The Ecodesign Transformation of Smart Clothing: Towards a Systemic and Coupled Social–Ecological–Technological System Perspective

Smart clothing integrates advanced technologies such as textile materials, flexible electronics, and data communication systems, playing a pivotal role in driving productivity innovation within the textile and apparel industry. However, this emerging field faces substantial challenges, including high resource consumption, high disposal rates, and difficulties in material recycling and management. This paper presents an integrative review, analyzing 263 studies to examine the ecodesign transformation framework for smart clothing. The findings highlight multiple sustainability challenges associated with the linear lifecycle of traditional smart clothing. By assessing ecodesign strategies across various stages of the lifecycle, the study emphasizes the need for a shift from a product-focused approach to system-level innovation in the ecodesign of smart clothing. Building on this, we propose a systematic, coupling ecodesign framework to facilitate the sustainable transformation of smart clothing. This framework is grounded in the principles of circular economy and Social–Ecological–Technological Systems (SETSs). Our work not only aims to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals but also aligns with the core objectives of the European Green Deal, focusing on resource efficiency and low environmental impact. We seek to provide a feasible theoretical framework to guide the sustainable transformation of smart clothing.