Materials Selection and Fashion Design: strengthening reflections on fibre’s nature in fibres and textiles selection.

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Melissa Mazzitelli, Flavia Papile, Barbara Del Curto This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3826543/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 03 Aug, 2024 Read the published version in Discover Sustainability → Version 1 posted 7 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Textile ecosystems are complex productive realities, in the eye of the cyclone when it comes sustainability-related analysis. Being characterised by very complex value-chains and interconnection of productive actors, textiles production and use represent one of the most crucial challenges for the circular and sustainable transition. Their deployment is esteemed to be in growing for the next years, therefore reflections on how to improve product and materials circularity in this sector is of increasing interest in research and industrial practice. In this contribution, authors will try to map the material properties that can influence textiles application in the fashion sector, focusing on the coupling of material selection activity and application of design strategies to anticipate at best the reflections upon textiles use and recirculation. Results of this activity are then shown and discussed to question the applicability of the reported data into a fashion design activity, to promote awareness and critical reflections upon materials use while designing new fashion goods. Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 1. Introduction The textile ecosystem is composed by the textile, clothing, leather and footwear industries and is among the most globalized value chains. In Europe, it employs 2.2 million workers and is made up of 99.5% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) [ 1 ]. The textile production system has for years been in the eye of the cyclone for the change of production paradigm, with a tightening in recent times: in the Circular Economy Action Plan of 2022 [ 2 ] the textile sector, in the European context, was placed in fourth place for greater impact on the environment and climate change - after food, housing and mobility -, at third place for the use of water and soil and fifth place for the extraction of primary raw materials. Global textile production almost doubled between 2000 and 2015 [ 3 ] and, to exacerbate this scenario, it is estimated that the consumption of clothing - representing 81% of the EU’s textile destination - and footwear should increase by 63% by 2030, from the current 62 million tonnes to 102 million tonnes in 2030 [ 4 ]. These negative impacts stem from the linear economy model that defines the sector along its value chain through the system of production, distribution, and use of clothing. This takes-make-dispose approach places excessive stress on natural resources and lacks long-term resilience [ 5 ]. To contain the negative impacts of this productive sector industry, government agencies and the scientific community are analysing and modeling the transformation of the current linear economic model into a circular one. The Fashion Systems, characterized as the combination of garments, shoes, or accessories that undergo design, purchase, production, and supply processes, are now influenced by new regulations [ 6 ]. These regulations emphasize concentrating on key activities occurring at the intersection of physical and digital practices in the design and sale of fashion garments. First, promoting the design and use of fashion products responsibly and effectively in society as long as possible and in their most valuable form, then safely return to the biosphere when no longer in human use [ 7 ] is one of the strong inputs coming from regulations and studies. Globally, during the COP24 in Katowice (Poland) in December 2018, the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action [ 8 ] was issued, which provides the industry and its signatories with a clear path to zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the recycling of traditional closed-loop materials and the derivation of materials from regenerative or deforestation-free/land conversion crops and the phasing out of coal from owned sites and suppliers by 2030. Secondly, promoting information exchange along all the productive value chain. The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles is a crucial step Europe has taken to address emerging sectoral issues and fulfill its commitments under the European Green Deal [ 10 ], the Circular Economy Action Plan, and the European Industrial Strategy [ 9 ]. The objective of this document is to speed up the resilience and competitiveness of textile ecosystems, regulate and introduce sustainable and circular textile products with improved design, production, and disposal, emphasizing the importance of implementing clean technologies in textile production systems. In this framework technologies ad the Digital Product Passport and the Digital Twins for Fashion garments take place. Finally, empowering an aware use of materials and resources in the sector is mandatory. Another European action plan called the Sustainable Product Initiative has announced pragmatic strategies to achieve the goals set in the field. Among these, the most revolutionary conceptually concerns a regulation on the eco-design of sustainable products: the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) [ 11 ] which will establish new requirements to make products more durable, reliable, reusable, repairable, to be renewed and recycled, as well as more energy efficient through the correct design, which according to the European Commission determines up to 80% of the environmental impact of the product life cycle [ 12 ]. In this framework, the design field is therefore of fundamental importance to promote the adoption of new circular design strategies and consumption systems [ 13 ], and Designers are the first ones responsible for designing products. And in this product-oriented perspective, materials used for the design of fashion garments play an important role in the transition pathway for circular product design [ 14 ]. Therefore, the question is to understand if fashion designers are ready to embed reflections of materials environmental properties into their design activity. If the technical language and breadth of the available studies concerning limitations and guidelines for certain materials use in the fashion industry make it difficult for designers to directly understand and use their results, a “short circuit” in the transition may occur [ 15 ]. The purpose of this study is therefore to understand and highlight environmental-related material information and propose a framework to help designers in embedding these technical data into their creative activity. 2. Literature Review Integrating environmental requirements into product design for sustainable fashion is nowadays mandatory to achieve performance objectives in the fashion system [ 16 ]. The development of new design strategies is possible through the understanding of the environmental damage that the fashion industry and its products cause. In this perspective, a huge amount of proposals, plans, methodologies and scenarios have been produced in literature to frame and accomplish transitional objectives. From very punctual and product-driven methodologies (such as the Ecodesign ones [ 17 ]) to broad and systemic design studies, a complex world of guidelines, strategies and tactics has been explored in literature, and when it comes to materials [ 18 ] the discourse gets even more interesting. Being at the basis of every physical artifact, materials play a significant role in the systemic transition towards circular products design [19; 20]. Materials in fact can be analysed at least on three different levels [ 21 ]: technically, sensorially and environmentally. In fashion design, the term “material” gains even more complexity [ 22 ] since it may refer to the chemical constituents of the single fibre, to yarns or even textiles and solid components of fashion garments. According to European Commission [ 23 ], eight main building blocks should be followed to pursue an effective transition in the Textile, Clothing, Leather and Footwear Industries (TCLF): Creating a Sustainable competitiveness, Follow regulations and public Governance, Consider Social dimension in the transition, encourage R&I, Techniques and Technological Solutions, Empower infrastructures, work on Skills, Invest and fund innovative projects and practices and support EU strategic autonomy. In this framework, physical and digital attributes of textiles for fashion garments must be efficiently analysed throughout the design process to ensure efficient resources prolonged life at the end of the value chain. For doing this, authors envisioned in three main research tools the necessary basin of information to anticipate in the design phase some reflections concerning fibre’s materials and their reverberation throughout all the production pathways. These tools will be analysed in depth in the following paragraphs and are respectively LCA-based methods for the fashion industry, Textiles Digital Twins Technology and Digital Product Passport for Textiles. 2.1 LCA-based methods for fashion industry A widespread tool for assessing the environmental impact of products is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)[ 24 ]. Based on the analysis of LCA studies in the literature, it is possible to define areas in which it is possible to intervene during the garments design phase to limit the environmental impacts of new fashion and textile products, related to fiber’s material choices. The LCA method proposes the division into five phases [ 26 ]: pre-production; production; distribution; use; end of life. As shown in Fig. 1 , it is possible to see that the environmental impacts of a fashion product are distributed unevenly within these phases of life, and focus on the first two phases: pre-production and production (collected in a single phase), and use. The environmental impact in the pre-production and production phase includes the extraction of the raw material and its processing, the production of semi-finished products (yarns and fabrics), the finishing processes up to the packaging of the final product. All these phases and the associated environmental impacts are strongly influenced by the nature of the raw material [ 27 ]. To bring out the most relevant issues at this stage we have collected the most significant environmental impact categories: climate change, water use and consumption, human toxicity, and primary energy demand. These parameters are defined by the European Commission [ 28 ] as follows: climate change : this indicator refers to the increase in global average temperatures because of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in this case, to the supply and processing of raw material. The parameter "climate change" is measured in kilograms of equivalent carbon dioxide (kg CO2 eq.) and corresponds to the impact of all greenhouse gases emitted, translated into the amount of CO2 needed to produce that same impact. water use and consumption : the withdrawal of water resources from lakes, rivers or aquifers can contribute to the exhaustion of available water. This impact category considers the availability or scarcity of water in the regions where the activity takes place if this information is available. The associated environmental impact is expressed in cubic meters (m3 eq.) of water consumption concerning local water scarcity. human toxicity : this indicator refers to the potential impacts on human health caused by the absorption of substances through air, water, and soil. The direct effects of products on humans are currently not measured. The unit of measure of the category is UTCh, which stands for "Comparative Toxic Unit for human". primary energy demand : primary energy demand means the amount of energy coming from all the different sources, both renewable and non-renewable, necessary to acquire and transform the raw material, in this case into textile fibers. These categories together account for about 55% of the total impact. A material selection process focused on the main categories of environmental impact of the process that takes place at this stage can positively affect the environmental performance of the final product. The use phase of the product is the second in terms of environmental impact (Fig. 2 ). This is due to garment care processes, namely the type and frequency of washing, drying, and ironing [29; 30 and 31]. Following the analysis of the literature we examined how different materials with their properties can discourage the frequency of such actions and encourage, among these, less impactful practices. In this phase, three problems that could be influenced by the material of which the garment is composed emerged: frequency of washing, type of washing, release of microplastics, frequency of ironing and durability. To reduce the frequency of washing, the two properties to consider are stain resistance and odor resistance. Both may be intrinsically associated with the nature of the fibre, but it has emerged from the literature that the structure of the semi-finished product can also change its performance [ 32 ]. The first property is affected by the fiber moisture recovery, the tendency to accumulate static electricity and the circular section of the fiber; the second one is affected by the ability of the fiber or semi-finished product to absorb water. About washing, today’s literature does not document the direct relationship between the fiber’s nature and wet or dry washing. The only releases are about probability: for example, it was found that clothing made of silk, wool and wool mixtures are three times more likely to be dry-cleaned than cotton or synthetic garments and their blends [ 33 ]. Dry-cleaning practice is less favored due to the use of chemical solvents that are hazardous to human health and the environment [34; 35] and increased energy consumption. The release of microplastics is associated with synthetic garments, but the quality of the fibre, the structure of the yarns and that of the fabrics can allow a more or less great release of microfibers [ 36 ]. The concept of durability is not directly associated with that of sustainability, but it is related to the type of product that is considered: the plastic bag, for example, designed to be used a few times before being disposed of, finds in the biodegradability of the materials the characteristic closest to the principles of sustainability [ 37 ]. According to the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) [ 38 ] report, increasing garment durability is the "single greatest opportunity" to reduce the environmental impacts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water demand and waste production: extending the life of clothing by nine months could reduce the carbon footprint, water and waste from 20 to 30%. In addition, if the wearing frequency of a garment doubled, greenhouse gas emissions would decrease by about 44%, compared to the number of emissions generated by the production of a new garment. By cross-checking the standardized ISO tests used to assess the physical durability of materials, we have collected the properties that can be considered in the material selection phase for a durable garment: abrasion resistance, tensile strength, pilling resistance, light resistance, color fastness and dimensional stability. The environmental impact associated with the end-of-life phase is closely linked to the issue of waste disposal. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has estimated that the equivalent of a fabric-filled garbage truck is either dumped or incinerated every second [ 39 ]. The European Commission is now considering the EPR (Extended Product Responsability) as a regulatory measure to promote sustainable textiles and the treatment of textile waste following the waste hierarchy. [ 40 ] Currently available options for the disposal of clothing products are closed-loop recycling (or fiber-to-fiber), open-loop recycling (an option that usually sees the transformation of clothing items into upholstery for furniture products or insulating materials) incineration (with or without energy recovery), and landfill. Despite the range of options available, fashion waste is mainly landfilled or incinerated [ 41 ]. The analysis of the environmental impact of fashion products has resulted in the definition of applicable strategies during garments design phase, to enhance the product's circularity and environmental sustainability. In Table 1 , a summary of strategies compiled by the European Union TwinRevolution [ 25 ] project is here presented. 2.2 Textiles Digital Twins The intertwin of circular and digital strategies can support the transformation of the textile industry [ 42 ] and consequently have positive consequences in the fashion garments value chain. Creating digital twins (DTs) for fashion garments design and prototyping represents a tangible opportunity in terms of coupling sustainable transformation with the digital one [ 43 ]. Defined as a virtual copy of any physical entity with real time data exchange [-44], DT technology enables professionals in simulating e.g. processes, employ models, and life of digitalised physical artifacts. Exploiting probabilistic simulations, this technology can significantly contribute to information mapping throughout all the product life cycle. Therefore, decision-making processes [ 45 ] in the design activity can be strongly reinforced by DT technologies in terms of simulation and control of the decision made at the design stage throughout the whole product life cycle, such as material selection. In this perspective, DT may help, e.g., in material waste reduction, production optimisation and information mapping to allow material recovery at the garment’s end of life. Some software (e.g. Clo3D, Daz3D ecc…) already started to embed partial information oriented to the DT technology. But when it comes to materials in fashion, the main aspects that are managed by designers concern the technical and hedonic features of prime matter, not having a proper control of how their decision may affect the whole production pathway. However, some studies say “Future studies can explore (1) how the DT processresulted in a smaller environmental footprint, (2) accurately mea-sured how much material, water, and dye treatments were saved,and (3) how it compares to the additional carbon footprint associ-ated with digital technologies in general, such as energy to runequipment, cloud storage, and so forth.” [ 46 ] 2.3 Digital Product Passport for Textiles The European Commission proposed the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation on March 30, 2022, as part of the EU Green Deal framework. By 2030, Digital Product Passports (DPP) will be mandatory for textiles sold in Europe to promote environmentally sustainable and circular products.A DPP is a digital record that contains information about a product's entire lifecycle, including product identifiers, material composition, performance, environmental and social data. The European Commission (EC) defines a ‘product passport’ as a product-specific data set, which can be electronically accessed through a data carrier to “electronically register,process and share product-related information amongst supply chain businesses, authorities and consumers”[ 47 ]. The DPP would provide information on the origin, composition, and repair and disassembly possibilities of a product, including how the various components can be recycled or disposed of at end of life. This information can enable the upscaling of circular economy strategies such as predictive maintenance, repair, remanufacturing and recycling. It also informs consumers and other stakeholders of the sustainability characteristics of products and materials. In a designer's perspective, being aware of the information contained and mapped through the DPP tool would significantly help in anticipating actions for disassembly, reuse,recycle, upcyle and other circular practices intervening by design on the idealization and definition of textiles fashion garments. This anticipation and control can even more easily be linked to the reflections concerning fibres material choices. The European Commission proposes DPPs as a secure and standardized way of sharing product information across the entire value chain. The data can be accessed via physical identifiers such as QR codes, NFC tags or RFID chips. DPPs can promote sustainability by increasing transparency, improving durability, enhancing recyclability, and reducing waste. 3. Methodology The purpose of this study is to critically analyze the LCA of fashion products to identify the most relevant environmental impact parameters and, based on the literature analysis, extract translatable information in design features that can be easily managed by designers. In this contribution, the authors will mainly focus on the asset of Material Innovation. The material, known as "fiber nature", is the physical element that constitutes the raw material of the textile industry. This work will reveal that the extraction and processing of the raw material is the phase that has the greatest impact. Depending on the nature of the fiber, processes, properties and end-of-life risks can be different. It is clear that the transition of textile ecosystems to new circular and sustainable practices depends not only on the nature of the fibre. An in-depth study on the nature of fibres can highlight new points of reflection at the design and production level, increasing awareness of decision-making activities in the textile and subsequent application sectors. Considering what we learned in the study of literature, we decided to classify and tabulate the materials as explained below. As illustrated by the Materials Market report of Textile Exchange [ 48 ] about 65% of the global fibre market consists of synthetic fibres (polyester, polyamide, polypropylene, acrylic, elastane), about 27% of vegetable fibres (cotton, linen, hemp and other fibres) about 6.3% from manmade cellulosic fibers (viscose, acetate, lyocell, modal and cupro) and about 1.6% from animal fibers (sheep wool, plumage, silk and other animal fibers). We have defined these fibers as 'traditional fibers', which are the solid reference points for today's fashion industry. First of all, we have limited ourselves to the analysis of this type of materials, but we are aware also other categories are fundamental, such as preferred materials, which are fibres or materials with better results and impacts in terms of environmental and/or social sustainability compared to traditional ones and neo-materials, that are innovative material solutions still little used, but having promising environmental performance and peculiarities that can expand the vision of fashion design to new clothing concepts and design paradigms. These two categories could be added in the study in the future. For each traditional material selected we have indicated the geographical location of production that indicates the geographical location where the material is produced and to which the values of the environmental impacts of production refer. Indeed, the environmental impact of the fibres marketed depends not only on the type of fibre but also on where and how the fibres were produced [ 49 ]. The geographical context in terms of scale, energy sources, chemical suppliers and waste management can greatly influence the environmental impact [ 50 ] so the same fibre produced in two different geographical locations can have different environmental performances. The materials have therefore been characterized according to the origin of the raw material in two categories: virgin raw material and raw material from recycling processes. Both categories have been divided into bio-based raw material, fossil-based raw material and inorganic raw material. This subdivision helps the designer to understand the renewability of the resources used, to select, when possible, materials that do not implement the dependence on fossil extraction. We then researched in the literature the cradle-to-gate environmental impacts of these fibers by analyzing the impact categories mentioned in paragraph 2.1: climate change (kg CO2 eq./kg), use and consumption of water (m3 eq./kg), human toxicity (UTCh/kg) and primary energy demand (MJ/kg). We started from the “Environmental impact of textile fibers” report of Mistra Future Fashion [ 51 ] which collects, through a table at the end of the document, the environmental impact data identified on animal fibers, vegetable fibers, regenerated fibers and synthetic fibers and collected, in turn, by peer-reviewed journal articles, reports and databases. We have collected in a database the data available in the document of Mistra Future Fashion collecting the minimum and maximum values of the environmental impacts of the fibers that the literature proposes, subdivided by continent of production. In this way we have associated to each material a numerical range that indicates the environmental impact of the different categories of greatest interest. The collection of such data has been implemented in the analysis of the literature cited in the document and, in case of missing data, through further literature searched by the authors. In the case of Life Cycle Assessments with data of our interest expressed through different units than those established by us for filling the database, where possible, we have converted this numerical information using the conversion tables proposed by Dong. et al. (2021) [ 52 ] which proposes conversion factors between the results expressed according to the different LCA methods and distinguish them into high correlation, low correlation and non-correctable factors. Then we analyzed the materials from the point of view of the properties relevant to the environmental impact in the use phase both through white literature (for example from the publications of Humphries M. [ 53 ], Johnston A. & Hallett C. [ 54 ] and Baugh G. [ 55 ]) and through grey literature (for example from the publications of Bunsell, A. R. et al. [ 56 ], Hosseini Ravandi S. A. & Valizadeh M. [ 57 ] and Sinclair R. [ 58 ]). The material properties that we have researched are those examined in paragraph 2.1. We have indicated for each material category: possible release of microplastics; intrinsic properties of fibre durability: abrasion resistance, expressed by qualitative scale (1 = bad, 2 = poor, 3 = decent, 4 = good, 5 = excellent); dimensional stability, expressed by qualitative scale (1 = bad, 2 = poor, 3 = decent, 4 = good, 5 = excellent); lightfastness, expressed by qualitative scale (1 = bad, 2 = poor, 3 = decent, 4 = good, 5 = excellent); colorfastness, expressed by qualitative scale (1 = bad, 2 = poor, 3 = decent, 4 = good, 5 = excellent); tensile strength, expressed by qualitative scale (1 = bad, 2 = poor, 3 = decent, 4 = good, 5 = excellent); resistance to pilling, expressed by qualitative scale (1 = bad, 2 = poor, 3 = decent, 4 = good, 5 = excellent); ease of removal of the pilling, expressed by means of qualitative indicators ("easy removal" or "difficult removal"); intrinsic properties of fibre maintenance: stain resistance, expressed by qualitative scale (1 = bad, 2 = poor, 3 = decent, 4 = good, 5 = excellent); crease resistance, expressed by qualitative scale (1 = bad, 2 = poor, 3 = decent, 4 = good, 5 = excellent); odours resistance, expressed by qualitative scale (1 = bad, 2 = poor, 3 = decent, 4 = good, 5 = excellent); drying speed, expressed by means of quality indicators ("slow drying", "moderate drying" or "fast drying"); compatible type of washing, indicated for each category of material according to the most commonly indicated type ("wet", "dry" or "hand"). Today’s literature does not closely document the relationship between fashion materials and the three washing practices, but clothing made of silk, wool and wool blends are three times more likely to be dry-cleaned than cotton or synthetic garments and their mixtures [ 59 ]. Concerning the environmental impact at the end of life, potentially compatible EOL options were indicated for each material. This does not mean that selecting a fiber-to-fiber recyclable material is automatic that in the disposal phase the garment is recycled, but that the option exists. It will be in fact the responsibility of the designer and/or the brand to make sure that this happens (for example collecting the used garments, drawing up agreements with the companies that develop these technologies, etc...). End-of-life options have therefore been arranged as possibilities: closed-loop recycling, open-loop recycling, incineration with energy recovery, biodegradation and landfill. The association between material and compatible end-of-life option was made considering the raw material of the material and the existing structures dealing with textile waste. This does not make the association between the two parameters always true, but allows the designer to be aware only that there is the possibility of a certain end-of-life option for the chosen material. The designer and the brand must therefore ensure through their suppliers that the end-of-life option is actually possible or, if not, be aware of the impossibility of proceeding at the end of life with the desired option, or simply change supplier. As mentioned in the previous paragraphs, not all factors that can be controlled by the designer that affect the environmental impact of a fashion product are related to the intrinsic nature of the available materials. Some representative examples are listed in Table 1 . However, the same parameters that in the previous sub-paragraph were selected to characterize materials (cradle-to-gate production impacts, durability properties, maintenance etc.) are actually associated with a group of circularity strategies (e.g. design of durable garments). It can be seen that some strategies depend directly on the choice of fashion material, while other strategies, such as those aimed at reducing the impacts in the distribution phase, are independent of the choice of material and cannot be proposed according to the same narrative. From the literature (for example from the publications of Vezzoli C. et al. [ 60 ], Cobbing M. & Vicaire Y. [ 61 ] and Ellen MacArthur Foundation [ 62 ]) a sample of strategies applicable in the fashion world or already applied by some brands and presented as case studies compatible with the three pillars on which the circular economy is based has been collected: optimization of resource use, product longevity and waste exploitation. These were then analyzed and translated into general strategies or guidelines versatile on several areas. We divided the strategies according to the scope of application: strategies for circularity related to the design phase, strategies for circularity related to the selection of components, strategies for circularity related to material and business strategies for circularity. Design-related circularity strategies are guidelines applicable to the specific design chapter and can offer methods to increase material performance. An example of a strategy belonging to this category is the use of certain textile structures to increase the abrasion resistance of the fabric. The properties of the finished product may be affected by the textile structure of the material constituting it [ 63 ]. In this way, if the design goal was to make a garment last longer, it would be better to avoid textile structures in which threads and yarns have greater mobility, such as knitted structures. A second example of this type of strategy is pattern-placing. This strategy is applicable to all weave materials and consists in predetermining the way the pattern patterns of the pattern will be positioned on the fabric, in order to limit off-cuts and divert them from the waste stream. This strategy has the potential to bring benefits of circularity both in the optimization of the use of resources and in the valorization of the waste (reusing the off-cuts) and potentially in the longevity of the garments (using off-cuts as reinforcements at the most wear points). The strategies for circularity linked to the selection of components are the guidelines that look at an overall approach of the circularity of the garment and range from the selection of certified suppliers to the adoption of standard accessories that guarantee the availability of the spare parts. 4. Results The analysis of literature and the characterization of traditional materials has led to build a database in which to insert the information emerged. In an Excel table (an example extract is shown in Table 2 ) authors collected 25 different materials. Of these, some materials are repeated as products in two different geographical locations to highlight how the data concerning the environmental impact of cradle-to-gate production varies depending on the geographical localization of the prime matter production. Among these 25 materials there are also some material variants called "preferred materials", a concept developed by Textile Exchange [ 64 ] to indicate those fibers or materials that result in better environmental and/or social sustainability results and impacts than traditional ones. This definition includes traditional fibres whose origin differs from that of counterparts conventionally produced through: responsible cultivation, the use of organic matter to produce synthetic fibres, the use of recycled raw material, control and certification of procurement methods. Although this definition encompasses a wide variety of materials, the actual environmental performance is not obvious and varies from case to case. The data table has been, hence, divided into sections. The first section contains the industrial information of the material, that is the level of industrialization (in order to be able to further implement the database with the insertion of neo-materials), manufacturer and website (also useful information for specific case studies), geographical location of production. The second section contains information about the origin of the raw material divided by "virgin raw material" and "raw material from recycling", in turn divided into "bio-based", "fossil-based" and "inorganic". Under each of these headings it is possible to indicate the percentage of raw material making up the reference material and indicate its specific origin. In this section authors have also added the entry "certification", for specific case studies with a view to implementing the database. The third section contains information on the environmental impact of cradle-to-gate production, divided according to the environmental impact categories already expressed in the previous sub-paragraphs. Authors have reported the numerical data both as a numerical range and as a mathematical mean to which have been associated a color scale to make the most other and the lowest values stand out faster. The fourth section contains information on the environmental impact of the material in use through the release of microplastics, durability properties and maintenance properties (previously investigated). The fifth section contains information about the environmental impact at the end of life stage and indicates for each material the options (previously explored in this article) compatible with it. Since our goal is to translate the scientific literature in a language usable by fashion designers to facilitate and put more critical attention to the material selection phase, authors have added for each material the applications for which it is more customary (e.g. ready to wear, outdoor, jeans, shirts, underwear, etc.). Finally, by reviewing each material in its own characteristics authors have associated to each of them compatible circularity strategies. In the last section called "Strategies" authors collected alphanumeric codes that correspond to certain strategies detected by the literature. Authors collected these strategies in another Excel sheet [an example extract in Table 3 ]. They are identifiable by alphanumeric code type Xnn where X corresponds to the letter identifying the type of strategy (Strategies for circularity related to the Design phase = D; Strategies for circularity related to the Selection of components = S; Strategies for circularity related to Material = M; Business strategies for circularity = B). Each strategy is accompanied by a description and is indicated the benefit (between optimization of the use of resources, longevity of the products and valorization of the Wastes) that can be made if applied. 5. Discussion The present work offers a broad overview of the characteristics related to the fiber’s nature that can influence the final impact of the product, guiding designers in an informed material decision-making process. However, it is necessary to make some considerations about this work. First, the final output (an excel file) is very efficient for organizing and managing data but can be improved in terms of usability for designers. Design oriented tools usually exploit graphical and fast-reading information structures, such as maps, infographics, cards and other visual information providers to optimize consulting and immediate consultation while designing [ 65 ]. Moreover, mere data collection could result in a list of numbers and ranges of values. In this study, 25 materials were taken into account (also considering variants that differ by location of production). Of these 25 materials collected, 10 are vegetable fibers, 3 are animal fibers, 3 are man-made cellulocic fibers and 9 are synthetic fibers. These materials represent the most common materials currently used in the production of textile clothing, considered as traditional fibers. Among them, however, we have also included 4 materials that, although they are becoming increasingly popular in the global textile market, are defined as preferred materials: two generic organic cottons (of global and European production) a recycled cotton (in the case study RPure somebody. of the company Recover) and a recycled wool (in the case study MWool. of the company Manteco). The implementation of the file by adding preferred materials or neo-materials can help the designer to implement a material selection resulting from a wider analysis. In fact, the use of materials belonging to these two categories is not a guarantee of sustainable fashion products, especially when used without critical participation. This implies that, during the material selection of a specific project, it is essential to choose the material (be it traditional, preferred or neo-material) the characteristics of which are consistent and compatible with the sustainability objectives that are to be imparted to the final product. For this reason, the role of other material categories, and especially of neo-materials for fashion, is not (and should not be) to replace traditional materials, but to expand the opportunities available and inspire new design paradigms. Therefore, after the data collection activity, authors considered fundamental to highlight the strategies for circularity and opportunities offered by the data collection activity, since the timely information of a specific material property is not sufficient to determine the sustainability impact of a product. We have collected from the literature a total of 63 strategies of circularity that we divided according to the scope of application in: 24 strategies for circularity related to the design phase, 12 strategies for circularity related to the selection of components, 17 material-related circularity strategies, and 10 business strategies for circularity. The list of strategies represents the state of the art on what have been until now (considering the limits of research) the reflections on the problems of the sector. Their proposal therefore serves not only as guidelines, but above all as a reflective input and creative stimulus towards new solutions and new strategies. A collection of design strategies collected to material properties has been implemented in the database to envision a concrete relationship between design strategies and specific material use as already shown in Table 3 . This activity has been considered truly efficient to offer designers the possibility of envisioning reverberation of the material selection activity throughout the whole life cycle of a designed garments. At the same time, the opportunity to consult and analyze individual material properties can be important during the material selection activity in design projects. During the material selection phase, the designer can consider the collection of strategies for circularity related to the material, of which an extract is provided in Table 4 . In this way, the awareness and sensitivity of the designer in the practice of choosing materials can increase. Because of the new regulations coming in the sector (e.g. DPP), it becomes essential to be aware of and keep under control the origin of the material and any processes that alter its nature. The importance of this last step has been further explored by the authors in order to prototype a first, practical and visual tool for designers to test the efficiency of the proposed results. To respond to the specific need to move from the individual property of the material to a wider reflection on the use and selection of fabrics, in the thesis work CircularMAT [ 66 ] was presented a first attempt of tool to support the work of designers. CircularMAT is a tool developed by the authors that collects and overlaps the materials used in the fashion industry and design strategies compatible with the concept of circular economy. The purpose of the tool is to provide practical support to material selection to direct fashion projects - which rarely focus on reducing environmental impacts - towards the circular and sustainable model that the European Union asks the industry. Circular MAT wants to generate reflections in the user to support a conscious design, without limiting its creativity. This is a first prototyping tool containing scientific literature and belonging to areas unrelated to fashion designers (e.g. textile engineering, chemical and material engineering, etc.) transformed into an intuitive visual language. 6. Conclusions In conclusion, this study aimed to conduct a critical analysis of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of fashion products, with a focus on identifying the most significant environmental impact parameters. The primary objective was to extract translatable information from the literature that designers could easily incorporate into their decision-making processes. The designer, thanks to his characteristics of interdisciplinarity and horizontal vision, is a key figure to promote the transition to a circular economic model, abandoning the current linear model of the fashion industry. To shed light on the areas in which the designer can intervene, the government and industry objectives and the product of fashion and the characteristics that can determine its environmental impact throughout the life cycle have been analysed. The study focused mainly on the category of traditional fibers with the aim of developing a new method of critical analysis of these materials in the selection and application in fashion projects. Traditional fibers, comprising synthetic, vegetable, manmade cellulosic, and animal fibers, were classified as the reference points for the fashion industry. To achieve the objective of this study, the significance of the raw material known as the "nature of fibres" in the textile industry was highlighted. The research revealed that the extraction and processing of raw materials contribute significantly to the environmental impact, with variations based on the processes involved, properties, and end-of-life risks. Starting from this awareness - and not only - the materials sciences are developing new material alternatives, so-called preferred materials and neo-materials are making their way into the market. These categories present interesting peculiarities, but for productive issues they do not represent an immediate solution to the problems emerged: their availability is still limited and further scientific and technological advances are necessary for their improvement. For these reasons, the present study takes into consideration mainly and almost exclusively (with interest to implement the results also through the inclusion of preferred materials and neo-materials) the traditional materials. It will be the responsibility and merit of the designer, giving way to traditional materials (and not only) to participate in the transformation of the fashion industry, using them critically and consciously through the adoption of strategies of circularity. The application of such strategies to the benefit of a circular design corresponds to the consideration of several factors that emerged during this research. Due to the importance of the raw material, the study meticulously categorized materials based on the origin of raw materials, distinguishing between virgin and recycled materials, further classified into bio-based, fossil-based, and inorganic categories. The transition of textile ecosystems to circular and sustainable practices also requires considerations that go beyond the nature of fiber. Geographic factors, such as production location, were found to influence environmental impacts significantly. Similarly, the production processes related to each material affect its environmental impact. For this reason, environmental impact data for each material, expressed as cradle-to-gate production impacts, were collected from various sources and compiled into a comprehensive database. Additionally, the study considered properties relevant to the environmental impact during the use phase, such as microplastic release and various durability and maintenance properties. The environmental impact at the end of the product life cycle was also addressed, presenting potential disposal options for each material. The analysis extended beyond material characteristics to encompass circularity strategies, aligning with the principles of optimizing resource use, enhancing product longevity, and valorizing waste. The strategies were classified into design-related, selection of components, material-related, and business-related circularity strategies. The knowledge of all these circularity strategies is useful to the designer to have a vision of the range within which the industry can move. In summarizing the findings, the study provided a valuable database that encapsulates crucial information for fashion designers. The database, enriched with environmental impact data, properties, end-of-life options, and circularity strategies, serves as a practical tool for decision-making in material selection. Overall, this research contributes to bridging the gap between scientific literature and the practical needs of the fashion industry, facilitating a more informed and sustainable approach to material choices. Declarations Funding (information that explains whether and by whom the research was supported) This study was carried out within the MICS (Made in Italy – Circular and Sustainable) Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union Next-GenerationEU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) – MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.3 – D.D. 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004). This manuscript reflects only the authors’ views and opinions, neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be considered responsible for them. Conflicts of interest/Competing interests Not applicable Data availability Data available on request. The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author. Most data are contained within the article. Code availability Not applicable Authors' contributions Conceptualization, M.M.; Introduction and Literature review, F.P.; Methodology, M.M.; Results and Discussion, M.M. And F.P.; Writing, M.M. 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Tables Table 1 to 4 are available in the Supplementary Files section. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Table1.png Summary of Circular Strategies in the textile sector. [25] Table2.png Extract of the database produced by the authors for the characterization of traditional fashion materials. Table3.png Extract from the table in which the authors have collected the strategies for the circularity in view of the acquisition of a circular economic model by the fashion industry. Table4.png Extract from the table in which the authors have collected material selection strategies related to the material properties in view of the acquisition of a circular economic model by the fashion industry. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 03 Aug, 2024 Read the published version in Discover Sustainability → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 03 Feb, 2024 Reviews received at journal 15 Jan, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 15 Jan, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 14 Jan, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 03 Jan, 2024 Submission checks completed at journal 03 Jan, 2024 First submitted to journal 31 Dec, 2023 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-3826543","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":264996232,"identity":"306c3e29-7f1e-4f00-be53-cf9f5448b051","order_by":0,"name":"Melissa Mazzitelli","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Politecnico di Milano","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Melissa","middleName":"","lastName":"Mazzitelli","suffix":""},{"id":264996233,"identity":"e32e69ee-9f6e-403a-9265-7aaabd3b27c3","order_by":1,"name":"Flavia Papile","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Politecnico di Milano","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Flavia","middleName":"","lastName":"Papile","suffix":""},{"id":264996234,"identity":"7d886017-f57b-4e19-a518-31480bc901ed","order_by":2,"name":"Barbara Del Curto","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Politecnico di Milano","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Barbara","middleName":"Del","lastName":"Curto","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2023-12-31 21:14:06","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3826543/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3826543/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00294-3","type":"published","date":"2024-08-03T15:57:41+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":49203152,"identity":"fd0c83dc-7c3c-43c5-a655-2b82ee0dc99a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-05 06:08:14","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":84800,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eOverall results that could be obtained by performing an LCA on a clothing product. 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[25]\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Table1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3826543/v1/dfb5594801e48e6247a76a11.png"},{"id":49203154,"identity":"73eb6a40-d8fd-42db-b7d6-355d3cd462f1","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-05 06:08:14","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":552534,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eExtract of the database produced by the authors for the characterization of traditional fashion materials.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Table2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3826543/v1/c01d04ed90860c23f2ac551d.png"},{"id":49203153,"identity":"8f86160e-10bb-42ae-afa6-5c0b382207bc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-05 06:08:14","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":283454,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eExtract from the table in which the authors have collected the strategies for the circularity in view of the acquisition of a circular economic model by the fashion industry.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Table3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3826543/v1/f5748d5bd0be0a2a3380cc29.png"},{"id":49203521,"identity":"f93320fd-845a-44c8-ac61-560586d617b6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-01-05 06:16:14","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":209596,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eExtract from the table in which the authors have collected material selection strategies related to the material properties in view of the acquisition of a circular economic model by the fashion industry.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Table4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3826543/v1/1cff74a9bd3882c48c8da7d5.png"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Materials Selection and Fashion Design: strengthening reflections on fibre’s nature in fibres and textiles selection.","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe textile ecosystem is composed by the textile, clothing, leather and footwear industries and is among the most globalized value chains. In Europe, it employs 2.2\u0026nbsp;million workers and is made up of 99.5% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]. The textile production system has for years been in the eye of the cyclone for the change of production paradigm, with a tightening in recent times: in the Circular Economy Action Plan of 2022 [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e] the textile sector, in the European context, was placed in fourth place for greater impact on the environment and climate change - after food, housing and mobility -, at third place for the use of water and soil and fifth place for the extraction of primary raw materials. Global textile production almost doubled between 2000 and 2015 [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e] and, to exacerbate this scenario, it is estimated that the consumption of clothing - representing 81% of the EU\u0026rsquo;s textile destination - and footwear should increase by 63% by 2030, from the current 62\u0026nbsp;million tonnes to 102\u0026nbsp;million tonnes in 2030 [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. These negative impacts stem from the linear economy model that defines the sector along its value chain through the system of production, distribution, and use of clothing. This takes-make-dispose approach places excessive stress on natural resources and lacks long-term resilience [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo contain the negative impacts of this productive sector industry, government agencies and the scientific community are analysing and modeling the transformation of the current linear economic model into a circular one. The Fashion Systems, characterized as the combination of garments, shoes, or accessories that undergo design, purchase, production, and supply processes, are now influenced by new regulations [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]. These regulations emphasize concentrating on key activities occurring at the intersection of physical and digital practices in the design and sale of fashion garments.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFirst, promoting the design and use of fashion products responsibly and effectively in society as long as possible and in their most valuable form, then safely return to the biosphere when no longer in human use [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e] is one of the strong inputs coming from regulations and studies. Globally, during the COP24 in Katowice (Poland) in December 2018, the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e] was issued, which provides the industry and its signatories with a clear path to zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the recycling of traditional closed-loop materials and the derivation of materials from regenerative or deforestation-free/land conversion crops and the phasing out of coal from owned sites and suppliers by 2030.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSecondly, promoting information exchange along all the productive value chain. The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles is a crucial step Europe has taken to address emerging sectoral issues and fulfill its commitments under the European Green Deal [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e], the Circular Economy Action Plan, and the European Industrial Strategy [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. The objective of this document is to speed up the resilience and competitiveness of textile ecosystems, regulate and introduce sustainable and circular textile products with improved design, production, and disposal, emphasizing the importance of implementing clean technologies in textile production systems. In this framework technologies ad the Digital Product Passport and the Digital Twins for Fashion garments take place.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinally, empowering an aware use of materials and resources in the sector is mandatory. Another European action plan called the Sustainable Product Initiative\u003ca class=\"FNLink\" href=\"#Fn1\" id=\"#FNLinkFn1\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e has announced pragmatic strategies to achieve the goals set in the field. Among these, the most revolutionary conceptually concerns a regulation on the eco-design of sustainable products: the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e] which will establish new requirements to make products more durable, reliable, reusable, repairable, to be renewed and recycled, as well as more energy efficient through the correct design, which according to the European Commission determines up to 80% of the environmental impact of the product life cycle [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this framework, the design field is therefore of fundamental importance to promote the adoption of new circular design strategies and consumption systems [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e], and Designers are the first ones responsible for designing products. And in this product-oriented perspective, materials used for the design of fashion garments play an important role in the transition pathway for circular product design [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, the question is to understand if fashion designers are ready to embed reflections of materials environmental properties into their design activity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIf the technical language and breadth of the available studies concerning limitations and guidelines for certain materials use in the fashion industry make it difficult for designers to directly understand and use their results, a \u0026ldquo;short circuit\u0026rdquo; in the transition may occur [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]. The purpose of this study is therefore to understand and highlight environmental-related material information and propose a framework to help designers in embedding these technical data into their creative activity.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Literature Review","content":"\u003cp\u003eIntegrating environmental requirements into product design for sustainable fashion is nowadays mandatory to achieve performance objectives in the fashion system [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. The development of new design strategies is possible through the understanding of the environmental damage that the fashion industry and its products cause. In this perspective, a huge amount of proposals, plans, methodologies and scenarios have been produced in literature to frame and accomplish transitional objectives.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom very punctual and product-driven methodologies (such as the Ecodesign ones [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]) to broad and systemic design studies, a complex world of guidelines, strategies and tactics has been explored in literature, and when it comes to materials [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e] the discourse gets even more interesting. Being at the basis of every physical artifact, materials play a significant role in the systemic transition towards circular products design [19; 20]. Materials in fact can be analysed at least on three different levels [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]: technically, sensorially and environmentally. In fashion design, the term \u0026ldquo;material\u0026rdquo; gains even more complexity [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e] since it may refer to the chemical constituents of the single fibre, to yarns or even textiles and solid components of fashion garments.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccording to European Commission [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e], eight main building blocks should be followed to pursue an effective transition in the Textile, Clothing, Leather and Footwear Industries (TCLF): Creating a Sustainable competitiveness, Follow regulations and public Governance, Consider Social dimension in the transition, encourage R\u0026amp;I, Techniques and Technological Solutions, Empower infrastructures, work on Skills, Invest and fund innovative projects and practices and support EU strategic autonomy. In this framework, physical and digital attributes of textiles for fashion garments must be efficiently analysed throughout the design process to ensure efficient resources prolonged life at the end of the value chain. For doing this, authors envisioned in three main research tools the necessary basin of information to anticipate in the design phase some reflections concerning fibre\u0026rsquo;s materials and their reverberation throughout all the production pathways. These tools will be analysed in depth in the following paragraphs and are respectively LCA-based methods for the fashion industry, Textiles Digital Twins Technology and Digital Product Passport for Textiles.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1 LCA-based methods for fashion industry\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA widespread tool for assessing the environmental impact of products is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]. Based on the analysis of LCA studies in the literature, it is possible to define areas in which it is possible to intervene during the garments design phase to limit the environmental impacts of new fashion and textile products, related to fiber\u0026rsquo;s material choices.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe LCA method proposes the division into five phases [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e]:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003epre-production;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eproduction;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003edistribution;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003euse;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eend of life.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, it is possible to see that the environmental impacts of a fashion product are distributed unevenly within these phases of life, and focus on the first two phases: pre-production and production (collected in a single phase), and use.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe environmental impact in the pre-production and production phase includes the extraction of the raw material and its processing, the production of semi-finished products (yarns and fabrics), the finishing processes up to the packaging of the final product. All these phases and the associated environmental impacts are strongly influenced by the nature of the raw material [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo bring out the most relevant issues at this stage we have collected the most significant environmental impact categories: climate change, water use and consumption, human toxicity, and primary energy demand. These parameters are defined by the European Commission [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e] as follows:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eclimate change\u003c/b\u003e: this indicator refers to the increase in global average temperatures because of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in this case, to the supply and processing of raw material. The parameter \"climate change\" is measured in kilograms of equivalent carbon dioxide (kg CO2 eq.) and corresponds to the impact of all greenhouse gases emitted, translated into the amount of CO2 needed to produce that same impact.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003ewater use and consumption\u003c/b\u003e: the withdrawal of water resources from lakes, rivers or aquifers can contribute to the exhaustion of available water. This impact category considers the availability or scarcity of water in the regions where the activity takes place if this information is available. The associated environmental impact is expressed in cubic meters (m3 eq.) of water consumption concerning local water scarcity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003ehuman toxicity\u003c/b\u003e: this indicator refers to the potential impacts on human health caused by the absorption of substances through air, water, and soil. The direct effects of products on humans are currently not measured. The unit of measure of the category is UTCh, which stands for \"Comparative Toxic Unit for human\".\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eprimary energy demand\u003c/b\u003e: primary energy demand means the amount of energy coming from all the different sources, both renewable and non-renewable, necessary to acquire and transform the raw material, in this case into textile fibers.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese categories together account for about 55% of the total impact.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA material selection process focused on the main categories of environmental impact of the process that takes place at this stage can positively affect the environmental performance of the final product.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe use phase of the product is the second in terms of environmental impact (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis is due to garment care processes, namely the type and frequency of washing, drying, and ironing [29; 30 and 31]. Following the analysis of the literature we examined how different materials with their properties can discourage the frequency of such actions and encourage, among these, less impactful practices. In this phase, three problems that could be influenced by the material of which the garment is composed emerged: frequency of washing, type of washing, release of microplastics, frequency of ironing and durability.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo reduce the frequency of washing, the two properties to consider are stain resistance and odor resistance. Both may be intrinsically associated with the nature of the fibre, but it has emerged from the literature that the structure of the semi-finished product can also change its performance [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e]. The first property is affected by the fiber moisture recovery, the tendency to accumulate static electricity and the circular section of the fiber; the second one is affected by the ability of the fiber or semi-finished product to absorb water.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAbout washing, today\u0026rsquo;s literature does not document the direct relationship between the fiber\u0026rsquo;s nature and wet or dry washing. The only releases are about probability: for example, it was found that clothing made of silk, wool and wool mixtures are three times more likely to be dry-cleaned than cotton or synthetic garments and their blends [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e]. Dry-cleaning practice is less favored due to the use of chemical solvents that are hazardous to human health and the environment [34; 35] and increased energy consumption.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe release of microplastics is associated with synthetic garments, but the quality of the fibre, the structure of the yarns and that of the fabrics can allow a more or less great release of microfibers [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe concept of durability is not directly associated with that of sustainability, but it is related to the type of product that is considered: the plastic bag, for example, designed to be used a few times before being disposed of, finds in the biodegradability of the materials the characteristic closest to the principles of sustainability [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e]. According to the Waste \u0026amp; Resources Action Programme (WRAP) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e] report, increasing garment durability is the \"single greatest opportunity\" to reduce the environmental impacts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water demand and waste production: extending the life of clothing by nine months could reduce the carbon footprint, water and waste from 20 to 30%. In addition, if the wearing frequency of a garment doubled, greenhouse gas emissions would decrease by about 44%, compared to the number of emissions generated by the production of a new garment. By cross-checking the standardized ISO tests used to assess the physical durability of materials, we have collected the properties that can be considered in the material selection phase for a durable garment: abrasion resistance, tensile strength, pilling resistance, light resistance, color fastness and dimensional stability.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe environmental impact associated with the end-of-life phase is closely linked to the issue of waste disposal. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has estimated that the equivalent of a fabric-filled garbage truck is either dumped or incinerated every second [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe European Commission is now considering the EPR (Extended Product Responsability) as a regulatory measure to promote sustainable textiles and the treatment of textile waste following the waste hierarchy. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCurrently available options for the disposal of clothing products are closed-loop recycling (or fiber-to-fiber), open-loop recycling (an option that usually sees the transformation of clothing items into upholstery for furniture products or insulating materials) incineration (with or without energy recovery), and landfill. Despite the range of options available, fashion waste is mainly landfilled or incinerated [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe analysis of the environmental impact of fashion products has resulted in the definition of applicable strategies during garments design phase, to enhance the product's circularity and environmental sustainability. In Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, a summary of strategies compiled by the European Union TwinRevolution [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e] project is here presented.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2 Textiles Digital Twins\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe intertwin of circular and digital strategies can support the transformation of the textile industry [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e] and consequently have positive consequences in the fashion garments value chain.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCreating digital twins (DTs) for fashion garments design and prototyping represents a tangible opportunity in terms of coupling sustainable transformation with the digital one [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e]. Defined as a virtual copy of any physical entity with real time data exchange [-44], DT technology enables professionals in simulating e.g. processes, employ models, and life of digitalised physical artifacts. Exploiting probabilistic simulations, this technology can significantly contribute to information mapping throughout all the product life cycle. Therefore, decision-making processes [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e] in the design activity can be strongly reinforced by DT technologies in terms of simulation and control of the decision made at the design stage throughout the whole product life cycle, such as material selection. In this perspective, DT may help, e.g., in material waste reduction, production optimisation and information mapping to allow material recovery at the garment\u0026rsquo;s end of life.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSome software (e.g. Clo3D, Daz3D ecc\u0026hellip;) already started to embed partial information oriented to the DT technology. But when it comes to materials in fashion, the main aspects that are managed by designers concern the technical and hedonic features of prime matter, not having a proper control of how their decision may affect the whole production pathway.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, some studies say \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Future studies can explore (1) how the DT processresulted in a smaller environmental footprint, (2) accurately mea-sured how much material, water, and dye treatments were saved,and (3) how it compares to the additional carbon footprint associ-ated with digital technologies in general, such as energy to runequipment, cloud storage, and so forth.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.3 Digital Product Passport for Textiles\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe European Commission proposed the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation on March 30, 2022, as part of the EU Green Deal framework. By 2030, Digital Product Passports (DPP) will be mandatory for textiles sold in Europe to promote environmentally sustainable and circular products.A DPP is a digital record that contains information about a product's entire lifecycle, including product identifiers, material composition, performance, environmental and social data.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe European Commission (EC) defines a \u0026lsquo;product passport\u0026rsquo; as a product-specific data set, which can be electronically accessed through a data carrier to \u0026ldquo;electronically register,process and share product-related information amongst supply chain businesses, authorities and consumers\u0026rdquo;[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe DPP would provide information on the origin, composition, and repair and disassembly possibilities of a product, including how the various components can be recycled or disposed of at end of life. This information can enable the upscaling of circular economy strategies such as predictive maintenance, repair, remanufacturing and recycling. It also informs consumers and other stakeholders of the sustainability characteristics of products and materials.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn a designer's perspective, being aware of the information contained and mapped through the DPP tool would significantly help in anticipating actions for disassembly, reuse,recycle, upcyle and other circular practices intervening by design on the idealization and definition of textiles fashion garments. This anticipation and control can even more easily be linked to the reflections concerning fibres material choices.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe European Commission proposes DPPs as a secure and standardized way of sharing product information across the entire value chain. The data can be accessed via physical identifiers such as QR codes, NFC tags or RFID chips. DPPs can promote sustainability by increasing transparency, improving durability, enhancing recyclability, and reducing waste.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. Methodology","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe purpose of this study is to critically analyze the LCA of fashion products to identify the most relevant environmental impact parameters and, based on the literature analysis, extract translatable information in design features that can be easily managed by designers. In this contribution, the authors will mainly focus on the asset of Material Innovation. The material, known as \"fiber nature\", is the physical element that constitutes the raw material of the textile industry. This work will reveal that the extraction and processing of the raw material is the phase that has the greatest impact. Depending on the nature of the fiber, processes, properties and end-of-life risks can be different.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt is clear that the transition of textile ecosystems to new circular and sustainable practices depends not only on the nature of the fibre. An in-depth study on the nature of fibres can highlight new points of reflection at the design and production level, increasing awareness of decision-making activities in the textile and subsequent application sectors. Considering what we learned in the study of literature, we decided to classify and tabulate the materials as explained below.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs illustrated by the Materials Market report of Textile Exchange [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e48\u003c/span\u003e] about 65% of the global fibre market consists of synthetic fibres (polyester, polyamide, polypropylene, acrylic, elastane), about 27% of vegetable fibres (cotton, linen, hemp and other fibres) about 6.3% from manmade cellulosic fibers (viscose, acetate, lyocell, modal and cupro) and about 1.6% from animal fibers (sheep wool, plumage, silk and other animal fibers). We have defined these fibers as 'traditional fibers', which are the solid reference points for today's fashion industry.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFirst of all, we have limited ourselves to the analysis of this type of materials, but we are aware also other categories are fundamental, such as preferred materials, which are fibres or materials with better results and impacts in terms of environmental and/or social sustainability compared to traditional ones and neo-materials, that are innovative material solutions still little used, but having promising environmental performance and peculiarities that can expand the vision of fashion design to new clothing concepts and design paradigms. These two categories could be added in the study in the future.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFor each traditional material selected we have indicated the geographical location of production that indicates the geographical location where the material is produced and to which the values of the environmental impacts of production refer. Indeed, the environmental impact of the fibres marketed depends not only on the type of fibre but also on where and how the fibres were produced [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e]. The geographical context in terms of scale, energy sources, chemical suppliers and waste management can greatly influence the environmental impact [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e] so the same fibre produced in two different geographical locations can have different environmental performances.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe materials have therefore been characterized according to the origin of the raw material in two categories: virgin raw material and raw material from recycling processes.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBoth categories have been divided into bio-based raw material, fossil-based raw material and inorganic raw material. This subdivision helps the designer to understand the renewability of the resources used, to select, when possible, materials that do not implement the dependence on fossil extraction.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe then researched in the literature the cradle-to-gate environmental impacts of these fibers by analyzing the impact categories mentioned in paragraph 2.1: climate change (kg CO2 eq./kg), use and consumption of water (m3 eq./kg), human toxicity (UTCh/kg) and primary energy demand (MJ/kg). We started from the \u0026ldquo;Environmental impact of textile fibers\u0026rdquo; report of Mistra Future Fashion [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e51\u003c/span\u003e] which collects, through a table at the end of the document, the environmental impact data identified on animal fibers, vegetable fibers, regenerated fibers and synthetic fibers and collected, in turn, by peer-reviewed journal articles, reports and databases. We have collected in a database the data available in the document of Mistra Future Fashion collecting the minimum and maximum values of the environmental impacts of the fibers that the literature proposes, subdivided by continent of production. In this way we have associated to each material a numerical range that indicates the environmental impact of the different categories of greatest interest.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe collection of such data has been implemented in the analysis of the literature cited in the document and, in case of missing data, through further literature searched by the authors. In the case of Life Cycle Assessments with data of our interest expressed through different units than those established by us for filling the database, where possible, we have converted this numerical information using the conversion tables proposed by Dong. et al. (2021) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e52\u003c/span\u003e] which proposes conversion factors between the results expressed according to the different LCA methods and distinguish them into high correlation, low correlation and non-correctable factors.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThen we analyzed the materials from the point of view of the properties relevant to the environmental impact in the use phase both through white literature (for example from the publications of Humphries M. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e53\u003c/span\u003e], Johnston A. \u0026amp; Hallett C. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e] and Baugh G. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e]) and through grey literature (for example from the publications of Bunsell, A. R. et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e56\u003c/span\u003e], Hosseini Ravandi S. A. \u0026amp; Valizadeh M. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e57\u003c/span\u003e] and Sinclair R. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e58\u003c/span\u003e]). The material properties that we have researched are those examined in paragraph 2.1. We have indicated for each material category:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003epossible release of microplastics;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eintrinsic properties of fibre durability:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eabrasion resistance, expressed by qualitative scale (1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;bad, 2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;poor, 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;decent, 4\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;good, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;excellent);\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003edimensional stability, expressed by qualitative scale (1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;bad, 2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;poor, 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;decent, 4\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;good, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;excellent);\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003elightfastness, expressed by qualitative scale (1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;bad, 2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;poor, 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;decent, 4\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;good, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;excellent);\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003ecolorfastness, expressed by qualitative scale (1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;bad, 2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;poor, 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;decent, 4\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;good, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;excellent);\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003etensile strength, expressed by qualitative scale (1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;bad, 2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;poor, 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;decent, 4\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;good, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;excellent);\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eresistance to pilling, expressed by qualitative scale (1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;bad, 2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;poor, 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;decent, 4\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;good, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;excellent);\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eease of removal of the pilling, expressed by means of qualitative indicators (\"easy removal\" or \"difficult removal\");\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eintrinsic properties of fibre maintenance:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003estain resistance, expressed by qualitative scale (1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;bad, 2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;poor, 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;decent, 4\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;good, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;excellent);\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003ecrease resistance, expressed by qualitative scale (1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;bad, 2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;poor, 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;decent, 4\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;good, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;excellent);\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eodours resistance, expressed by qualitative scale (1\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;bad, 2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;poor, 3\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;decent, 4\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;good, 5\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;excellent);\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003edrying speed, expressed by means of quality indicators (\"slow drying\", \"moderate drying\" or \"fast drying\");\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003ecompatible type of washing, indicated for each category of material according to the most commonly indicated type (\"wet\", \"dry\" or \"hand\"). Today\u0026rsquo;s literature does not closely document the relationship between fashion materials and the three washing practices, but clothing made of silk, wool and wool blends are three times more likely to be dry-cleaned than cotton or synthetic garments and their mixtures [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR59\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e59\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConcerning the environmental impact at the end of life, potentially compatible EOL options were indicated for each material. This does not mean that selecting a fiber-to-fiber recyclable material is automatic that in the disposal phase the garment is recycled, but that the option exists. It will be in fact the responsibility of the designer and/or the brand to make sure that this happens (for example collecting the used garments, drawing up agreements with the companies that develop these technologies, etc...). End-of-life options have therefore been arranged as possibilities: closed-loop recycling, open-loop recycling, incineration with energy recovery, biodegradation and landfill. The association between material and compatible end-of-life option was made considering the raw material of the material and the existing structures dealing with textile waste. This does not make the association between the two parameters always true, but allows the designer to be aware only that there is the possibility of a certain end-of-life option for the chosen material. The designer and the brand must therefore ensure through their suppliers that the end-of-life option is actually possible or, if not, be aware of the impossibility of proceeding at the end of life with the desired option, or simply change supplier.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs mentioned in the previous paragraphs, not all factors that can be controlled by the designer that affect the environmental impact of a fashion product are related to the intrinsic nature of the available materials. Some representative examples are listed in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHowever, the same parameters that in the previous sub-paragraph were selected to characterize materials (cradle-to-gate production impacts, durability properties, maintenance etc.) are actually associated with a group of circularity strategies (e.g. design of durable garments). It can be seen that some strategies depend directly on the choice of fashion material, while other strategies, such as those aimed at reducing the impacts in the distribution phase, are independent of the choice of material and cannot be proposed according to the same narrative.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom the literature (for example from the publications of Vezzoli C. et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e60\u003c/span\u003e], Cobbing M. \u0026amp; Vicaire Y. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR61\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e61\u003c/span\u003e] and Ellen MacArthur Foundation [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR62\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e62\u003c/span\u003e]) a sample of strategies applicable in the fashion world or already applied by some brands and presented as case studies compatible with the three pillars on which the circular economy is based has been collected: optimization of resource use, product longevity and waste exploitation. These were then analyzed and translated into general strategies or guidelines versatile on several areas.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe divided the strategies according to the scope of application: strategies for circularity related to the design phase, strategies for circularity related to the selection of components, strategies for circularity related to material and business strategies for circularity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDesign-related circularity strategies are guidelines applicable to the specific design chapter and can offer methods to increase material performance. An example of a strategy belonging to this category is the use of certain textile structures to increase the abrasion resistance of the fabric. The properties of the finished product may be affected by the textile structure of the material constituting it [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR63\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e63\u003c/span\u003e]. In this way, if the design goal was to make a garment last longer, it would be better to avoid textile structures in which threads and yarns have greater mobility, such as knitted structures.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA second example of this type of strategy is pattern-placing. This strategy is applicable to all weave materials and consists in predetermining the way the pattern patterns of the pattern will be positioned on the fabric, in order to limit off-cuts and divert them from the waste stream. This strategy has the potential to bring benefits of circularity both in the optimization of the use of resources and in the valorization of the waste (reusing the off-cuts) and potentially in the longevity of the garments (using off-cuts as reinforcements at the most wear points).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe strategies for circularity linked to the selection of components are the guidelines that look at an overall approach of the circularity of the garment and range from the selection of certified suppliers to the adoption of standard accessories that guarantee the availability of the spare parts.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"4. Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe analysis of literature and the characterization of traditional materials has led to build a database in which to insert the information emerged. In an Excel table (an example extract is shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e) authors collected 25 different materials. Of these, some materials are repeated as products in two different geographical locations to highlight how the data concerning the environmental impact of cradle-to-gate production varies depending on the geographical localization of the prime matter production.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAmong these 25 materials there are also some material variants called \"preferred materials\", a concept developed by Textile Exchange [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR64\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e64\u003c/span\u003e] to indicate those fibers or materials that result in better environmental and/or social sustainability results and impacts than traditional ones. This definition includes traditional fibres whose origin differs from that of counterparts conventionally produced through: responsible cultivation, the use of organic matter to produce synthetic fibres, the use of recycled raw material, control and certification of procurement methods. Although this definition encompasses a wide variety of materials, the actual environmental performance is not obvious and varies from case to case.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe data table has been, hence, divided into sections. The first section contains the industrial information of the material, that is the level of industrialization (in order to be able to further implement the database with the insertion of neo-materials), manufacturer and website (also useful information for specific case studies), geographical location of production. The second section contains information about the origin of the raw material divided by \"virgin raw material\" and \"raw material from recycling\", in turn divided into \"bio-based\", \"fossil-based\" and \"inorganic\". Under each of these headings it is possible to indicate the percentage of raw material making up the reference material and indicate its specific origin. In this section authors have also added the entry \"certification\", for specific case studies with a view to implementing the database. The third section contains information on the environmental impact of cradle-to-gate production, divided according to the environmental impact categories already expressed in the previous sub-paragraphs. Authors have reported the numerical data both as a numerical range and as a mathematical mean to which have been associated a color scale to make the most other and the lowest values stand out faster. The fourth section contains information on the environmental impact of the material in use through the release of microplastics, durability properties and maintenance properties (previously investigated). The fifth section contains information about the environmental impact at the end of life stage and indicates for each material the options (previously explored in this article) compatible with it.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSince our goal is to translate the scientific literature in a language usable by fashion designers to facilitate and put more critical attention to the material selection phase, authors have added for each material the applications for which it is more customary (e.g. ready to wear, outdoor, jeans, shirts, underwear, etc.).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinally, by reviewing each material in its own characteristics authors have associated to each of them compatible circularity strategies. In the last section called \"Strategies\" authors collected alphanumeric codes that correspond to certain strategies detected by the literature. Authors collected these strategies in another Excel sheet [an example extract in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. They are identifiable by alphanumeric code type Xnn where X corresponds to the letter identifying the type of strategy (Strategies for circularity related to the Design phase\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;D; Strategies for circularity related to the Selection of components\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;S; Strategies for circularity related to Material\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;M; Business strategies for circularity\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;B). Each strategy is accompanied by a description and is indicated the benefit (between optimization of the use of resources, longevity of the products and valorization of the Wastes) that can be made if applied.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"5. Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe present work offers a broad overview of the characteristics related to the fiber\u0026rsquo;s nature that can influence the final impact of the product, guiding designers in an informed material decision-making process. However, it is necessary to make some considerations about this work. First, the final output (an excel file) is very efficient for organizing and managing data but can be improved in terms of usability for designers. Design oriented tools usually exploit graphical and fast-reading information structures, such as maps, infographics, cards and other visual information providers to optimize consulting and immediate consultation while designing [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR65\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e65\u003c/span\u003e]. Moreover, mere data collection could result in a list of numbers and ranges of values.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this study, 25 materials were taken into account (also considering variants that differ by location of production). Of these 25 materials collected, 10 are vegetable fibers, 3 are animal fibers, 3 are man-made cellulocic fibers and 9 are synthetic fibers. These materials represent the most common materials currently used in the production of textile clothing, considered as traditional fibers. Among them, however, we have also included 4 materials that, although they are becoming increasingly popular in the global textile market, are defined as preferred materials: two generic organic cottons (of global and European production) a recycled cotton (in the case study RPure somebody. of the company Recover) and a recycled wool (in the case study MWool. of the company Manteco).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe implementation of the file by adding preferred materials or neo-materials can help the designer to implement a material selection resulting from a wider analysis. In fact, the use of materials belonging to these two categories is not a guarantee of sustainable fashion products, especially when used without critical participation. This implies that, during the material selection of a specific project, it is essential to choose the material (be it traditional, preferred or neo-material) the characteristics of which are consistent and compatible with the sustainability objectives that are to be imparted to the final product. For this reason, the role of other material categories, and especially of neo-materials for fashion, is not (and should not be) to replace traditional materials, but to expand the opportunities available and inspire new design paradigms.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTherefore, after the data collection activity, authors considered fundamental to highlight the strategies for circularity and opportunities offered by the data collection activity, since the timely information of a specific material property is not sufficient to determine the sustainability impact of a product.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe have collected from the literature a total of 63 strategies of circularity that we divided according to the scope of application in: 24 strategies for circularity related to the design phase, 12 strategies for circularity related to the selection of components, 17 material-related circularity strategies, and 10 business strategies for circularity. The list of strategies represents the state of the art on what have been until now (considering the limits of research) the reflections on the problems of the sector. Their proposal therefore serves not only as guidelines, but above all as a reflective input and creative stimulus towards new solutions and new strategies.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA collection of design strategies collected to material properties has been implemented in the database to envision a concrete relationship between design strategies and specific material use as already shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis activity has been considered truly efficient to offer designers the possibility of envisioning reverberation of the material selection activity throughout the whole life cycle of a designed garments.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAt the same time, the opportunity to consult and analyze individual material properties can be important during the material selection activity in design projects. During the material selection phase, the designer can consider the collection of strategies for circularity related to the material, of which an extract is provided in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e. In this way, the awareness and sensitivity of the designer in the practice of choosing materials can increase. Because of the new regulations coming in the sector (e.g. DPP), it becomes essential to be aware of and keep under control the origin of the material and any processes that alter its nature.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe importance of this last step has been further explored by the authors in order to prototype a first, practical and visual tool for designers to test the efficiency of the proposed results. To respond to the specific need to move from the individual property of the material to a wider reflection on the use and selection of fabrics, in the thesis work CircularMAT [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR66\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e66\u003c/span\u003e] was presented a first attempt of tool to support the work of designers. CircularMAT is a tool developed by the authors that collects and overlaps the materials used in the fashion industry and design strategies compatible with the concept of circular economy. The purpose of the tool is to provide practical support to material selection to direct fashion projects - which rarely focus on reducing environmental impacts - towards the circular and sustainable model that the European Union asks the industry. Circular MAT wants to generate reflections in the user to support a conscious design, without limiting its creativity. This is a first prototyping tool containing scientific literature and belonging to areas unrelated to fashion designers (e.g. textile engineering, chemical and material engineering, etc.) transformed into an intuitive visual language.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"6. Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn conclusion, this study aimed to conduct a critical analysis of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of fashion products, with a focus on identifying the most significant environmental impact parameters. The primary objective was to extract translatable information from the literature that designers could easily incorporate into their decision-making processes. The designer, thanks to his characteristics of interdisciplinarity and horizontal vision, is a key figure to promote the transition to a circular economic model, abandoning the current linear model of the fashion industry. To shed light on the areas in which the designer can intervene, the government and industry objectives and the product of fashion and the characteristics that can determine its environmental impact throughout the life cycle have been analysed.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study focused mainly on the category of traditional fibers with the aim of developing a new method of critical analysis of these materials in the selection and application in fashion projects. Traditional fibers, comprising synthetic, vegetable, manmade cellulosic, and animal fibers, were classified as the reference points for the fashion industry.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo achieve the objective of this study, the significance of the raw material known as the \"nature of fibres\" in the textile industry was highlighted. The research revealed that the extraction and processing of raw materials contribute significantly to the environmental impact, with variations based on the processes involved, properties, and end-of-life risks. Starting from this awareness - and not only - the materials sciences are developing new material alternatives, so-called preferred materials and neo-materials are making their way into the market. These categories present interesting peculiarities, but for productive issues they do not represent an immediate solution to the problems emerged: their availability is still limited and further scientific and technological advances are necessary for their improvement. For these reasons, the present study takes into consideration mainly and almost exclusively (with interest to implement the results also through the inclusion of preferred materials and neo-materials) the traditional materials. It will be the responsibility and merit of the designer, giving way to traditional materials (and not only) to participate in the transformation of the fashion industry, using them critically and consciously through the adoption of strategies of circularity. The application of such strategies to the benefit of a circular design corresponds to the consideration of several factors that emerged during this research.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDue to the importance of the raw material, the study meticulously categorized materials based on the origin of raw materials, distinguishing between virgin and recycled materials, further classified into bio-based, fossil-based, and inorganic categories.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe transition of textile ecosystems to circular and sustainable practices also requires considerations that go beyond the nature of fiber. Geographic factors, such as production location, were found to influence environmental impacts significantly. Similarly, the production processes related to each material affect its environmental impact. For this reason, environmental impact data for each material, expressed as cradle-to-gate production impacts, were collected from various sources and compiled into a comprehensive database.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdditionally, the study considered properties relevant to the environmental impact during the use phase, such as microplastic release and various durability and maintenance properties. The environmental impact at the end of the product life cycle was also addressed, presenting potential disposal options for each material.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe analysis extended beyond material characteristics to encompass circularity strategies, aligning with the principles of optimizing resource use, enhancing product longevity, and valorizing waste. The strategies were classified into design-related, selection of components, material-related, and business-related circularity strategies. The knowledge of all these circularity strategies is useful to the designer to have a vision of the range within which the industry can move.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn summarizing the findings, the study provided a valuable database that encapsulates crucial information for fashion designers. The database, enriched with environmental impact data, properties, end-of-life options, and circularity strategies, serves as a practical tool for decision-making in material selection. Overall, this research contributes to bridging the gap between scientific literature and the practical needs of the fashion industry, facilitating a more informed and sustainable approach to material choices.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003ch2\u003eFunding (information that explains whether and by whom the research was supported)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was carried out within the MICS (Made in Italy \u0026ndash; Circular and Sustainable) Extended Partnership and received funding from the European Union Next-GenerationEU (PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA (PNRR) \u0026ndash; MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2, INVESTIMENTO 1.3 \u0026ndash; D.D. 1551.11-10-2022, PE00000004). This manuscript reflects only the authors\u0026rsquo; views and opinions, neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be considered responsible for them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eConflicts of interest/Competing interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eData availability\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData available on request. The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author. Most data are contained within the article.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCode availability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAuthors\u0026apos; contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConceptualization, M.M.; Introduction and Literature review, F.P.; Methodology, M.M.; Results and Discussion, M.M. And F.P.; Writing, M.M. And F.P.; Supervision and final review B.D.C. All authors have read and agreed for the submission of this manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEuropean, Commission. Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, (2021). 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In CUMULUS CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS SERIES (Vol.\u0026nbsp;2, pp.\u0026nbsp;4071\u0026ndash;4087). 2020.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMazzitelli M, Circular MAT. Materials Advisor Tool) Sviluppo di uno strumento a supporto del pensiero critico nella selezione materica per la transizione circolare della moda. 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Being characterised by very complex value-chains and interconnection of productive actors, textiles production and use represent one of the most crucial challenges for the circular and sustainable transition. Their deployment is esteemed to be in growing for the next years, therefore reflections on how to improve product and materials circularity in this sector is of increasing interest in research and industrial practice. In this contribution, authors will try to map the material properties that can influence textiles application in the fashion sector, focusing on the coupling of material selection activity and application of design strategies to anticipate at best the reflections upon textiles use and recirculation. Results of this activity are then shown and discussed to question the applicability of the reported data into a fashion design activity, to promote awareness and critical reflections upon materials use while designing new fashion goods.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Materials Selection and Fashion Design: strengthening reflections on fibre’s nature in fibres and textiles selection.","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-01-05 06:08:09","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3826543/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2024-02-04T03:31:50+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2024-01-15T14:24:42+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"a58fe605-5675-4aa9-8b48-810e0d16587c_SNPRID","date":"2024-01-15T09:37:17+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2024-01-14T20:08:10+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2024-01-03T13:32:15+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2024-01-03T13:31:50+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Sustainability","date":"2023-12-31T20:58:51+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-sustainability","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"disu","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Sustainability](https://www.springer.com/43621)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Discover Sustainability","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"6213828f-206a-4ae9-8a4f-f5b505dd100f","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 5th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2024-08-05T16:03:29+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-3826543","link":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00294-3","journal":{"identity":"discover-sustainability","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Discover Sustainability"},"publishedOn":"2024-08-03 15:57:41","publishedOnDateReadable":"August 3rd, 2024"},"versionCreatedAt":"2024-01-05 06:08:09","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1007/s43621-024-00294-3","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00294-3","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-3826543","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-3826543","identity":"rs-3826543","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"qtupq5eGEP_6zYnWcrvyt","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}