Creative Design for Fashion Lifestyle Product from Ethnic Groups on Doitung Highland Area using Sustainability Theory for Exporting to Japan

Abstract

This article is part of the research titled “Creative Design for Fashion Lifestyle Product from Ethnic Groups on Doitung Highland Area using Sustainability Theory for Exporting to Japan”. Amid climate concerns, it is a known fact that the fashion and apparel industry has long been held accountable for exacting an environmental toll as a result of the overproduction of natural fibers derived from agricultural sources, but there is a growing awareness across the globe of how to maximize resources at low or no environmental costs through the use of recycling technologies and innovations. In addition, the integration of principles of circular economy ensures that wasted resources are reused more efficiently and recycled into new life, leading to a reduction in environmental impact. To illustrate the point, Polyethylene Terephthalate, commonly abbreviated PET, is a type of plastic waste that contributes significantly to environmental damage these days. PET bottles can be recycled and repurposed for several other uses, with intrinsic properties left intact. They are also energy-efficient during the manufacturing process and garner praise for renewability. On the other hand, recycled polyester from plastic water bottles gains no traction among entrepreneurs in a handicraft industry since most of them still prefer environmentally-hazardous natural materials. As a result, the researcher has identified a gap in the market and the potential for developing nature-positive products based on sustainable design and practices while incorporating cultural capital of ethnic groups on Doitung highland area into a stage of development. With this goal in mind, ecologically-sustainable handcrafted products are the desired result that aligns to tribal beliefs and customs centering on cultural preservation and coexistence with nature in a harmonious and sustainable manner. Complemented by hand-weaving approaches inherited from time-tested ancestral wisdom, recycled polyester for textile pieces forges a new identity for fashion lifestyle products. Japan is indisputably an export market that makes great strides towards common goals of environmental sustainability thanks to deeply-ingrained attitudes on the importance of environmental and cultural preservation. Hence, the products being designed and created in keeping with the sustainability theory and tribal legacy of Doitung ethnic groups provide an eco-friendly alternative to eco-destructive counterparts while plugging the gap and satisfying the eco-conscious needs of target customers in Japan. The purposes of this research are to seek viable solutions to environmental issues in the fashion industry under sustainable design concepts, to explore innovative approaches in designing and creating a fashion lifestyle brand from Doitung’s cultural capital, and to expand market reach for fashion lifestyle products steeped in the ethnic heritage to attract new target customers in Japan. A collection and analysis of data gleaned from relevant literatures, questionnaires and interviews have led to data beneficial for analytical processes before results are incorporated into the research. The outcomes of this research can serve as a guideline for creating and developing a fashion lifestyle brand for export to Japan, based on the concept of cultural capital and sustainability theory