Bridging the Gaps: Exploring Interdisciplinary Design and Development Processes in E-Clothing

E-clothing, the integration of electronic components into garments, represents an evolving domain in the wearable industry. However, current development tends to prioritize technological innovation over design aesthetics, user needs, and sustainability considerations. By analyzing 10 semi-structured interviews administered to academic and industrial professionals, this paper aims to exam the role of designers in interdisciplinary e-clothing design, their collaboration with experts, and the approaches taken towards sustainability. The research identified 3 design process models in different settings and the key challenges including knowledge gap, communication barrier and lack sustainability practices. The findings suggest that designers play critical roles as “fusion designers”, “conceptual drivers”, and “strategic coordinators”, requiring a combination of soft skills like communication and technical knowledge to balance creativity, functionality, and sustainability in the e-clothing design process. Finally, the research proposes an interdisciplinary design framework that integrates tools assisting interdisciplinary work, user-centered approaches and sustainability concerns.