınıp satılabilmektedir. Bu da sanatçılara, fiziksel bir sergi veya galeriye ihtiyaç duymadan geniş bir izleyici kitlesine ulaşma imkânı sağlamaktadır. Öte yandan yapay zekâ teknolojileri, illüstrasyonun üretim süreçlerine yeni bir boyut kazandırmıştır. Yapay zekâ, belirli görevleri yerine getirmek için insan tarafından sağlanan veri setlerine ve yönlendirici komutlara (promptlara) ihtiyaç duymaktadır; bu nedenle, insan müdahalesi olmadan bağımsız bir şekilde yeni bir içerik üretememektedir. Sonuç olarak, dijitalleşme, illüstrasyon dünyasında hem sanatsal özgürlüğü hem de üretim süreçlerini önemli ölçüde etkilemiştir. Kullanılan NFT ve yapay zekâ gibi araçlar, sanatçı ve tasarımcılara, yeni bir deneyim kazandırmıştır. Sanatçılar, bu yeni teknolojileri kullanarak daha hızlı ve erişilebilir eserler üretirken dijital platformlar sayesinde de daha geniş kitlelere ulaşma fırsatı yakalamaktadırlar.
This article provides the short and non-linear history of digital fashion, arguing that it is entangled with the development of digital environments and virtual worlds. Unlike material clothes, digital fashion end products are created digitally, for digital use. Digital fashion can range from digital skins for gamified environments or virtual influencers to superimposed images, Augmented Reality filters, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), and digital twins or phygital fashion. We trace the emergence and development of digital fashion through pivotal themes: from its relation to virtual worlds, the Internet, and e-commerce, to the implementation of avatars and fashion in videogames, to the commercially led digital fashion industry that has emerged in the past few years in what is called Web 3.0, and finally, we look at the recent surge of interest in artificial intelligence and its potential complications for digital fashion.
In a new era of technology and sustainable financing, the poignant revival of traditional handloom techniques in contemporary fashion is gaining prevalence.This return to quality reflects an upsurge in the respect for genuine artisanal techniques from of old, a concern about environmental sustainability and-across all spectrums-the desire to fund models that better effect the planet.This study aims to explore the revival of traditional techniques within contemporary fashion culture to approach towards an emerging sustainable, cultural and ethical priority.Unlike efficiently manufactured textiles, handloom textures frequently use normal filaments and dyes, minimizing the environmental impression of the material industry.Even the decentralized idea of handloom creation lessens dependence on energy-escalated hardware and transportation, lining up with standards of economical utilization and production.By embracing and reviving the techniques, societies recover their social identity, fostering a feeling of satisfaction and Continuity.Moreover, the recovery of conventional handloom procedures holds huge financial significance, basically where these practices have been the foundation of occupations for generations.By supporting nearby craftsmen and winding around communities, this restoration engages underestimated groups, promotes fair work rehearses and adds to the monetary versatility of rustic areas.Through a mix of verifiable investigation, financial examination and natural considerations.It looks to enlighten the importance and capability of resuscitating customary handloom techniques.Nowadays the intricacies of globalization and modernization, the recovery of these strategies fills in as a guide of resilience, offering a pathway towards an additional comprehensive, socially rich and ecologically feasible future.
Marco Alberto Javarone, Gabriele Di Antonio, Gianni Valerio Vinci, Raffaele Cristodaro · 6 authors
Abstract The behaviour of Bitcoin owners is reflected in the structure and the number of bitcoin transactions encoded in the Blockchain. Likewise, the behaviour of Bitcoin traders is reflected in the formation of bullish and bearish trends in the crypto market. In light of these observations, we wonder if human behaviour underlies some relationship between the Blockchain and the crypto market. To address this question, we map the Blockchain to a spin-lattice problem, whose configurations form ordered and disordered patterns, representing the behaviour of Bitcoin owners. This novel approach allows us to obtain time series suitable to detect a causal relationship between the dynamics of the Blockchain and market trends of the Bitcoin and to find that disordered patterns in the Blockchain precede Bitcoin panic selling. Our results suggest that human behaviour underlying Blockchain evolution and the crypto market brings out a fascinating connection between disorder and panic in Bitcoin dynamics.
This paper explores the role of metaphors in the production of re-descriptions of the world within the framework of technological design processes. Drawing on a collaborative ethnography with the Economic Space Agency (ECSA), a start-up developing post-blockchain technology, this paper illustrates how metaphors mimic the toponymy of decentralized material infrastructures, while simultaneously pushing forward ‘posthuman’ values that are expected to become fixated through software. Through an analysis of a ‘collection’ of metaphors produced by ECSA, this paper sheds light on the work performed by specific vocabularies, within technological communities, in shaping a symbiotic relationship between futuristic politics and material culture.